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Learn How to Make a Heart Shaped Cake without any special pans or supplies required. This is super easy and you probably already have what you need at home.
I am going to show you how to make a heart shaped cake using one square and one circle cake pan. It is so easy you’ll be wondering why you never tried it before. If you do not have a heart shaped cake pan then these steps will help you create a heart cake.
I know that most of you already have these two pans, so this is definitely a frugal dessert for Valentines Day. Check out more Valentine’s Day Recipes such as these Valentine’s Day Rolo Pretzels and Easy Cake Recipes to share.
Table of Contents
Ingredients and Equipment
- Box Cake Mix (also need oil, water and eggs to make the cake)
- square cake pan (I used an 8-inch square pan)
- circle cake pan (again, I used an 8-inch circle pan)
That is all you need to make a cake without a heart shaped cake pan. Are you ready to learn how to make a heart shaped cake? Scroll to the bottom for the full Recipe and Ingredients in the recipe card.
Variations Ideas
- Cake Mix – Feel free to use any flavor of cake. Vanilla, Chocolate or Red Velvet Cake work great for a delicious heart-shaped cake.
- Sprinkles – You can add different types of sprinkles to the top of the cake.
Step by Step Instructions
- Step 1 – First, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. The whisk the cake batter according to package directions with an electric mixer or stand mixer in a large bowl. Spray round cake pans with non-stick cooking spray.
- Step 2 – Fill round pan and square pan with batter to about the same height (you’ll end up putting a little more batter in the square pan because it has a little more surface area than the circle).
- Step 3 – Bake the cake according to the package directions until a toothpick inserted into the cakes comes out clean. I baked my cakes at 350 F for 20 minutes in the 8″ pans and that was the perfect amount of time.
- Step 3 – Remove cakes from pans and let cool completely on wire cooling racks.
- Step 4 – Once cooled, cut the round cake in half. Do your best to cut it right down the middle or you’ll end up with a lopsided heart.
Step 5 – Set the two halves of your circle on two sides of your square and you will see your heart start to take shape.
- Step 6 – Now, you’ll notice the tops of the cakes aren’t even, so you’ll want to take a long serrated knife to cut off a portion of the top of each cake, aiming for a nice flat top.
- Step 7 – Once you’ve trimmed off some of the tops of the cakes and you are satisfied your cakes are pretty level, flip them over! Now you should have a nice beautifully smooth heart shaped cake.
Recipe Tips
- Cool Cakes – Make sure to allow cakes to cool completely on a wire rack before cutting.
- Cutting Cakes – When cutting the round cake, cut down the middle so that you heart is even. Trim edges of the cake to make sure the the cakes match evenly. Making the perfect shaped cake.
- Icing – Feel free to get creative to use different types of frosting to frost the cake. You can use Wilton piping bag to create designs on the cake and use food coloring.
Icing Variations
Now, just decorate the heart cake how ever you desire. I like to put a crumb coat on my cakes before I frost it with my colored or flavored frosting.
The crumb coat ensures you won’t have any ugly stray crumbs in your finished cake.
You can use a store bough frosting to decorate this cake or a homemade frosting works great too.
Some of our favorites include:
Frequently Asked Questions
Store any leftover cake covered at room temperature for up to 5-7 days.
You can also freeze the cake if you prefer. Wrap the cake with plastic wrap or foil. Then place it in a freezer bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost the cake at room temperature and then it’s ready to enjoy.
Try these other Easy Valentines Day Recipes
- Valentine’s Day Cake Mix Cookies
- Quick and Easy Valentine’s Day Rolo Pretzels
- Valentine’s Day Chocolate Pretzels
- how to make heart shaped cinnamon rolls
- Valentines Day Cake Balls Recipe
- Pink Velvet Cupcakes
We love hearing from you. If you make this Heart Shaped Cake Recipe, please leave us a comment or star revew.
Heart Shaped Cake
Ingredients
- Strawberry Cake Mix Ingredients need to make the Cake based on the package Instructions)
Instructions
- Make the cake batter according the cake mix instructions on the package.
- Spray the square and circle cake pan with non-stick cooking spray.
- Fill the cake pans with the cake batter to approximately the same height in each pan so that the cakes will be approximately the same thickness (the square pan will need more batter than the circle pan).
- Bake the cakes based on the package instructions on the cake mix for an 8” pan.
- Allow the cake to sit for approximately 10 minutes to cool slightly in the pans.
- Then remove the cakes from the pan and transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Once the cakes are cool, cut the top of the cakes to make sure that they are level.
- Then cut the circle cake in half. Try to cut it right down the middle of the cake.
- Place the 2 halves of the circle cake on 2 sides of the square cake to create a heart shaped cake.
- Once the cakes have been cut, flip the cakes over and you’ll have a perfectly even cake to icing and decorate!
- Then icing the cake and decorate with the sprinkles of your choice!
Wonderful directions, and my sons loved being able to help make and decorate. We will make again for Valentine’s day treat.
i will try making heart shape cake. It looks perfect why buy a pan for it.