Red Velvet Cake Hearts

So Valentine's Day is coming up & I knew I wanted to make something festive for you all, as well as for my cute family.  I whipped up this Red Velvet Cake Roll & shaped it into a heart. It turned out pretty nice, I must say!  Wouldn't this be fun to put in your kids' school lunches on Valentine's Day?  Or just to serve your hubby after a special dinner, just the two of you?  My 3 year old LOVED the heart shape.  He also told me, "Mommy, this is the best cake!"  What a cutie!  I am glad that he enjoyed this fun little cake & I am sure your little ones or significant other will enjoy it too!  

 

Red Velvet Cake Hearts

Recipe adapted from Sweet Pea's Kitchen by: Amber (Dessert Now, Dinner Later!)

Cake:

• 3/4 cup flour
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 4 large eggs
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 Tbsp canola oil
• 2 Tbsp buttermilk (or 2 Tbsp skim milk with 1/2 tsp lemon juice)
• 1 tsp vinegar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 Tbsp red food coloring
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar, for dusting

Cream Cheese Filling:

• 8 oz cream cheese, cold
• 6 Tbsp butter, lightly softened
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350*F.  Grease 15x10" jelly-roll pan; line with wax paper. Grease & flour paper.  Sprinkle a thin, kitchen towel with approximately 1/2 cup powdered sugar (a heavy coating.)
2. In a bowl, sift together flour, cocoa, baking powder, & salt.  Set aside.  
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer using the whisk attachment, whip eggs on medium speed for 5 minutes.  Slowly add sugar & oil.  Beat until combined.  Add buttermilk, vinegar, vanilla, & red food coloring.  Stir in flour mixture until combined.  Spread evenly into prepared pan.  
4. Bake in preheated oven for 13-15 minutes or until top of cake springs back when touched.
5. Immediately loosen & turn cake onto prepared towel.  Carefully peel off wax paper.  Roll up cake & towel together from each end meeting in the center.  Turn cake onto it's side so both rolls are stacked one on top of the other.  Gather ends & tie shut using a rubber band.  Allow cake to rest on it's side on a wire rack until cool.
6. To make the filling: Using the paddle attachment of your stand mixer, beat cream cheese & butter until incorporated & smooth.  Should not take more than 1 minute.  Add vanilla & powdered sugar all at once.  Mix until combined.
7. Carefully unroll cake.  Spread cream cheese mixture over the cake leaving a generous amount down the seam where the two rolls meet (this will be the bottom point of the heart, so you want extra icing there.)  Re-roll each end as tight as you can until both ends meet in the center.  Stack rolls on it's side, one on top of the other, & slice.  If needed, gently help shape the cake into a heart & serve.

Yield: 15-16 slices

So Valentine's Day is coming up & I knew I wanted to make something festive for you all, as well as for my cute family.  I whipped up this Red Velvet Cake Roll & shaped it into a heart. It turned out pretty nice, I must say!  Wouldn't this be fun to put in your kids' school lunches on Valentine's Day?  Or just to serve your hubby after a special dinner, just the two of you?  My 3 year old LOVED the heart shape.  He also told me, "Mommy, this is the best cake!"  What a cutie!  I am glad that he enjoyed this fun little cake & I am sure your little ones or significant other will enjoy it too!  

 

Red Velvet Cake Hearts

Recipe adapted from Sweet Pea's Kitchen by: Amber (Dessert Now, Dinner Later!)

Cake:

• 3/4 cup flour
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 4 large eggs
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 Tbsp canola oil
• 2 Tbsp buttermilk (or 2 Tbsp skim milk with 1/2 tsp lemon juice)
• 1 tsp vinegar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 Tbsp red food coloring
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar, for dusting

Cream Cheese Filling:

• 8 oz cream cheese, cold
• 6 Tbsp butter, lightly softened
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350*F.  Grease 15x10" jelly-roll pan; line with wax paper. Grease & flour paper.  Sprinkle a thin, kitchen towel with approximately 1/2 cup powdered sugar (a heavy coating.)
2. In a bowl, sift together flour, cocoa, baking powder, & salt.  Set aside.  
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer using the whisk attachment, whip eggs on medium speed for 5 minutes.  Slowly add sugar & oil.  Beat until combined.  Add buttermilk, vinegar, vanilla, & red food coloring.  Stir in flour mixture until combined.  Spread evenly into prepared pan.  
4. Bake in preheated oven for 13-15 minutes or until top of cake springs back when touched.
5. Immediately loosen & turn cake onto prepared towel.  Carefully peel off wax paper.  Roll up cake & towel together from each end meeting in the center.  Turn cake onto it's side so both rolls are stacked one on top of the other.  Gather ends & tie shut using a rubber band.  Allow cake to rest on it's side on a wire rack until cool.
6. To make the filling: Using the paddle attachment of your stand mixer, beat cream cheese & butter until incorporated & smooth.  Should not take more than 1 minute.  Add vanilla & powdered sugar all at once.  Mix until combined.
7. Carefully unroll cake.  Spread cream cheese mixture over the cake leaving a generous amount down the seam where the two rolls meet (this will be the bottom point of the heart, so you want extra icing there.)  Re-roll each end as tight as you can until both ends meet in the center.  Stack rolls on it's side, one on top of the other, & slice.  If needed, gently help shape the cake into a heart & serve.

Yield: 15-16 slices