Show your love with this easy heart-shaped chocolate cake—no special pan required! All you need is a round and square cake pan to create this charming treat, perfect for Valentine’s Day, anniversaries, or any special occasion.
I’ve always had a love-heat relationship with Valentine’s Day. Kinda ironic, if you really think about it. But since having kids, I found myself celebrating everything silly holiday just to make things fun.
My family certainly doesn’t mind my special bakes and treats I make for the holidays. I am all about keeping things simple. This chocolate heart shape cake is super easy to make and you probably have the baking pans in your kitchen.
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Recipe highlights
- Simple: No special heart-shaped pan needed! All you need is a 9-inch round pan and a 9-inch square pan (or 8-inch versions for a thicker cake).
- Versatile: Dress it up with piped frosting and sprinkles or keep it simple with a smooth schmear. The design is totally up to you.
- Party Perfect: Whether it’s for Valentine’s Day, a birthday, anniversary, or Mother’s Day, this sweet heart cake is always a hit.
- Any Flavor Works: Use your favorite cake flavor—chocolate, vanilla, strawberry, or red velvet. This method works with any boxed mix or homemade 2-layer cake batter.
Ingredients you need
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- Chocolate cake mix: Box cake mix has come a long way, and many times I prefer it to homemade. You can use any cake mix for this heart cake. I used Devil’s Food cake. You can also make a homemade cake, just make sure there is enough batter for a 2-layer cake.
- Ingredients for cake mix: This will vary depending on which cake mix you use but typically ingredients include eggs, water, oil.
- Frosting ingredients: butter, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, heavy cream, food coloring. You can thin the frosting with a bit of milk instead of heavy cream, if you prefer. You can also use store bought frosting.
Step-by-step directions
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- Make batter. Mix up the cake mix per package directions. Divide batter into a lightly greased 9-inch round cake pan and 9-inch square cake pan.
- Bake. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean. Let cakes cool completely before assembling.
- Assemble cakes. Cut the round cake pan in half. Place square cake onto serving sheet and turn it so it looks like a diamond. Place each half round along the top straight edges of the diamond to form a heart.
- Prepare frosting. Whip the softened butter until fluffy and air (about 5-8 minutes) then add powdered sugar. Thin out with heavy cream. Dye to preferred colors.
- Frost the cake. Begin frosting your cake as you choose. Chill cake until ready to serve.
Expert Tips and Recipe FAQS
If you make this cake, serve it to your loved ones with a little gift: my free heart printable! Make this into cards or frame it as a gift.
Storing/Freezing Instructions
TO STORE: If your cake is frosted, I suggest storing any leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 5 days. If unfrosted, you can keep it covered on the counter for up to 3 days or refrigerate for longer.
TO FREEZE: You can also freeze leftovers. Wrap in foil, parchment paper or plastic wrap and freeze for up to 4 months.
Definitely. You can bake and assemble the cake a day in advance. Just keep it well wrapped or stored in an airtight container to stay fresh. You can also bake it even more in advance and wrap the cakes tightly and freeze them.
Not at all! You can pipe decorations, spread frosting smoothly, add sprinkles, or keep it rustic. It’s all about what you love.
Yes! While chocolate is always a hit, you can use any cake flavor you love—vanilla, red velvet, strawberry, or even a funfetti mix.
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Easy Chocolate Heart Cake
Ingredients
- 1 Chocolate cake mix I used devil’s food mix
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup water
- ⅓ cup vegetable or mild olive oil
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- 4 cups powdered sugar approximately 1 pound
- 2 tablespoon heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Food coloring
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350ºF. Lightly grease one 9-inch round cake pan and one 9-inch square cake pan. You can also use an 8-inch round cake pan and 8-inch square cake pan. For easier release, line bottom of each pan with parchment paper.
- Mix up the cake mix per package directions. Divide batter into the two prepared pans.
- Bake for about 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean. Let cakes cool in the pan then remove from the pan to a cooling rack. Let cakes cool completely before assembling.
- When cakes have cooled, cut the round cake pan in half. Place square cake onto extra large serving sheet and turn so it looks like a diamond. Place each half round along the top straight edges of the diamond to form a heart.
- In a stand mixer or using a hand mixer, whip up butter until smooth and fluffy.
- Mix in powdered sugar, one cup at a time.
- Gently pour in the heavy cream and vanilla extract and blend until smooth.
- If mixing a variety of colors, divide into bowl and mix in food coloring.
- Begin frosting your cake as you choose. If you are piping the cake like I did, I used tips 4B, 1M and 32 for rosettes, and 21, 12 and 5 for various dollaps. You can also use fondant or add your favorite sprinkles.
- Chill cake until ready to serve.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the actual nutritional information with the products and brands you are using with your preferred nutritional calculator.
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Written by Laura Bashar
Hi, I’m Laura, a certified professional cook and cookbook author living in San Diego. I have been sharing my family’s favorite recipes inspired from all over the world since 2008. Let’s cook up something fun!
What a fun cake! And I really like that it doesn’t require a special pan. We have enough cooking and baking stuff for probably 3 or 4 normal families. Gotta get rid of some of that. 🙁 Anyway, such a neat recipe — thanks.