Give your friends and family a fun and loving surprise in every slice of this Valentine’s Day Heart Cake! Everyone will be asking, “How’d you do that?”
How. Cute. Is. This!? Even I was a little giddy when I sliced a knife through to reveal it turned out perfectly. Cake was solid and moist, hearts plain as day, and the color wasn’t compromised. I originally saw the idea with a pumpkin shape , but didn’t have a chance to make it for Thanksgiving. So why not Valentine’s Day?!
There’s a lot of waiting involved with the cooking, cooling, and chilling, making this a day-long project. But it is SO SO easy. And the actual active time you’re on your feet is minimal. (Unless you’re taking step-by-step pictures…and then, well, forget about it.)
Give your friends and family a fun and loving surprise cake. They’ll think you’re a genius and be asking “how’d you do that??”
I can’t wait to put this in Haley’s lunchbox!
Frequently asked questions for this Surprise Cake
- Q: Can I use any cake mix?
A: For optimal results, it needs to be a pound cake. - Q: Can I use a homemade pound cake recipe?
A: I personally can’t vouch for this, but a few readers have said they used a homemade pound cake recipe with success. However, keep in mind with homemade pound cake, your batter could end up being more yellow than white and the pink heart won’t stand out as much. - Q: Where did you get your cookie cutter?
A: I got a huge bucket of cookie cutters from Amazon a long time ago and the double heart was included. - Q: Can I use a different cookie cutter?
A: Sure! Just make sure it doesn’t exceed the height of the pan or you won’t be able to cut shapes from the sliced cake. - Q: How does the first cake not dry out from baking twice?
A: Because it is slightly UNDERBAKED the first time. Refrigerating firms the batter enough to cut it. - Q: How do you know where to slice it so you don’t mess up the hearts?
A: The hearts fuse together when baked, so they end up being throughout. Each slice will have one. - Q: My hearts rose all the way to the top, instead of in the middle. What went wrong?
A: this is due to putting too much of the second pound cake batter in the pan before laying your pink hearts on top. As the batter cooks, it all rises. As per the instructions, just put a thin layer of batter – just slightly enough to cover the bottom of the pan – before you place the cut out hearts on top. - Q: The first cake was so runny! What went wrong?
A: Did you cook it for 8-10 minutes LESS than what the box instructions were, or 8-10 minutes total? Many readers have made the mistake of only cooking it for 10 minutes. As per my recipe directions, the cake needs to cook for about 50 minutes. - Q: Can this be frozen for a later day?
A: I have never done this, but I can’t see why you couldn’t freeze it. I wouldn’t, however, apply the icing in advance. - Q: Can I customize this for a different holiday?
A: Absolutely! This could definitely be customized for other holidays using different dyes and cookie cutters. Have fun with it!
Other Valentine’s Day treats you might enjoy!
I hope you love this delicious and easy recipe – be sure to give it a review below! Also don’t forget to follow Belly Full on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube!
How To Make This Surprise Cake
Valentine's Day Heart Surprise Cake
Give your friends and family a fun and loving surprise in every slice of this Valentine's Day surprise cake! Everyone will be asking, "How'd you do that?"
Print Recipe
Pin Recipe
Rate Recipe
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 50 minutes
Cool & Chill: 3 hours 45 minutes
Total Time: 6 hours
Servings: 10
Ingredients
- 2 (16 ounce) boxes Betty Crocker Pound Cake mix
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, divided, softened
- 4 eggs , divided
- 1 1/3 cups milk , divided
- red food coloring
Vanilla Icing
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 2 1/2 tablespoons milk
- 1 teaspoon unsalted butter , melted
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350. Coat a 9×5 inch loaf pan with cooking spray.
- Prepare your first pound cake: combine 1 box of cake mix, 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) softened butter, 2 eggs, and 2/3 cup milk in a large bowl. Whisk together with an electric mixer or by hand. Add in your food coloring until you reach the desired color.
- Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 50 minutes (about 10 minutes less than instructed on box.) Let cool, remove from pan and refrigerate for up to 4 hours. Cut cold cake into slices the thickness of your cookie cutter. Cut heart shapes from the slices. Set aside.
- Prepare your second box of pound cake mix the same as the first, except omit the food coloring. Coat a 9×5 loaf pan with cooking spray and pour just barely enough batter to cover the bottom. Align your heart cut-outs down the center, keeping them tightly together. Poor the remaining batter over the heart cut-outs in the pan, making sure to cover the sides and tops. (Careful the batter doesn’t overflow.) Bake according to the directions on the box, about 1 hour. Let cool when done.
- Meanwhile, prepare your icing. In a medium bowl, mix all of your ingredients together until combined and creamy. Add more powdered sugar if it appears too runny or more milk if it seems too stiff, until you reach the consistency you like.
- Remove baked and cooled pound cake from pan and top with icing. Let set; cut into slices and enjoy! Adorable, right!?
Notes
Please refer to the full article for FAQs.
Did you make this recipe?Snap a pic and mention @bellyfullblog
Mattie Scott says
Looking Yummy and delicious..! thank you so much, Andrea for sharing this beautiful post.
