Description
Red Velvet Cake Valentines Hearts: Decadent cocoa-infused cake layers filled with rich cream cheese frosting, perfect for a romantic dessert.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2½ cups (310g) all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons (15g) unsweetened cocoa powder (natural, not Dutch-processed for authentic color)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1½ cups (300g) granulated sugar
- 1 cup (240ml) vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 cup (240ml) buttermilk, room temperature
- 2 tablespoons (30ml) red food coloring (or 2 tablespoons beetroot powder for natural coloring)
- 1 teaspoon white vinegar
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 16 oz (450g) cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup (115g) unsalted butter, softened
- 4 cups (480g) powdered sugar, sifted
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
- Step 1: Prepare Your Pans Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Generously grease your cake pans (either two 9-inch rounds or one 9×13 inch rectangular pan) with butter, then line with parchment paper for easy removal. Don’t skip this step—it’s essential for creating perfect Red Velvet Cake Valentines Hearts with clean edges!
- Step 2: Mix Dry Ingredients In a medium bowl, whisk together your flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt until well combined. The cocoa should be completely incorporated with no visible streaks. This careful mixing ensures your cake will have that signature subtle chocolate flavor distributed evenly throughout each bite.
- Step 3: Prepare Wet Mixture In a large bowl, beat sugar and oil with an electric mixer until well combined, about 2 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. The mixture should become lighter in color and slightly fluffy. Now, add your buttermilk, red food coloring, vinegar, and vanilla extract. Beat on medium speed until everything is fully incorporated and you have a vibrant red mixture.
- Step 4: Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients Gradually add your dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing on low speed just until combined. Be careful not to overmix—stop as soon as the flour disappears into the batter. Your batter should be smooth, vibrant red, and relatively thick.
- Step 5: Bake the Cake Pour the batter into your prepared pan(s), spreading evenly with a spatula. Tap the pans gently on the counter a few times to release any air bubbles. Bake in your preheated oven for 25-30 minutes for round pans or 30-35 minutes for a rectangular pan. The cake is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
- Step 6: Cool and Shape Allow the cakes to cool in their pans for 10 minutes, then carefully transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Once cooled, refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to make cutting easier. If using round cakes, cut each in half and arrange to form hearts. If using a rectangular cake, use a heart-shaped cutter to create individual Red Velvet Cake Valentines Hearts.
- Step 7: Prepare the Frosting While the cake cools, make your frosting. Beat the softened cream cheese and butter until completely smooth and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Gradually add the sifted powdered sugar, mixing on low speed initially to avoid a sugar cloud, then increase to medium speed. Add vanilla and beat until the frosting is light and fluffy, about 2 more minutes.
- Step 8: Frost Your Hearts Apply a thin crumb coat of frosting to each heart, then refrigerate for 15 minutes to set. This step creates a clean canvas for your final frosting layer. Add the remaining frosting, creating smooth sides or decorative swirls as desired. For an extra Valentine’s touch, add red sprinkles or edible glitter to your Red Velvet Cake Valentines Hearts.
Notes
Fresh ingredients will always yield the best flavor results.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 heart cake
- Calories: 380
- Sugar: 44g
- Sodium: 250mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 52g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 60mg