Description

A two-layer heart-shaped vanilla cake finished with a simple vanilla buttercream. The batter is a straightforward creamed sponge that bakes in two heart-shaped pans in about half an hour, and the buttercream is beaten from butter, powdered sugar, milk and vanilla while the layers cool. Everything you need for both the cake and the frosting is listed below.

Ingredients

Scale

For the cake

2 cups (240 g) all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups (300 g) granulated sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter, softened
4 large eggs, room temperature
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup (240 ml) whole milk

For the vanilla buttercream

1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, softened
4 cups (480 g) powdered sugar, sifted
2 tbsp whole milk
1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease two 8-inch heart-shaped pans and dust them lightly with flour.
In a bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder and salt.
In a large bowl, beat the 1/2 cup of softened butter until creamy, then add the dry ingredients gradually and mix to a sandy, crumbly texture.
Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each, then stir in the 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract.
Pour in the 1 cup of whole milk in a steady stream and mix just until the batter is smooth. Stop as soon as it comes together; overmixing makes the crumb dense.
Divide the batter evenly between the two pans and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean.
Cool the cakes in their pans for 10 minutes, then turn them out onto wire racks and let them cool completely. They must be at room temperature before you frost them.
While the layers cool, make the buttercream: beat the 1 cup of softened butter for 3 to 4 minutes until pale and fluffy. Add the sifted powdered sugar a cup at a time on low speed, then the 2 tablespoons of milk and 1 teaspoon of vanilla. Beat 2 minutes more until light and spreadable.
Set the first layer on a serving plate and spread about 1 cup of buttercream over it. Top with the second layer and cover the top and sides with the remaining buttercream, smoothing it with an offset spatula. Slice into 12 pieces to serve.

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Category: Dessert
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 slice (1/12 of the frosted cake)
Calories: 570
Sugar: 65g
Sodium: 210mg
Fat: 26g
Saturated Fat: 15g
Unsaturated Fat: 10g
Trans Fat: 1g
Carbohydrates: 81g
Fiber: 0.5g
Protein: 5g
Cholesterol: 125mg

Keywords: The cake layers can be baked a day ahead and kept wrapped at room temperature; frost on the day you plan to serve. For extra moisture, beat a tablespoon of sour cream or plain yogurt into the batter with the milk. Store the frosted cake covered at room temperature for up to 3 days.