RBaker says
I made two of these with my kids for their class Valentine’s parties and they turned out great! Thank you for such a fun idea. I can’t wait to try this at other times of the year with different shapes.
Nancy says
Could I make the red cake and refrigerate overnight rather than 4 hours and make the finished cake in the morning? Or will that be too long? Thank you!
Amy @Belly Full says
Hi Nancy! You can totally make it the night before. The reason it needs to chill is because it’s slightly uncooked. The refrigeration helps it firm up enough to cut.
debInGeorgia says
I wonder if you can use a regular cake mix for this instead of a pound cake mix?
Lori says
Made this yesterday (using a small snowflake cookie cutter and blue dye) as more of winter theme…sort of a trial run for Valentine’s Day. It was SO CUTE! Turned out perfectly, no issues. So I’m going to make it again for V-Day for my daughter’s class at school. Thank you for such a fun cake!
Amy @Belly Full says
Yay! I love how customizable it is, right? Your daughter’s class is going to love it!
Dawn says
Couldn’t wait to try and make this for Valentine’s Day during our church’s coffee hour! All I can say is that it was a big hit! A few people asked me how I got the pink hearts in the middle and others exclaimed, “Oh! How cute is this?!”
I didn’t have the double heart like you had, so I used a small heart cookie cutter and made two single hearts placed side by side. Our pound cakes at church are cut in slices and then cut in half. So I wanted to make sure that when I cut them, there was a heart in each slice. It worked like a charm! Thank you for this recipe! It’s definitely a keeper!
Amy @BellyFull says
The reactions from others are always so much fun! 2 single hearts and smaller slices is great!
Sheila says
I am making this for the second Valentines Day in a row. This year making three to share with family. I had only a few drops of red food color so I used a box of dry sugar free red jello instead (raspberry, cherry, and strawberry just happened to be in my pantry!) Also had about three drops of food color per cake. Colors came out wonderful!
Amy @BellyFull says
Good to know!
Denise says
My god-daughter would love this cake – so adorable!!
Christie says
Totally adorable, definitely going to try this out for Valentine’s Day!
Trina and Tina says
We’ve always wanted to try a peek a boo cake and you made it look simple to do! Thanks for inspiring us. We’re ready to give it a go! Trina and Tina
janet conant says
Love this! So clever, I can’t wait to try it for X-mas!
Sandy says
So cute! Do you think this would work with corn bread? Thanks for your help!
Amy @Very Culinary says
Hi Sandy – I can’t say for sure…something tells me no. But try it and let me know!
Priscilla says
Made this last night for Easter today! Used a bunny head instead of the hearts. It came out great!! Wish I can post a picture on here. A couple if people where shocked that I made the cake.
Amy @Very Culinary says
That’s awesome, Priscilla! I love how versatile this cake is – a bunny cut out for Easter is adorable.
Sandy says
My hearts floated to the top and stuck out. How do I keep them from raising up during the second baking?
Amy @Very Culinary says
Hi Sandy – this is part of the Q&A in the Notes section. Thanks!
crystal says
made this for my daughter’s classroom party yesterday. big hit! thank you for this fun recipe! all the kids were blown away. i’m going to make it again for 4th of july with stars.
newbiecook says
Any alternatives I can use to pound cake mix? I used the suggestion from smithersonjones to use pudding mix for the heart shapes. Couldn’t find pound cake mix here in Toronto at all. I put it in the oven for 15 minutes and I lwt it cool outside overnight. When I went in the morning to flip it it deflated on the sides :(
RT says
This is an amazing recipe and I cant wait to make it for the Valentine’s day. Can we bake this cake the night before and skip on the frosting?
Thanks,
Amy @Very Culinary says
Please see my reply comment to Lauren below, who asked the same thing. Thanks and enjoy!
Tracy says
So what do you do with the scaps from the first?
Amy @Very Culinary says
I usually freeze them and use it as a fun treat or dessert with ice cream or in a parfait for a different day.
Ellen says
This is very cool.
I’m making 3 of them today!
Karen says
I made this with a different cookie cutter (to fit the occasion), but ran into a BIG problem….. My cut-outs floated while baking in cake two!
Help!?!?!
Amy @Very Culinary says
Sorry to hear that Karen. It’s possible you put a little too much batter in the bottom of the pan before laying the hearts down. That will definitely make them rise more. I can’t say, since I wasn’t there to watch you. Make sure to read all of my notes and perhaps scroll through all the comments from people who have made this before.
Lauren says
Can I refrigerate the first part for over 4 hours? For example, make it one night, refrigerate over night, and then finish in the morning?
Amy @Very Culinary says
You can, but make certain you wrap it very tight, so it doesn’t dry out.
Taty Pauneto says
Love it. Thanks.
Shelley says
Lov this!
Justine Y says
This is soooo cute! My kids would flip for this! I’ve seen things like this before, but this looks like a much easier (although time consuming) process. I would love to include this in a roundup of Valentine’s Day treats on my blog (with full credit going to you of course!)
