Description
Red Velvet Cake Valentines Hearts with rich cocoa, creamy frosting, and perfect for! Festive, decadent, and sure to impress your loved ones.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2½ cups (315g) all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons (15g) unsweetened cocoa powder (natural, not Dutch-processed)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1½ cups (300g) granulated sugar
- 1 cup (240ml) buttermilk, room temperature
- 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, softened
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 tablespoons (30ml) red food coloring (liquid) or 1 tablespoon gel coloring
- 1 teaspoon white vinegar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 16 oz (450g) cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, softened
- 4 cups (480g) powdered sugar, sifted
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Step 1: Prepare Your Pans Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). If using heart-shaped pans, grease them thoroughly with butter and dust with flour, tapping out any excess. Alternatively, line two 9-inch round cake pans with parchment paper and grease the sides. For individual heart cakes, use a silicone heart mold or a heart-shaped cookie cutter for cutting shapes after baking.
- Step 2: Mix Dry Ingredients In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. This ensures even distribution of the leavening agents and prevents clumping of the cocoa powder. Set aside while you prepare the wet ingredients.
- Step 3: Cream Butter and Sugar In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 4-5 minutes. Don’t rush this step – proper creaming incorporates air that helps create the tender crumb of your Red Velvet Cake Valentines Hearts.
- Step 4: Add Eggs and Coloring Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. In a small bowl, mix the red food coloring with the cocoa powder to create a paste. Add this to the butter mixture along with the vanilla extract, and beat until fully incorporated and beautifully red.
- Step 5: Alternate Dry Ingredients and Buttermilk With the mixer on low, add one-third of the flour mixture, followed by half the buttermilk. Continue alternating, ending with the flour mixture, mixing just until combined after each addition. Finally, stir in the vinegar – it will react with the baking soda to give additional lift.
- Step 6: Bake the Cakes Pour the batter into your prepared pans, smoothing the tops with a spatula. Bake for 25-30 minutes for regular cake pans, or 15-20 minutes for smaller individual cakes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
- Step 7: Cool Completely Allow the cakes to cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then turn out onto wire racks to cool completely. If the cakes have domed tops, use a serrated knife to level them for easier stacking and frosting.
- Step 8: Prepare Frosting Beat the softened cream cheese and butter until smooth and fluffy. Gradually add the sifted powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt, beating on low speed until incorporated, then on medium-high until light and fluffy.
- Step 9: Assemble and Frost If making a layered heart cake, place one layer on a serving plate, spread a generous amount of frosting, then top with the second layer. Cover the entire cake with frosting. For individual hearts, cut cooled cake into heart shapes and frost the tops. For a festive touch, decorate with sprinkles, edible glitter, or piped frosting details.
Notes
Fresh ingredients will always yield the best flavor results.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 heart cake
- Calories: 380
- Sugar: 35g
- Sodium: 290mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 11g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 50g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 85mg