Red Velvet Heart-Shaped Cake Recipe for Valentine’s Day

Cake:

• ¾ cup (90 g) all-purpose flour, (stir, spoon & level)
• ¼ cup (20 g) cocoa powder
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp salt
• 4 large eggs
• ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
• 1 Tbsp canola oil
• 2 Tbsp buttermilk, (or 2 Tbsp milk with ½ tsp lemon juice/white vinegar)
• 1 tsp white vinegar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 Tbsp red food coloring
• ½ cup (60 g) powdered sugar, for dusting

Cream Cheese Filling:

• 8 oz (226 g) cream cheese, cold
• 6 Tbsp (85 g) butter, lightly softened
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 ½ cups (300 g) powdered sugar

• Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 15×10″ jelly-roll pan and line it with wax paper; grease and lightly flour the paper. Sprinkle a thin kitchen towel with about ½ cup powdered sugar to create a dusting for rolling.
• In a bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the eggs on medium speed for about 5 minutes. Gradually add the sugar and the oil, beating until combined. Add the buttermilk, vinegar, vanilla, and red food coloring, then fold in the dry ingredients until blended. Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan.
• Bake for 13–15 minutes, or until the top of the cake springs back when lightly touched.
• When the cake is done, immediately loosen the edges and invert the cake onto the sugared towel. Carefully peel off the wax paper. Starting from each short end, roll the cake and towel together toward the center so the two rolls meet in the middle. Turn the rolled cake onto its side so both rolls are stacked, then secure the ends with a rubber band. Let the cake cool on a wire rack while rolled.
• To make the filling: using the paddle attachment, beat the cold cream cheese and lightly softened butter until smooth, about 1 minute. Add the vanilla and all the powdered sugar at once, then mix until fully incorporated.
• Carefully unroll the cooled cake. Spread the cream cheese filling evenly, leaving extra down the center seam where the two rolls meet (this will form the bottom point of the heart). Re-roll each end as tightly as possible until they meet in the center. Stack the rolls on their side—one on top of the other—and slice. Gently shape the pieces into a heart if needed, then serve.