Dian Fraser says
Love this! Can’t wait to try it!
smithersonjones says
You guys can use box cake mix and change the texture to make it looke like a pound cake by adding a box vanilla pudding…and u can get different flavors of pudding a change your cake flavor
smithersonjones says
Ive done different versions of this but I’ve been trying to put names in this type of cake any ideas…I also use the scraps in a trifle of something …don’t wanna waste nothing
Cynthia Rose says
Recipe for peek a boo cake is so cute!!! Thanks
Jess says
Round what size is the cookie cutter
Amy @Very Culinary says
The one I used is about 4 wide x 2 1/2 tall x 1/2 inch deep – yes, there are scraps left over, but as you can see from the picture, you don’t want to go too much wider. The depth doesn’t matter as much…you just want to make sure you cut the pink cake into slices the thickness of whatever cutter you choose, as instructed.
Kris says
I made this last night…too cute! I have a tall, heart-shaped bread tube pan I got from Pampered Chef, so I made the pink heart center in it. Simply removed it from the heart-shaped pan after it baked and add it to the other pan. No need to slice, except I did trim the ends so it would be the right length. Love it!
I don’t think the pans are available anymore from Pampered Chef, but here is what I used:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/PAMPERED-CHEF-BREAD-TUBE-PAN-HEART-SHAPE-NEW-NO-BOX-/371006047365?pt=Cookware&hash=item5661af0485
Alice T. says
Every year I make heart pancakes for my kids on Valentine’s Day. But this morning I surprised them with this cake. Best surprise ever!! I just might win “Mom Of The Year Award” LOL. Thank you!
Kim says
My pink pan is baking in the oven now.So excited to make this for my daughters today !!!
Cassie says
My daughter’s class had their Valentine’s party yesterday because of the long weekend. I made this and it was a HUGE hit. Even the other teachers were coming into the room to see what the fuss was about. So adorable! Thank you for a great cake recipe!!
Janice says
This was a disaster for me. I wish I would of known about the sleeve before I made it. Common sense tells you that almost 2 cake mixes won’t fit into one pan. If I made it again I would do things a lot differently.
Ashlea Ray says
I can’t wait to try this….wondering if I can use the same idea and try it for easter. Im thinking confetti cake mix to make the easter eggs then a colored batter mix on top, kinda reversing it ,what do ya think?
Amy @Very Culinary says
This could definitely be customized for other holidays using different dyes and cookie cutters, but you must use pound cake. Regular cake mix will don’t work, sorry.
hailey says
Milk or water right? The box says either. But is it better to use milk? (Found the cookie cutter by the way. So happy!)
Amy @Very Culinary says
Hi Hailey – milk! Definitely milk. And yay on the cutter!
hailey says
Dang it. I used water. I’m waiting for it to cool now. Hope it still turns out. :/
Amy @Very Culinary says
I don’t *think* water will ruin it, but milk will give it a moisture texture. Hm. Let me know..
hailey says
It wasn’t bad. Not too dry. But I didn’t cook it long enough the second time. So this time I flopped. I will attempt this recipe again though. Its too cute not too! Lol
Tiffany says
Does anyone have a homemade pound cake recipe that have used with this that worked please?! Cannot find boxed pound cake mix anywhere here.
Jessica says
Hi, Veryculinary
LOVE THIS! but I don’t have the patience for pound cake so I am using white cake (dyed pink) and chocolate cake. There are no instructions about a loaf pan on the box (Philisbury White Cake Mix). What should I do?
Amy @Very Culinary says
Hi Jessica – this recipe only works with pound cake. If you use regular cake mix, it won’t come out properly. Sorry :/
Queenie says
This recipe looks fun to bake. I sure will give it a try. Thanks for sharing.
Roxanne says
I made two of these tonight and they came out so good! I had to cook the first cake a little longer than you had suggested, but didnt fully cook it so it wouldnt be dry later, it came out very nice though everyone wanted seconds!
Carmen B. Sanchez says
I love this cake. I made it for my brother´s birthday. I just want to pass along a couple of tips I got from a friend who bakes for a living :)
Freeze the cake before cutting the shapes. It is so smooth! Slice, cut and stack. The shapes stick together as they defrost a bit. Easier to place on the pan for the other batter.
Tip 2. Put a sleeve around the pan to keep it even at the top. The sleeve can be bought, but if you sew, you can make it from teflon fabric.
Yvonne Uhl says
Great tips, thank you Carmen… will make tonight!
Felicia says
Thanks for the tips. Do you have to let the cake defrost a little first before you can get the knife through it? Does the fact that the middle is frozen affect the cooking time of the final cake?
Jen says
I want to make thisssssss
Chav says
Can this concept work with any cake mix?
Amy @Very Culinary says
No, sorry. It only works with Pound Cake. I have only used the Betty Crocker brand, but others have had success using a homemade version.
Chav says
Oh okay thank you!
Meloney says
Could you cut the pound cake as one whole heart(like a loaf) omitting the cookie cutter, or does it need to be cut in slices?
Amy @Very Culinary says
Do you have a heart shaped loaf pan? I can’t see why not, but I can’t vouch for the results.
christy says
I have a similar cookie cutter from Wilton that I am going to try – very excited!
Jess says
This looks awesome!! Where do I get the cookie cutter from though?
