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Heart Cake Recipe with Chocolate Buttercream

Heart Cake Recipe

A two-layer chocolate heart cake baked in 8-inch heart-shaped pans and covered with silky chocolate buttercream. Decorate it with berries, sprinkles, chocolate shavings, or a short piped message for any special occasion.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 32 minutes
Total Time 3 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chocolate Cake
  • 1 3/4 cups (219 g) All-purpose flour
  • 2 cups (400 g) Granulated sugar
  • 3/4 cup (64–65 g) Unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons Baking powder
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons Baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon Fine salt
  • 2 eggs Large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 cup (240 ml) Buttermilk
  • 1/2 cup (120 ml) Vegetable oil
  • 2 teaspoons Vanilla extract
  • 1 cup (240 ml) Boiling water or hot brewed coffee
Chocolate Buttercream
  • 1 cup (227 g) Unsalted butter, softened
  • 3/4 cup (64–65 g) Unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 4 cups (480 g) Sifted powdered sugar
  • 1/2 cup (120 ml) Milk or heavy cream
  • 2 teaspoons Vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon Salt
Decorations
  • Optional Red or pink gel food coloring, sprinkles, chocolate shavings, or fresh berries

Method
 

Step-by-Step
  1. Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease two 8-inch heart-shaped cake pans, line the bases with parchment, and dust them lightly with cocoa powder or flour.
  2. Whisk the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl until evenly combined.
  3. Add the eggs, buttermilk, vegetable oil, and vanilla. Beat on medium speed for about 2 minutes, or whisk until the batter looks smooth.
  4. Slowly stir in the boiling water or hot brewed coffee. The batter will be thin, and that loose consistency is normal for this moist chocolate cake.
  5. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans, making sure each pan is no more than about two-thirds full.
  6. Bake for 28–35 minutes, checking early because heart-shaped pans can vary in volume. The cakes are ready when the centers spring back lightly and a toothpick comes out with only a few moist crumbs.
  7. Cool the cakes in their pans for 10 minutes, then turn them out onto wire racks. Let the layers cool completely before adding buttercream.
  8. Beat the softened butter until smooth. Add the cocoa powder, sifted powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt in stages, alternating with the milk or cream, then beat for 2–3 minutes until light and spreadable.
  9. Trim the tops if needed. Place one layer on a serving plate, spread it with buttercream, add the second layer, and frost the top and sides.
  10. Finish with pink or red gel-colored buttercream, sprinkles, chocolate shavings, fresh berries, or a small piped inscription. Chill the cake briefly if you want especially crisp layers and clean slices.

Notes

Use hot coffee instead of water for a deeper chocolate flavor without usually making the cake taste like coffee. Heart-shaped pans vary in volume, so do not fill them above two-thirds full. Cool the layers completely before frosting, and chill the assembled cake for 20–30 minutes before final decorating if desired.