How to Make a Heart-Shaped Cake

  • 01 of 06

    Making a Heart Shaped Cake

    Heart cake with decorations
    Leah Maroney

    What better way to say "I love you!" on Valentine's Day than to bake something spectacular for them.

    You don't even need a custom pan to make a delicious and moist, heart-shaped cake. All you'll need are two 8-inch pans: an 8-inch square and an 8-inch circle. Once you've got your pans, choose a cake recipe. This recipe works well with your favorite basic cake recipe, or try something new like a White CakeStrawberry Cake, or even a sweet and tart Lemon Pound Cake.

    You'll also want to choose and make an icing flavor that complements your cake. 

    Continue to 2 of 6 below.
  • 02 of 06

    Start With Batter for a 2-Layer Cake

    pink cake in circle pan
    Leah Maroney

    The first step in making this cake is to make the batter. Since it will take two different shapes, square and round, to make the heart shape, start with making enough batter for a two-layer cake. You will need to divide the batter between one 8-inch round pan and one 8-inch square pan. 

    Continue to 3 of 6 below.
  • 03 of 06

    Create a Diamond

    square cake on aluminum foil
    Leah Maroney

    Once the cakes have baked, per the instructions on the recipe, cool them. Then remove both from their respective pans.

    Use a large sheet pan or cutting board as a work surface. Place the square cake on it so it looks like a diamond. Make sure there will be room to add two semicircles to the square cake. You don't want your cake to fall off the edges.

    Continue to 4 of 6 below.
  • 04 of 06

    Make the Heart Shape

    Heart cake
    Leah Maroney

    At this point, use a serrated knife to cut the round cake in half. Attach each of the halves to either side of the top of the square. It is fine if they aren't exactly perfect when you line up the round halves.

    Using a cake knife (finely-serrated, long-bladed knife), slice away some of the bottoms of the cake from each half of the round cake, until the round portions and the square portion are equal in height. Once all three pieces are even, it's time to ice the cake!

    Continue to 5 of 6 below.
  • 05 of 06

    Ice the Cake

    Heart cake with white frosting
    Leah Maroney

    First, create a crumb coat. This is the first layer of icing that goes onto a cake. Also known as "dirty icing," this base layer seals the crumbs into this layer of icing so that the second layer is clean and more aesthetically pleasing to the eye. 

    To create the crumb coat, spoon or pipe your icing onto the center of the cake. Using an offset spatula, gently spread out the icing all over the top. 

    Baker's Tip: Keep an empty bowl next to you so that you can wipe off the spatula if it becomes too inundated with crumbs. That way your original bowl of icing is kept clean.

    Next, using that same method, create the crumb coat for the sides. Once you have created this first layer all over the cake, put the cake in the refrigerator for 20 minutes, to allow the crumb coat to firm up a bit. This will allow creating the second layer to be much easier.

    After 20 minutes in the fridge, take your cake out and complete the second layer, using the same method as above. If you want to brighten up the color of the icing, try adding some fun dyes to the mix! 

    Continue to 6 of 6 below.
  • 06 of 06

    The Finished Product

    heart cake
    Leah Maroney

    Once you've completed icing your cake, it's time for the finishing touches! You can decorate the cake with sprinkles, nonpareils, or even write a name or greeting on the cake.