Amy @Very Culinary says
The cutter I used came in a huge bucket with many others that I bought on Amazon a long time ago. You don’t have to use that one, though. Just make sure you cut the pink cake into slices THE THICKNESS of whatever your cookie cutter is, as per the instructions.
Ashley says
Hi there, I cant seem the boxed pound cake where I live in Ontario… Do you think this would work with just a regular from scratch pound cake recipe ?
Amy @Very Culinary says
I personally couldn’t vouch for that, but an earlier reader had said she used a homemade pound cake recipe with success :)
Niki says
Hi,can you freeze for a later day? Wish I thought of this when my kids were little!!!! Thanks
Amy @Very Culinary says
Hm. I can’t see why not. Although I wouldn’t ice it in advance… :)
Sandi says
John LOVES pound cake and I THINK Faith has this particular cookie cutter!! I may just surprise him on V-Day…Thanks for sharing, Amy :) May even do one with Shamrocks, for St. Patty’s day ;)
Barbara says
Lovin’ this idea! Definitely going to make this year for Valentine’s Day, and promise to follow each and every step and directions to the “T” after viewing all comments. I know you’re tired of emphasizing “must use boxed Betty Crocker POUND Cake” LOL. Will let you know how it turns out – I’m sure it will turn out perfect!
Amy @Very Culinary says
Um…no comment. LOL. How awesome that you actually read through all the comments! That’s a rarity. I love you already! HA.
Colleen says
Neat cake!
Sam says
Or just split the mix before adding the colour and put one colour in each end (perhaps using a silicone disc to separate). The middle bit might mix a little but it would save time energy and money.
barbara says
Instead of red food coloring try chopping maraschino cherrys up and using the juice in the jar for coloring. Excellent taste.
Tammy says
I think if you use 2 pound cake boxes …The one for the middle if you want chocolate I’m guessing you could add cocoa powder to it
Gail says
My son’s birthday is this weekend, but celebrated with his kinder classmates today. I tested it out last week to make sure it worked and then made it again yesterday for him to bring to school. Flawless both times and all the kids were amazed. Cutest cake ever!!
Nicole says
I tried the first part twice and I keep getting a runny pound cake.
I even let it cook longer than the 8-10 minutes. The outside is cooking but the middle is a runny mess.
Any ideas on what is causing this?
Amy @Very Culinary says
I’m sorry to hear that, Nicole. And unfortunately, I don’t know. I have made this several times and my first cake is always cooked through, albeit slightly soft. Maybe read through all the comments and see if you can find an answer!
Nicole says
Thank you. I think it has to do with my oven and the pan.
I am going to try and lower the temperature and change the pans.
Amy @Very Culinary says
I hope that does the trick – seems strange that it wouldn’t be cooked even after 10 minutes extra!
Melissa says
I think the directions say 8-10 min less than time given in the directions on cake mix. So if directions call for 35 min you’d cook for 25-27 minutes?
Marla says
Directions say — bake for 8-10 minutes less than instructed on box (about 50 minutes.)- Are you baking just for 8-10 minutes and not the full 50 minutes?
Nicole B says
You have to cook it for 8-10 minutes LESS than what you would normally cook if for. So if you are suppose to cook if for an hour then only cook it for 50 mins. I read it wrong the first time also. Hope this helps.
Dawn says
The instructions say to cook it for 8-10 minutes LESS than what the box instructions say (about 50 minutes). NOT 8-10 minutes lol
Jan says
It says to bake 8-10 mins. less than the directed bake time on the box.
Sue says
The instructions said to let it cook for actual time MINUS 8-10 minutes, (about 50 minutes) not just for 8-10 minutes. :(
Candace says
This is an awesome idea! I wonder if you know how it would turn out if I did 2 different colors in the middle? (Say brown and orange?) I realize I would probably need to make 3 different pound cakes (2 for different colors of the shape in the middle and 1 to cover the shapes).
Amy @Very Culinary says
I’ve never tried this, but yes, you would need three pound cakes. I imagine half your slices would be brown in the middle and the other half would be orange. Not quite sure how you would get those colors, but if you could pull it off, it would be cute. Good luck!
haley says
Couldn’t you do it with only two boxes by separating the first box in two bowls after mixing BEFORE adding color?
Amy @Very Culinary says
Hi Haley – no, you need two full pound cake recipes.
Yesenia says
Hi, im having trouble finding the betty crocker pound cake. by any chance do you know if any other brands work?
Amy @Very Culinary says
Hi Yesenia – I’ve only ever used the Betty Crocker brand, so I couldn’t say, sorry.
Stacy says
I just made this and it turned out great. We have to eat gluten free and avoid food coloring so I made it a bit different. I did a homemade gluten free chocolate pound cake for the hearts and then a regular gf pound cake for the main portion. I had no issues at all
Jolie says
Where do you get your cookie cutters?
Thank you. :)
Amy @Very Culinary says
I got a huge bucket of cookie cutters from Amazon a long time ago :)
Jolie says
I love this recipe. I want to try it, but was wondering: with the 2nd batch of pound cake: could I use a chocolate one – instead of vanilla?
