Red Betty Boop Heart Cake (Printable Version)

Soft red velvet layers with tangy cream cheese frosting topped with a dark chocolate silhouette for playful elegance.

# What You'll Need:

→ For the Cake

01 - 2 ½ cups cake flour, sifted
02 - 2 tablespoons natural unsweetened cocoa powder
03 - 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
04 - ½ teaspoon baking soda
05 - ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
06 - 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
07 - 1 ¾ cups granulated sugar
08 - 4 large eggs, room temperature
09 - 1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
10 - 2 tablespoons red gel food coloring
11 - 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
12 - 2 teaspoons white vinegar

→ For the Cream Cheese Frosting

13 - 1 cup cream cheese, room temperature
14 - ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
15 - 4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
16 - 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
17 - Pinch of salt

→ For the Betty Boop Silhouette Decoration

18 - 6 ounces dark chocolate or candy melts, melted
19 - Parchment paper
20 - Betty Boop heart-shaped stencil

# How To Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease two 9-inch heart-shaped cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together cake flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and sea salt. Set aside.
03 - In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed for 1 minute until creamy. Gradually add sugar and continue beating for 2–3 minutes until light and fluffy.
04 - Add eggs one at a time, beating on low speed after each addition just until blended. Scrape down the bowl sides as needed.
05 - Stir in red gel food coloring, vanilla extract, and white vinegar until the batter is evenly colored.
06 - With the mixer on low, add one-third of the dry ingredients, then half of the buttermilk, mixing just until incorporated. Repeat with another third of dry ingredients, remaining buttermilk, and finish with the last third of dry ingredients. Do not overmix.
07 - In a small cup, combine 1 teaspoon vinegar with baking soda, then gently fold into the batter. The mixture will foam slightly—this creates a light crumb.
08 - Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans, smoothing the tops with an offset spatula. Bake on the center rack for 25–30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
09 - Let cakes cool in pans for 10 minutes. Run a thin knife around the edges, then invert onto wire racks and remove parchment. Cool completely before frosting.
10 - In a clean mixer bowl, beat cream cheese and butter on medium speed for 2 minutes until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar and a pinch of salt, then vanilla extract, beating on low until combined and fluffy. Transfer to a piping bag or keep covered in the fridge until ready.
11 - If desired, level cake domes with a serrated knife. Place one heart cake layer on a cake board or plate. Pipe or spread an even layer of frosting (about ¾ cup) over the top. Top with the second cake layer, press gently, and refrigerate for 15 minutes to set the crumb coat.
12 - Apply a thin crumb coat of frosting over the entire cake. Chill for another 10 minutes, then add a final smooth layer of frosting. Use an offset spatula to create swirls or leave smooth as desired.
13 - Place the printed stencil under a sheet of parchment. Pipe or brush melted dark chocolate over the outline on the parchment. Allow the chocolate silhouette to fully set at room temperature or in the refrigerator for 10 minutes.
14 - Carefully peel the chocolate silhouette from the parchment and lift it onto the center of the cake. Press gently so it adheres to the frosting.
15 - Decorate the cake edges with additional frosting rosettes, edible glitter, or red sugar pearls. Chill the cake for 30 minutes before serving to let the frosting set. Slice with a warm, clean knife for neat hearts.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The tangy cream cheese frosting cuts through the sweetness perfectly, so you can actually enjoy a second slice without feeling overwhelmed.
  • That dark chocolate silhouette isn't just cute, it adds a satisfying snap against the soft crumb that makes every bite more interesting.
  • It looks way more complicated than it actually is, which means you get all the glory with far less stress than a three-tier disaster.
  • The vinegar and baking soda trick creates the lightest, fluffiest texture I've ever gotten from a homemade cake.
02 -
  • If your butter or cream cheese is even slightly cold, your frosting will be lumpy and impossible to spread smoothly, I learned that the hard way during a holiday dinner.
  • Gel food coloring is the only way to get that intense red without making your batter runny, liquid dye will ruin the texture every time.
  • Don't skip the crumb coat and chill steps, they're the difference between a cake that looks homemade and one that looks bakery-perfect.
  • The vinegar and baking soda reaction happens fast, so fold it in gently and get the batter into the oven within a few minutes.
03 -
  • Sift your powdered sugar even if the bag says it's pre-sifted, those sneaky lumps will ruin your frosting's smoothness.
  • If your chocolate silhouette cracks while peeling it off the parchment, warm your hands slightly and press the pieces back together on the cake, it'll look intentional.
  • For an extra pop of flavor, add a teaspoon of espresso powder to the dry ingredients, it deepens the cocoa without making it taste like coffee.
  • Room temperature ingredients aren't just a suggestion, cold eggs and butter will curdle your batter and mess up the texture.
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