Pink Heart Cake
The Pink Heart Cake is a delightful dessert featuring a moist vanilla or lemon-flavored base, adorned with pink buttercream frosting. Its heart shape makes it an ideal choice for special occasions like Valentine's Day, anniversaries, or any event where you want to express love and affection.
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 2 ½ cups 320g all-purpose flour
- 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup 227g unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2 cups 400g granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean
- 1 teaspoon lemon extract optional
- 1 cup 240ml buttermilk, room temperature
For the Pink Buttercream Frosting:
- 1 cup 227g unsalted butter, room temperature
- 4 cups 500g powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2-3 tablespoons 30-45ml milk or heavy cream
- Pink food coloring
Instructions
Prepare the Cake Pans:
- Preheat the oven to 335°F (170°C).
- Grease two 8-inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper.
Mix Dry Ingredients:
- In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
Cream Butter and Sugar:
- In a separate large bowl, beat the butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 4-5 minutes.
Add Eggs and Flavorings:
- Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- Mix in vanilla extract and lemon extract (if using).
Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients:
- Alternately add the dry ingredients and buttermilk to the butter mixture, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients.
- Mix until just combined.
Bake the Cakes:
- Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Shape the Heart:
- Once cooled, remove the cakes from the pans.
- Cut each round cake in half to create two semicircles.
- Arrange the semicircles to form a heart shape.
Prepare the Frosting:
- In a large bowl, beat the butter until creamy.
- Gradually add powdered sugar, mixing well after each addition.
- Add vanilla extract and milk or heavy cream as needed to achieve desired consistency.
- Mix in pink food coloring until the desired shade is reached.
Assemble and Frost the Cake:
- Place one heart-shaped layer on a serving plate.
- Spread a layer of frosting on top.
- Place the second layer on top and frost the entire cake.
- Use piping bags and tips to decorate as desired.
Notes
- For a gluten-free version, substitute all-purpose flour with a gluten-free flour blend.
- To create the heart shape without a heart-shaped pan, refer to tutorials such as the one provided by The Simple, Sweet Life.
- Ensure all ingredients are at room temperature for best results.
- Adjust the intensity of the pink color by varying the amount of food coloring.