Amy @Very Culinary says
Hi Jolie – if you want accurate results, both cakes need to be the Pound Cake mix – no vanilla and no chocolate.
Anita says
Made this today without any issue. I have a potluck to go to this weekend and wanted to test it out. Everyone is going to be so surprised upon first slice. Wonderful and clever cake, thank you!
Gabriel says
Hi.
I’m Gabriel, from Brazil.
I have a considerable difficult to find a cake that seems like ”Betty Crocker Pound Cake mix” in my city.
The neighborhood supermarkets around here don’t have nothing like that.
So, my question is :
Can I Use a box of ”Vanilla cake mix” like this :
http://www.groceries-express.com/WebPages/1600040991%20Betty%20Crocker.html
by local brands and manufactures like ”Dona Benta” cake mixes!?
My English is poor, I hope you understood!
Wait for an answer!
Thank you!
Amy @Very Culinary says
Hi Gabriel – I’m sorry, but you really need the Betty Crocker Pound Cake mix in order for this to turn out. There’s something about the consistency of the pound cake that makes this work, where regular cake mix will not. :/
Charlene says
Don’t know if this is any good, but I just found this online (and will be trying it)… http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/pound-cake/0571fe76-c8d7-4e1b-b75e-b4a3fcac5b8e
Bea says
Just sliced into it. Perfection. Thank you! What a ridiculously fun cake!!
Pat W. says
I’ve made this three times now. LOL. The first time I used regular cake mix (instead of the pound cake mix listed) and it did not come out. The second time I sliced the hearts without measuring out the thickness of my cookie cutter – that was a fail. The third time (can you tell I really wanted this to come out? LOL) I followed the directions exactly and it was perfect. Moral of the story: follow the ingredients and read/follow the instructions and you won’t have any problems. It was super cute!
Donna says
Since the red part is cut ahead of time, is it ever an issue if, when it’s finished, it’s not cut exactly along those same cut lines?
Amy @Very Culinary says
Not exactly sure I understand the question. The hearts end up being throughout, so each slice will have one. Just be careful that the hearts (or whatever shape you use) are down along the center of the pan, and pressed together as you pour the white batter over them.
Kimberly says
She is asking if you have to cut the pieces in the same place you cut them before ( along the same line as the thickness of the cookie cutter) or if the red hears will fuse back together when baking the second time. I had the same question.
Amy @Very Culinary says
Oh, I see. Nope! They do fuse back together! Just make sure the hearts are pressed together snuggly before pouring the white batter over them.
Maria says
This is a very clever recipe but how do the hearts not dry out since you are double baking them?
Kimberly says
They don’t because they are UNDERBAKED the 1st time and refrigerated before cutting…refrigerating firms the batter enough to cut it.
Amy @Very Culinary says
Can’t find Kimberly’s comment, but as she stated – they don’t dry out because they are UNDERBAKED the 1st time and refrigerated before cutting…refrigerating firms the batter enough to cut it.
hailey says
What if you cook it for too long and its not undercooked enough?
Amy @Very Culinary says
There’s more of a chance that it will be dry.
Susan Corson says
Heart recipe
Diana says
Valentine’s
christina says
made this today – so cute!!!
bonnie m says
I want to try this but would like to forget the frosting and put fresh strawberries on top as a strawberry shortcake. and a little whipping cream. sound like a good idea?
Amy@Very Culinary says
Not quite sure how to answer that…I love frosting. But omitting it won’t wreck the cake itself, so if you prefer whipping cream instead, try it!
Lynn P. says
My daughter is turning 5 in a couple weeks, so I made this yesterday to test it out. It came out perfectly!! Thank you so much for such an adorable recipe!! <3 <3 <3
Jenn D says
Hi – I made the pink pound cake tonight – took it out 8-10 minutes early still looks a little undercooked, when inserting a cake tester still came out “runny”. I’m thinking it needs to be a bit since it will be baked again with the white mix but I wanted to see if that is normal.
Amy @Very Culinary says
It should be slightly under-cooked, because yes, it will continue cooking with the white mix. But it should not be so under-cooked that it’s runny.
Aschleigh says
Hi, I read some of the comments and I’d really like to use a strawberry cake mix for the hearts any reason why cake mid wouldn’t work for the hearts? Just curious, definitely wouldn’t want to waste my time doing it that way if it’s not going to work.
Amy@Very Culinary says
Hi Aschleigh – honestly, I would stick with the Betty Crocker pound cake and red food coloring, since that’s the only way I can guarantee proper results. Everyone who has deviated from any of the ingredients and/or instructions has run into issues, whereas everyone who followed the ingredients and/or instructions had great success.
Aschleigh says
Thanks
Dmoc18 says
I make “pistachio cake” by using yellow cake mix and throwing in a box of (unprepared) pistachio pudding. It cooks up the same consistency since it’s just more dry powder mixed in with the cake mix AND it comes out green. Maybe you can find a similar substitute with strawberry flavored instant pudding. You’ll have the flavor and can always add a couple of drops of food coloring to darken up the pink.
