Red Velvet Mini Conversation Heart Cakes
Serves 3
30 mins prep
25 mins cook
55 mins total
These mini red velvet conversation heart cakes are soft and filled with a fluffy cream cheese frosting. They're perfect for Valentine's Day. The heart shaped cakes are made from round pans with just a bit of simple geometry. They’re so fun to make and eat!
Layers
Frosting
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Layers
Preheat oven to 355°F (180°C). Grease three 4” baking pans with a cold piece of butter. Line the bottoms with parchment paper.
In a large bowl or stand mixer, combine butter, vegetable oil, sugar, and salt. Beat until light and fluffy, scraping down the bowl halfway through.
⅕ ½ unsalted butter⅕ 3 vegetable oil⅕ ½ granulated sugar⅕ ¼ sea saltAdd eggs one by one, beating well in between and scraping the bowl. Add buttermilk, vanilla, and red food colouring (one pea sized amount at a time until it's bright red). Stir well. It’s ok if the mixture separates a bit.
⅕ 2 large eggs⅕ ¾ buttermilk⅕ 1 pure vanilla extractred gel food colouringSift flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and baking soda right into the same bowl. Stir until well combined and the batter is smooth.
⅕ 1 all purpose flour⅕ 4 cocoa powder⅕ 1 baking powder⅕ ¼ baking sodaDivide the batter into the pans and smooth the tops. Bake for 22-30 minutes. They are done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Let cool for 10 minutes before flipping the pans onto a cooling rack and letting cool completely.
Frosting
In a large bowl or stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat together butter and sugar (start with 4 cups) until very light and fluffy. This will take about 7-10 minutes. Scrape down the bowl a few times in between beating.
⅕ 1 unsalted butter⅕- ⅕ 4-5 powdered sugarAdd vanilla and cream cheese, a tablespoon at a time. Beat well in between each addition of cream cheese. Scrape down the bowl a few times between beating.
⅕ 1 pure vanilla extract⅕ 6 cream cheeseGradually add cream, 1 tablespoon at a time until the frosting becomes light and fluffy. Stop adding the cream when you get the consistency you like. Scrape down the bowl so that it’s evenly incorporated.
⅕- ⅕ 3-7 heavy whipping creamUse a spatula to fold the frosting to remove any large air bubbles and make a smoother frosting.
Assembly
Trim the top of the cake if it has a dome and cut the cake into two layers.
Add a few tablespoons of frosting and add the top layer to make a sandwich. Make two cuts to make a V shape on one side of the cake. This is the bottom of the heart. Take the two cut off semicircles and add to the top of the cake to make the “butt” of the heart. See photos for reference.
Spread a thin “crumbcoat” layer of frosting all over the cake to seal in the crumbs. Pop in the freezer for 10 minutes to set. Repeat with the rest of the cakes.
Remove about 4 tablespoons of frosting and add red food colouring for the writing. Transfer to a piping bag or ziploc bag with the end cut off.
green, pink, yellow, and red gel food colouringDivide the remaining frosting into three parts. Colour the frosting pink, yellow, and green (or use whatever colours you prefer).
green, pink, yellow, and red gel food colouringCover the chilled cakes with a final layer of frosting. Make sure you’re scraping your spatula each time you make a swipe to get a clean finish. To make an extra smooth finish, use a warm metal spatula to smooth over the tops and sides of the cakes. Warm the spatula with a kitchen torch or run under hot water and wiping dry.
Use the red frosting to write conversation messages onto the cakes. Serve at room temperature and enjoy!
