Description
Make a charming heart-shaped cake using round layers and decorate it with vintage buttercream piping techniques for a special Valentine’s Day dessert.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 8-inch round cake layers, cooled and leveled
- Serrated knife
- 10x10 inch piece of cardboard and/or a 12-inch cake drum
- X-acto knife
- 3 batches (about 9 cups) of vanilla buttercream
- Food color gels (AmeriColor Deep Pink and Fuchsia recommended)
- Cake turntable
- Icing smoother
- Angled spatula
- For vintage piping: Wilton Tips 4B, 32, and 102
- For writing on the cake: Wilton Tip 3
- Piping bags
Instructions
- Create the Heart-Shaped Cake Layers: Place the first cake layer onto a cutting board. Use a serrated knife to make two cuts that form the pointed part of the heart. The two smaller pieces you cut off will become the rounded parts of the heart. Repeat this step with the second cake layer, using the first trimmed layer as a template. Trace the cut cake pieces onto cardboard and cut out the heart shape with an x-acto knife to create a cake board, or plan to assemble the cake on a larger cake drum.
- Assemble & Crumb Coat the Cake: Place the created cardboard base or cake drum onto the turntable. Spread a little buttercream onto the base before adding the first cake layer. Position the two curved pieces cut off in Step 1 to be the top of the heart, then pipe buttercream ‘glue’ to adhere them. Add buttercream filling, smoothing it to about ¼ inch thick. Position the next cake layer on top, adhering the curved pieces with buttercream. Crumb coat the cake with a thin layer of buttercream to define the heart shape and lock in crumbs. Carve out a more defined ‘v’ shape at the top of the cake with a paring knife if desired, and crumb coat over it. Refrigerate the crumb-coated cake for at least 30 minutes until the frosting firms up.
- Frost the Cake: With the chilled cake on the turntable, apply a smooth buttercream finish using the remaining main batch of frosting. Add frosting to the top and smooth it with an angled spatula. Frost the sides and smooth them with an icing smoother while turning the turntable. Use an angled spatula to swipe the buttercream ‘crown’ along the top edges inward to create sharp edges. Return the frosted cake to the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes to firm up while you color the remaining buttercream and prepare piping bags.
- Color the Buttercream (Optional): Start with the main batch of vanilla buttercream tinted light pink with one drop of AmeriColor Deep Pink. Divide the remaining buttercream into 3 bowls, with one bowl holding roughly ½ of the buttercream and the other two bowls holding ¼ each. In the largest bowl, mix 2 drops of AmeriColor Fuchsia + 2 drops of AmeriColor Deep Pink for a bold fuchsia color. In the second bowl, use 2 drops of AmeriColor Deep Pink for a darker pink. Keep the third bowl the original light pink color. Add the darkest pink buttercream to a piping bag fitted with Wilton Tip 4B for large shell borders. Add the lightest pink buttercream to a piping bag fitted with Wilton Tip 32 for small shell borders. Add the mid-toned pink buttercream to a piping bag fitted with Wilton Tip 102 for ruffles.
- Create the Vintage Piping: Place the chilled, frosted cake on the turntable. Starting at the top edge, pipe a large shell border using Wilton Tip 4B. To pipe a shell, hold the bag at a 45 degree angle, squeeze until the buttercream fans out, then gradually relax pressure while pulling the bag toward you to create a tail. Pipe the next shell onto the tail of the first. Repeat this large shell border along the bottom edge. Starting just inside the large top shell border, pipe a smaller shell border using Wilton Tip 32. Repeat this next to the large bottom shell border. Next, pipe double ruffle garlands on the sides using Wilton Tip 102. To pipe a ruffle, hold the bag at a 45 degree angle with the skinny end of the tip facing away from the cake. Squeeze the bag while moving your hand slightly up and down to create the ruffle texture as you pipe a semicircle. Release pressure at the end. Repeat the process on top of each ruffle garland for a double ruffle. Connect each ruffle garland with a simple piped heart using Wilton Tip 32 (pipe two overlapping shells).
- Write a Message: Add the remaining mid-toned pink buttercream to a piping bag fitted with Wilton Tip 3. Write your message on top of the cake. Practice writing on a cutting board first if you are not confident. Make sure the buttercream is a thin consistency; thin stiff buttercream by adding a tiny bit of milk or massaging the piping bag with warm hands. If you dislike the message, chill the cake until the lettering is firm, then carefully scrape it off with an angled spatula and re-pipe it.
Notes
- If you prefer not to eyeball the placement of the ruffle garlands, use a circular cookie cutter to create a template to follow.
- If your writing buttercream is too stiff, thin it slightly with milk or warm your hands around the piping bag to soften it.
- You can chill the cake to firm up lettering if you need to correct mistakes before the final look is set.
- Prep Time: 45 min
- Cook Time: 35 min
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Assembly and Piping
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 55g
- Sodium: 300mg
- Fat: 25g
- Saturated Fat: 15g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 58g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 5g
- Cholesterol: 75mg
Keywords: Vintage Valentine Cake, Heart Cake, Buttercream Piping, Valentine's Day Cake Design, Love Cake, Shell Border, Ruffle Cake, Homemade Cake