Anita says
I like the idea of the strawberry cake mix..if you do decide to try it let me know how it turned out. I was thinking of doing chocolate pound cake instead of the white, and the strawberry interior would pair nicely I think.
Laura says
You might be able to get a pound cake like texture using a regular cake mix by adding an extra egg and a small instant pudding mix to the ingredients listed on the box. I also prefer to use buttermilk instead of the water listed on the box. I don’t guarantee it will work for this but it does result in a firmer, sturdier cake.
Kimberly says
Add a few drops of extract or flavoring to the center pound cake. It needs to be pound cake texture to hold together.
pia says
cute idea.. gonna make it
but how do u know where to slice it so u dont mess up the hearts
Amy @Very Culinary says
The hearts end up being throughout, so each slice will have one.
Jon & Fran Irby says
Fun project but it is one that requires a day to prepare because of the baking / cooling protocols. The end product is well worth the effort.
Elizabeth says
Will this work with a homemade pound cake recipe?
Amy @Very Culinary says
Hi Elizabeth – I couldn’t say for sure, sorry. Because there are so many steps to this, I would recommend sticking to the ingredients listed. Or if you feel like chancing it, I say go for it! But I can’t vouch for the results.
Vivian says
I made this cake with a home made pound cake recipe. It worked good for me. The only problem I had was my cake was yellow since the home made recipe called for butter. My hearts were not pink enough. Next time I will make them more red. They were a big hit with my co-workers.
Yesenia says
Hi vivian, by any chance do you have a link to the recipe? I’ve been looking into pound cake recipes since the stores around me don’t have the box mix, but can’t decide on which one to use. I’m scared of trying a recipe and it being a failure. so if you’re willing to share i’d really appreciate it!! :)
AleGodoy says
I gave it to my boyfriend for our 6month anniversary and he absolutely loved it! He said it was so pretty he didn’t expect it to be so delicious too! Also, everyone was shocked and kept asking me how I did it! Huge success, thank you so much for this recipe!
Amy @Very Culinary says
Awesome!
Stephanie says
I tried doing this for Halloween …if anyone gets the itch to make this in a hurry WITHOUT using pound cake…let me save you the disaster results & tears…REGULAR CAKE MIX DOES NOT WORK!!! lol..I’m determined to make this again!! The pictures are fabulous!
Amy @Very Culinary says
Yes, as per my ingredient list, Betty Crocker Pound Cake mix is required for this. Good luck the 2nd time around!
Caitlin says
I did a test run yesterday and it came out perfectly! So cute! My daughter’s birthday is in a few weeks and will be making it for her class. Thank you for the great recipe!!
Amy @Very Culinary says
Oh yay! Her class will love it! Thanks for stopping by :)
Sarah says
I am going to make this, my little girl will love this!. Thank you for the idea!
Sarah
Olga Lopez says
Wow fantastic and looks Delicious.
My Cooking blog is in spanish.The good news is that has google translator in many languages.
Regards
Olguis.
Kim says
Do you end up with a lot of leftover white batter? I’m wondering if you couldn’t double the pink recipe to make 2 loaves out of 3 mixes?
Amy @Very Culinary says
Hi Kim – no, there’s not enough left over for that. The white batter fills up the one pan around the pink hearts perfectly.
Britni @ Play. Party. Pin. says
I used your tutorial to make a stuffed turkey peek-a-boo cake on my blog and it worked perfectly – http://www.playpartypin.com/2013/11/stuffed-turkey-peek-boo-cake.html.
Thanks for the recipe!
Britni
Amy @Very Culinary says
Hi Britni! That’s the fun about this cake, you can alter it to any holiday/color. Yours came out super cute – I love the turkey! Thanks for proper attribution in your post and sharing.
Safiya says
*sob…sob*
I removed the first cake from the oven 10 min earlier than the instructed time and the cake flopped :'( :'(
Stephanie says
Me too :( I even left it a little longer and its still like watery inside. so I decided just to take it out and place it in the fridge and see if something happens. I thought this would be easy… :(
Amy @Very Culinary says
There have been several people who made it with great success…Sorry it didn’t turn out for you.
N says
Probably because the instructions actually say to bake it for 8-10 minutes less.
hannah says
I’m definitely gonna make this cake!!! I was just wondering if its possible to substitute the pink heart with a cheese recipe…
Amy says
Hm. I honestly have no idea. But my guess is that cheese would not work, because it will melt and not hold its shape.
Katherine says
I made this for Easter with a bunny rabbit cookie cutter. It came out perfectly and absolutely adorable!!! Thank you!!
Kysha says
what flavour betty crocker cake mix?:S
Amy says
It’s their POUND cake mix. There is no “flavor”
tinkushaji says
What a great idea.. u did a fabulous job..
Adele says
Hi, Just wondering what you do with the remains from the cut outs of the hearts? of course you can eat it, but they are not in any presentable condition.
Amy says
Maybe you could make a trifle with them…layer the scraps with whipped cream and fresh fruit. I just put them in a Ziploc bag and refrigerated them for a few days…let my kids nibble on a couple pieces for dessert each night.
Damian says
Adel evidently doesn’t keep chickens.
natalie says
cakepops!
