Heart-Shaped Valentine Sheet Cake

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This heart-shaped chocolate cake feeds a crowd and requires no special pan—just a square and a round.

It’s the easiest way to make a showstopping Valentine’s dessert without any advanced decorating skills.

Why You’ll Love It

  • No special heart pan required
  • Serves 12-16 people
  • One-bowl cake batter
  • Impressive presentation with minimal effort
  • Budget-friendly for parties

Ingredients

For the Cake

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 1 cup hot coffee
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

For the Pink Vanilla Frosting

  • 1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
  • 6 cups powdered sugar
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • Red or pink gel food coloring

Optional Decorations

  • Red and pink sprinkles
  • Fresh strawberries
  • Candy hearts
  • Chocolate chips or mini hearts

Steps

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
  2. Grease one 8-inch square pan and one 8-inch round pan.
  3. Line the bottoms with parchment paper.
  4. Whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl.
  5. Add the eggs, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla.
  6. Mix until combined, then add the hot coffee and stir until smooth.
  7. Divide the batter evenly between the two pans—about 3 cups in each.
  8. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
  9. Cool in pans for 15 minutes, then turn out onto wire cooling racks.
  10. Cool completely—about 1 hour.
  11. While cakes cool, make the frosting by beating the butter on medium speed for 4 minutes until pale and fluffy.
  12. Add powdered sugar one cup at a time, mixing on low after each addition.
  13. Add heavy cream, vanilla, and salt.
  14. Beat on medium-high for 3 minutes until smooth and spreadable.
  15. Add a few drops of pink or red gel food coloring and mix until even.
  16. To assemble the heart: place the square cake on a large cake board or cutting board, rotated so it looks like a diamond.
  17. Cut the round cake in half to create two half-circles.
  18. Place each half-circle on the top two sides of the diamond, flat edges against the square.
  19. The assembled shape will form a heart.
  20. Apply a thin crumb coat of frosting over the entire cake to seal in crumbs.
  21. Refrigerate for 20 minutes until the crumb coat is set.
  22. Apply the final layer of frosting using an offset spatula, smoothing the top and sides.
  23. Add decorations as desired.
  24. Slice and serve.

Helpful Tips and Substitutions

For a more vivid pink, use gel food coloring instead of liquid—it won’t thin your frosting.

The crumb coat is essential for a clean final look—don’t skip it.

If your cakes dome, use a serrated knife to level them before assembling.

You can use a 9×9 square and 9-inch round for a larger cake that serves 20.

For chocolate frosting, add 3/4 cup cocoa powder to the buttercream recipe.

Make sure both cakes are the same height for an even heart shape.

Use a bench scraper for smooth sides.

Serving Ideas

Place the heart cake on a large platter as a centerpiece.

Surround the base with fresh strawberries or rose petals.

Write “Be Mine” or a name on top with contrasting frosting or piped chocolate.

Cut into squares from the center outward for the most even slices.

Serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream on the side.

Make-Ahead and Storage

Bake the cakes up to 2 days ahead and store wrapped tightly at room temperature.

Frosting keeps in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.

Bring refrigerated frosting to room temperature and re-whip before using.

The fully frosted cake keeps at room temperature for 2 days if your kitchen is cool.

Refrigerate the frosted cake for up to 5 days—bring to room temperature 1 hour before serving.

Unfrosted cake layers freeze for up to 3 months wrapped in plastic and foil.

Do not freeze the assembled and frosted cake—the frosting texture will change.

A Heart That Feeds the Whole Group

This heart-shaped sheet cake proves you don’t need fancy equipment to make something special.

The trick with the square and round pans works every time, and the chocolate cake itself is reliable and delicious.

It’s perfect for classroom parties, office celebrations, or a Valentine’s gathering at home.

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