Description
This decadent Heart Cake recipe delivers a rich, moist chocolate cake shaped into a charming heart, perfect for special occasions. Made with cocoa, sour cream, and warm coffee to enhance the chocolate depth, it’s topped with a creamy cocoa buttercream frosting that’s both luscious and smooth. The unique heart assembly creates an eye-catching dessert that’s sure to impress.
Ingredients
Cake
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 5 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/3 cup neutral oil (such as canola or grapeseed oil)
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup full-fat sour cream
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon warm coffee
Frosting
- 8 tablespoons (113 grams) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups (150 grams) powdered sugar, sifted
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 tablespoons (28 grams) unsweetened cocoa powder
- Splash of heavy cream or milk, as necessary
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and position a rack in the lower third of the oven to ensure even baking of your cake.
- Prepare Pan: Line the bottom of a 6-inch round cake pan with parchment paper and lightly grease the sides with oil to prevent sticking.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, and baking soda until well combined. Set this mixture aside.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: In a separate small bowl, whisk together the oil, granulated sugar, sour cream, egg, vanilla extract, and warm coffee until evenly mixed.
- Combine Batter: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients bowl and gently mix just until combined, being careful not to overmix to maintain a tender crumb.
- Bake Cake: Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and bake for 29-32 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and the cake starts to pull away from the sides of the pan.
- Cool Cake: Remove the cake from the oven, carefully lift it out by tilting the pan into your hand, peel off the parchment paper from the bottom, and transfer the cake onto a small cake stand to cool.
- Prepare Frosting: In a bowl, beat together the softened butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract until light and fluffy. Add the cocoa powder and continue beating, gradually adding small splashes of heavy cream or milk to achieve a smooth, pipeable consistency.
- Create Heart Shape: On a flat surface, use a knife to trim two half-moon shaped pieces from the cake as instructed. Flip the larger remaining piece so its pointy end faces you. Using a small amount of frosting, attach the trimmed half-moon pieces to the top edges to form a heart shape. Chill the assembled heart cake for about an hour to set the frosting pieces.
- Decorate Cake: Once set, use the remaining frosting to pipe decorative accents around the heart shape to emphasize the design. Keep the cake chilled until ready to serve to maintain shape and freshness.
Notes
- Warm coffee enhances the chocolate flavor; you can substitute with brewed espresso or strong black coffee.
- Do not overbake the cake to avoid dryness; a slight sink is normal if underbaked.
- Use parchment paper and oiling the pan to ensure easy removal of the cake from the pan.
- Adjust the amount of heavy cream or milk in frosting to control its consistency for piping or spreading.
- Chilling the cake after shaping helps the pieces adhere firmly and prevents frosting smudging during decoration.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 32 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