Trish Butler says
You are one crazy lady with a great husband. lol I just saw your vedio and am now going to become a member of your site. The Valentines Day Heart Bread is pure genius. Thank you for your time and talent.
From another crazy woman with a great husband.
Mallory says
Hi! I love this idea and have seen it done with other shapes! I want to try it, but am curious with the double bake if the hearts (or whatever shape) gets dried out? Thanks in advance for answering!! :)
Amy says
Nope. It comes out great. Just make sure to read the directions carefully and don’t deviate from them or the ingredients listed.
Stacey says
Made this cake for Valentines Day, Everyone loved it and amazed how I did it. Thanks for the great tutorial!
Kathy S says
Made this for my class today. So cute and homerun with the kids. I believe I was declared the most awesome teacher ever…and for that, I thank you!
lena says
this was so cute and came out perfectly….everyone loved it and asked for the recipe…thank you so much!
violet dcosta says
Thank U for your tutorial. It was big hit on Valentine Day. As u said ” all were asking How did u do it” thanks for making me look & feel good in front of husband, kids & friends.
Tiffany says
Sounds like everyone made this today! Duh. LOL. I made mine yesterday but sliced into it today. HUGE hit at the kids school. Such fun. I love that it’s customizable for other holidays. Great recipe! Thanks!
Eileen S says
Made it for my daughter’s class today and when I sliced into it, all the kids were “ooooh” and “aaaaah” ing. And all the teachers wanted to know “how’d you do that?” just as you predicted. So cute! Thank you!
Cher says
Amy, I made this cake yesterday and it turned out perfectly. AND it does impress people! Thanks for making me look good! LOL
Sandra says
I made this for my son’s Valentine party at school today and it came out adorable! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe!!
lauren says
I love this but mine floated to the top too! Does anyone have any ideas why? I saw the earlier comment and made sure I put only a little batter in the bottom….has anyone found a solution?
Amy says
Looking at my pictures, you can see my hearts floated more towards the top. If you want them at the bottom, then you could probably omit the part of pouring the batter in first.
Amy L says
Hi Amy and others. I live in fl and baking the pink cake for 10 minutes was not nearly enough time. I couldn’t even cut my hearts. So I would suggest cooling it at least 20 to 25 minutes so that there isn’t raw batter on the inside.
Amy says
Amy, you didn’t read the directions properly. I said to cook the pink cake 10 minutes less than instructed on the box, for a total of 50 minutes, not 10 minutes total. No wonder you ended up with raw batter :(
Jeanie Huda says
Can you use this ideal for a much larger cake,such as a
__ Sweet! Sixteen Birthday?
Selin* says
Hi Amy;
I m from Turkey. Your idea is amazing. I will make beatiful cake for my boy friend thanks to you. I guess your web page will be international day by day :) Thank you very much!!!!
Ines says
It’s really adorable!:) I take the cue from your cake :) http://cook-zone.blogspot.it/2013/02/pound-cake-di-s-valentino.html
Amy says
Yay! I love it!
Jennifer says
Just a quick question to all the cooks…Do you think I could use my pound cake recipe that I love vs the box kind? Thanks and can’t wait to try…
nicola says
Help, my hearts floated up in the oven after 5 mins in the oven. I made 2 loafs, one was ok, the other one floated. Do you know what happened?
Amy says
It’s possible that you put too much batter on the bottom of your second loaf pan, but without standing next to you while you prepped (and being familiar with your particular oven), I really have no idea.
Shantel says
This may be a silly question but is pound cake mix and regular cake mix the same thing? I have never heard of pound cake mix in a box
Amy says
Pound cake is denser and has a more buttery taste than regular yellow cake, and I believe has only eggs, flour, milk and butter…no baking powder or other leavening. However, since I used the box variety, I didn’t pay attention to what the exact ingredients where in the dry mixture. Here’s what the Betty Crocker box looks like: http://www.bettycrocker.com/products/supermoist-cakes/products/supermoist%20cake%20mix/pound-cake-mix
Carla says
Love love love this! And I couldn’t figure out how until I read your directions. I may have to go dig through my cookie cutters and see what other shapes I can make (although I love the hearts too).
Cheryl says
This is probably a stupid question, but does it matter what type of milk to use? Skim, 1%, 2% or whole?
Amy says
Greetings Cheryl – not a stupid question! I used whole milk, but considering the instructions on the Betty Crocker box call for milk OR water, I’d say you could use any variety. I mean, skim milk practically is water, amiright? ;-) Whole milk will make the cake richer, though.
Andrea says
Lovely! Looks a lot nicer than my hidden hearts cake! Great job!
fati's recipes says
I really want to try this. It’s clever, and a lot easier than the heart cake I wanted to do (same concept, only hand carved, large heart in the middle).
I worry that baking the cake short of time will leave me with a soggy centre – one that I can’t cut or do anything with. We don’t have the Betty Crocker brand here, so I’ll be using a different brand… Any advice/word of assurance before I start?
Amy says
I can only speak to the recipe that I made and posted, since I didn’t prepare it any other way.
