Easy Valentine's Day Cake Recipe
A pretty pink heart shaped cake for Valentine's Day.
This lovely pink cake is the perfect addition to a kid's Valentine's Day party. Big enough to serve a crowd, you'll be surprised at how easy it is to put together!
You don't need a heart-shaped pan or anything fancy to put together this simple and beautiful Valentine's Day cake. It's the perfect treat for a child's party or classroom celebration, or bake one up to share with your sweetie. If you're single, invite some friends over to celebrate Valentine's Day and dig in!
This recipe uses boxed cake mix and Jell-o, making it easy to put together. The Jell-o powder adds flavor, but more importantly your cake will be a lovely deep pink color! If you want to make things even simpler, purchase the icing or frost the cake with a thick, fluffy layer of Cool Whip. Use your imagination to add the finishing touches. Cinnamon hearts or conversation hearts are perfect, or try red, white, and pink jelly beans or decorator's icing. Specialty shops carry pre-made, edible flowers, hearts, and other ornaments that you can use to decorate your Valentine's Day cake with as well.
Valentine's Day Cake
- 1 box (18.25 ounces) white cake mix
- 1 package (3 ounces) red Jell-O powder (Strawberry, Raspberry, or Cherry flavor)
- 1 cup milk
- 1/2 cup butter, melted
- 3 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Buttercream Frosting (recipe below)
- Assorted candies for decorating (optional)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease one round 9-inch cake pan and one square 9-inch cake pan and dust lightly with flour; set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, combine cake mix, Jell-O powder, milk, butter, eggs, and vanilla. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed for one minute. Increase mixer speed to medium and continue beating for another two minutes, until batter is smooth and well blended.
Divide batter evenly between the two prepared pans. Bake in the preheated oven for about 25-30 minutes, or until very lightly browned and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool cakes on wire racks for about 10 minutes; remove from pans and cool completely.
When cakes have cooled, create a heart-shaped cake by turning the square cake so that it looks like a diamond. Cut the circle cake in half to make two semi-circles; place one half on each of the top two sides of the "diamond" to make a heart.
Frost and decorate the cake as desired. Makes about 24 servings.
Buttercream Frosting
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 3 3/4 cup confectioner's sugar, sifted
- 4 tablespoons milk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- liquid food coloring (optional)
In a large mixing bowl, beat butter with an electric mixer on low speed for about 30 seconds, or until light and airy. Add the sugar, milk, and vanilla. Beat on low speed for one minute; turn the mixer to medium speed and continue beating until frosting is fluffy, about another minute. Add food coloring, a couple of drops at a time, and continue beating until desired shade is reached.
If frosting is too thin, add more confectioner's sugar (about a tablespoon at a time) until desired consistency is reached. If frosting is too thick, add milk using the same method. Use immediately.
Makes about 3 cups.
Quick note: If you plan to use red cinnamon hearts or other brightly colored candies to decorate your cake, place them on the cake just before serving to prevent the red color from seeping into the frosting and making a blotchy mess.
