Save The first time I attempted a heart shaped cake for Valentines Day, I was staying up way past midnight trying to figure out why my red velvet kept turning brown in the oven. My roommate stumbled into the kitchen for water, took one look at my flour dusted pajamas and three failed cake layers, and somehow convinced me that Betty Boop was the perfect solution. We traced that iconic silhouette freehand while eating spoonfuls of cream cheese frosting straight from the bowl, and somehow that messy late night experiment became the most requested cake Ive ever made.
Last year I made this for my nieces 16th birthday and she Instagrammed it before anyone even got a slice. Her little brother kept asking if the chocolate lady was going to jump off the cake like in the cartoons. Watching the birthday girl carefully slide that chocolate silhouette onto the frosting like she was handling precious jewelry made all those years of failed red velvet experiments completely worth it.
Ingredients
- Cake flour (312g): Lower protein than all purpose which keeps that red velvet crumb delicate and tender
- Natural cocoa powder: Just enough to give depth without overpowering the classic red velvet flavor
- Unsalted butter: Room temperature is non negotiable here or your batter will never emulsify properly
- Red gel food coloring: Gel delivers that vibrant red without thinning your batter like liquid does
- Buttermilk: The acid here reacts with baking soda for extra lift and that signature velvet texture
- White vinegar: The secret red velvet ingredient that activates baking soda and enhances the red color
- Cream cheese: Full fat and room temperature ensures your frosting wont collapse or curdle
- Dark chocolate or candy melts: Tempered chocolate creates the sturdiest silhouette that wont wilt on the frosting
Instructions
- Get your oven and pans ready:
- Preheat to 350°F and grease those heart shaped pans really thoroughly. Line bottoms with parchment because heart cakes have more surface area to stick.
- Whisk the dry ingredients together:
- Combine cake flour cocoa powder baking powder baking soda and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside where you can grab it easily.
- Cream butter and sugar:
- Beat butter for a full minute until creamy then gradually add sugar. Let it go another 2 to 3 minutes until the mixture looks pale and fluffy.
- Add eggs one at a time:
- Beat in each egg completely before adding the next. Scrape down the bowl between additions so everything incorporates evenly.
- Build the red velvet base:
- Stir in red gel coloring vanilla and white vinegar until the batter turns that perfect shade. The vinegar smell is strong but it bakes out completely.
- Alternate wet and dry ingredients:
- With mixer on low add one third of dry ingredients then half the buttermilk. Repeat and finish with the last of the dry mix. Stop as soon as you see the last streaks of flour disappear.
- Activate the leavening:
- Mix that teaspoon of vinegar with baking soda in a small cup until it foams. Fold gently into the batter and watch it bubble.
- Bake the layers:
- Divide batter between your prepared pans and smooth the tops. Bake 25 to 30 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean from the center.
- Cool completely:
- Let the cakes rest in pans for 10 minutes then turn them onto wire racks. Walk away and let them cool entirely or the frosting will melt right off.
- Make the frosting:
- Beat cream cheese and butter until smooth then gradually add powdered sugar. Finish with vanilla and a pinch of salt until fluffy and spreadable.
- Assemble the cake:
- Level any domes with a serrated knife then stack the layers with frosting between them. Apply a thin crumb coat and chill 10 minutes before adding the final layer.
- Create the chocolate silhouette:
- Place your Betty Boop stencil under parchment and trace with melted chocolate. Let it set completely at room temperature or in the fridge for 10 minutes.
- Apply the finishing touch:
- Carefully peel the chocolate from parchment and position it on the cake center. Press gently so it adheres to the frosting without breaking.
Save My mom still talks about the year I brought this to our family Valentines dinner and my dad accidentally cut right through Betty Boops face before anyone stopped him. We all laughed so hard and then carefully reassembled her on the serving plate like some kind of sweet jigsaw puzzle. Now he asks every year if the chocolate lady is coming to dinner again.
Getting That Perfect Red
After dozens of brownish red cakes I finally learned that gel coloring is absolutely worth the extra hunt at specialty stores. Liquid coloring not only dilutes your batter but it also bakes out during those 30 minutes in the oven leaving behind this weird muddy pink color. One tablespoon of good gel red gives you that vibrant carnival red that actually stays bright through baking.
Frosting Like a Pro
The trick I learned from watching bakery decorators is to heat your offset spatula under hot water then wipe it completely dry before smoothing the final layer of frosting. The warmth slightly melts the surface just enough to eliminate those stubborn spatula marks and gives you this surreal glassy finish that looks almost airbrushed.
Working With Chocolate Silhouettes
Making chocolate decorations taught me that patience matters more than artistic skill. If your chocolate is too warm it will smear and if it is too cold it will crack into pieces when you try to peel it from the parchment. The sweet spot is when the chocolate looks matte but still feels slightly tacky to the touch.
- Make extra chocolate silhouettes in case one breaks during transfer
- Let the finished cake set for at least 30 minutes before serving so the chocolate adheres completely
- Serve at room temperature because cold red velvet loses all its signature softness
Save There is something magical about cutting into that bright red crumb and revealing the silhouette inside like a little secret you baked just for them. Every time I make this cake I think back to that midnight kitchen with flour everywhere and know that some of the best recipes start as beautiful disasters.
Recipe FAQs
- → Why use gel food coloring instead of liquid?
Gel-based coloring delivers vibrant red hue without thinning the batter or affecting the cake's texture. Liquid coloring can alter the consistency and may require additional flour to compensate.
- → Can I make the chocolate silhouette ahead of time?
Absolutely. Prepare the dark chocolate silhouette up to a week in advance and store between parchment paper in an airtight container at room temperature.
- → What's the purpose of vinegar in this batter?
White vinegar activates the baking soda, creating tiny bubbles that result in a lighter, more tender crumb. It also enhances the red color's vibrancy and deepens the cocoa flavor.
- → How do I get smooth frosting edges?
Apply a thin crumb coat first, chill for 10 minutes to set, then add the final layer. For extra-smooth results, run your offset spatula under hot water, wipe dry, and glide over the frosting.
- → Can I use round cake pans instead?
Yes, two 9-inch round pans work perfectly. The heart shape is purely aesthetic—the baking time and texture remain unchanged regardless of pan shape.
- → Why must all ingredients be room temperature?
Room-temperature butter, eggs, and buttermilk emulsify properly, creating a uniform batter that bakes evenly. Cold ingredients can cause curdling or lead to dense spots in the finished layers.