If you’re going to use a different brand or make the pound cake from scratch, I think it will be still be fine, BUT I can’t say for sure. A suggestion would be, whatever cake recipe you end up using, at 10 minutes shorter than bake time directions, test the middle center with a toothpick…if it comes out clean (or almost), then you should be ok. If it’s still very wet, then let it cook longer, checking it every 2-3 minutes.
I hope it works out for you!
MrsCzi says
Oh that is so clever and looks dangerously good!! :-D
Erica says
What would the recipe be if I wanted to bake the cake from scratch instead of using cake mix? Thanks!!
Amy says
Hi Erica – I guess you’d have to find a a recipe for pound cake and make that (twice)…?
Karen Joshlin says
I definately messed something up on the icing. I followed the exact measurements. Any suggestions?
Amy says
I’m sorry to hear that, Karen. This is a pretty standard icing – if it’s too thick, you add more milk. If it’s too runny, add more powdered sugar. You didn’t say exactly what was wrong?
Erika @ The Hopeless Housewife says
Added this to my Valentine Pinterest board, so adorable.
Dani H says
this is so clever! LOVE it!
Peter @Feed Your Soul says
this looks so creative that I featured it on my Friday Five Valentine sweets addition over @ Feed Your Soul – http://chefpeterskitchen.blogspot.com/2013/02/friday-five-valentines-issue.html
Claire @ A Little Claireification says
That is SOOOO stinking cute!!! Pinned it and about to tweet. Thanks for sharing! :) Claire
Kimberley R says
I think I will try it with chocolate cake (on the outside)! Love it – am sure my 7-yr-old will too! Thanks for the cool idea!
Purabi Naha says
This is super-hit! I loved the hearts and I think, this cake will make anyone happy!
Jeremy says
It looks amazing with the two hearts in the middle. And it’s funny but what immediately came to my mind was the gift I’m gonna give to my girlfriend on Valentine’s Day. I’ve made a private booking for one of the courses organized by Zac’s cooking school here in Vancouver – cooking classes for couples and this recipe will most certainly be among the first ones we’ll try together. So it fits in perfectly with my romantic plans. :)
Sarah says
Quick question – many of the doctored cake recipes i have, i have to add enough mix to make it up to 18.25 oz for them to work as that was the box size when the recipe came out. I take it that this is not the case with this recipe (hoping so since it’s still 16oz therefore STILL a pound cake?!) just want to check since i messed up many a cake until i figured that out! Planning on making this next week as a surprise valentine’s cake for the fam!
Amy says
Greetings Sarah! If you use the 2 boxes (at 16 ounces each) of the Betty Crocker Pound cake mix I mentioned (it looks like this: http://tinyurl.com/bcywrxo), you don’t need to add anything to them, other than the ingredients I listed. Hope that makes sense!
Sarah says
thanks Amy! :)
Stephanie says
Ahhhh!! This is beyond cute!! V-Day seems like the perfect excuse to make a super cute sweet treat, too! :)
Ivory says
Any way this could be done with vanilla cake or maybe bread??
Amy says
I can’t see why not. Although your oven temperature and cooking times will vary, depending on your recipe. Try it and let me know if it turns out!
danipil says
the part you cook twice doesnt it come out too cooked? so cute,,
Amy says
Nope! You cook it for 10 fewer minutes than instructed and then chill it before it gets cooked again. It wasn’t dry at all.
Kelli says
This is so cute!
Mom says
Very cute for different holidays. Now I know how it’s done!
Céline says
In french “WHOAUUUUU!” Beautyfull !
kelly @ kellybakes says
Love this idea! And that it’s customizable for every holiday!
Brenda @ChattingOverChocolate.blogspot.com says
This is too cute!! LOVE it! Pinning ;) Thanks for sharing!!
Barbara @ Barbara Bakes says
Such a fun idea!
Viswa says
I am totally blown away by this!! beautiful and ingenious!!
Greta says
This looks sooo cute! I have to get some kind of valentines recipe onto my blog and this just looks perfect!!! Love the fact that you can make this suitable for any occaison by changing up the shapes! I would make my own batter for the cake (personal preference) and make the hearts a bit red-er! Check out my website for some cool recipes
Thanks,
Greta
Joanne says
I am so amazed by you right now I can hardly take it! And this coming from the girl who scoffs are V-Day cuteness. :P I love it.
JenPen says
Cutest cake. Looking forward to making it. Thanks!
Jen says
Very cute. What I want to know is what did you do with the leftover pink pound cake after the cutouts were done?
Amy says
Hee heee! It all ended up in my pie hole, of course!
Heather @ SugarDish(Me) says
Love it! I never got around to making the pumpkin version either– my little guys will be thrilled with this!
DeniseB says
OMG-you are INCREDILE – This is too AWESOMELY CUTE!!
Jenna says
Amy, this is so cool! The cake comes out looking gorgeous!
Miss @ Miss in the Kitchen says
Cutest cake ever!
k says
are you kidding me with this? so cute!!!!
Rachel @ Baked by Rachel says
absolutely adorable!
pam says
This is the cutest thing ever!!
Lisa@The Cutting Edge of Ordinary says
Adorable!
It looks so impressive!