I go head over heals for any dessert that involves cream cheese frosting, and red velvet cake is no exception.  I’ll eat red velvet cake any day of the week, but it couldn’t be more appropriate for February 14th.  I’m actually sort of indifferent to Valentine’s Day, but I will gladly embrace it through baking.  Armed with my heart shaped cookie cutter, I decided to make mini cakes instead of cookies for this year’s celebration. Personally, I find that big red sugar cookies look a lot better than they taste. I certainly sacrificed beauty (and perhaps grace) over taste though. While these cakes were exceptionally moist and delicious, I don’t plan on attempting to frost something in the shape of a heart any time soon. Nonetheless, Happy Valentine’s Day!

Heart Shaped Red Velvet Cakes adapted from Saveur

1 tbsp. butter

2 1/2 cups plus 12 tbsp all purpose flour

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. cocoa powder

1 tsp. salt

2 eggs

1 1/2 cups vegetable oil

1 cup buttermilk

2 tbsp. (1 oz.) red food coloring

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 tsp. white distilled vinegar

12 oz. cream cheese, softened

12 oz. butter, softened

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar

For the cake: Preheat oven to 350°. Grease one 9×13 in with butter. Dust with 2 tbsp. of the flour and set aside. Sift remaining flour, sugar, baking soda, cocoa, and salt into a bowl. Beat eggs, oil, buttermilk, food coloring, vanilla, and vinegar in a bowl with an electric mixer until combined. Add dry ingredients and beat until smooth, 1-2 minutes. Divide batter evenly between pans. Bake cakes, rotating halfway through, until a toothpick inserted in the center of each cake comes out clean, 32-36 minutes. Let cake cool for 20 minutes.

For the frosting: Beat cream cheese, butter, and vanilla in a bowl with an electric mixer until well combined. Add sugar and beat until frosting is light and fluffy, 5–7 minutes.

Once cake has cooled, use cookie cutter to cut out individual cakes.  Then frost to the best of your abilities!

 

  1. Andie

    I love Red Velvet cake!! It always makes me chuckle, though, because every time I see/hear about it, I am reminded of Armadillo cake in Steel Magnolias 😉

  2. Oh my goodness you are right! Can’t believe I forgot about that, so hysterical!

  3. Hey! I tried this recipe and it’s AMAZING!! Mine was a little pink though…maybe because I used olive oil instead of vegetable oil. I heard it was a huge DON’T but I did it anyway and it turned out great! I plan on trying it with vegetable oil this weekend. Love your blog!

  4. Pingback: Red Velvet Whoopie Pies « Channeling Contessa

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