Raspberry heart cake with soft raspberry layers, fruity fillings, and a vintage pink heart design for special occasions.
I designed this raspberry heart cake as a bakery-style, vintage layer cake with clean piping, soft textures, and real raspberry flavor.
This pink vintage heart cake combines raspberry cake layers, mascarpone frosting, and raspberry buttercream, making it ideal for Valentine’s Day, birthdays, or bridal showers.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- True raspberry flavor in every layer, without artificial taste
- Bakery-style finish with a clean heart shape and vintage piping
- Perfect for special occasions, from Valentine’s Day to birthdays
Ingredients You Need
- Egg whites – For a light, soft raspberry cake crumb
- Cake flour – Keeps the layers tender and delicate
- Baking powder – Helps the cake rise evenly
- Unsalted butter – Softened, for structure and flavor
- Granulated sugar – For the cake batter
- Powdered sugar – Used in the frosting and buttercream
- Buttermilk – Adds moisture and softness to the cake
- Vanilla extract & salt – For balance and flavor
- Raspberries – Fresh or frozen, blended into a purée
- Mascarpone cheese – For a light, creamy raspberry frosting
- Heavy cream – Used in the frosting and fillings
- Pink food coloring – Optional, for a soft pink finish
Tips before you start
- Cool the cake layers completely – Chilled layers are easier to assemble and keep the cake stable.
- Prep ahead if needed – All components can be made the day before.
- Use thick raspberry purée – Avoid coulis, which is too runny for fillings and frostings.
- Serve at room temperature – Take the cake out 30 minutes before serving for the best texture.
How To Make A Raspberry Heart Cake
This cake is based on my white cake recipe, lightly flavored with raspberry purée.
Cream the butter and sugar, then whisk in the egg whites and vanilla until smooth.
I use my homemade raspberry compote, reduced and blended into a smooth purée for a concentrated raspberry flavor.
Add the raspberry purée and mix until the batter turns evenly pink.
Incorporate the dry ingredients, alternating with the milk, mixing just until smooth.
Divide the batter evenly between three greased heart-shaped pans and bake at 165°C (325°F) for about 25 minutes.
Cool the cake layers completely on a wire rack before assembling.
The cake is finished with my raspberry buttercream, lightly flavored with raspberry purée for a natural pink color and fruity taste.
Assemble the cake by piping a buttercream border, filling with raspberry frosting and filling, then stacking the layers.
Crumb coat and frost the cake, smooth with a scraper.
Then decorate with piped shell borders using the remaining buttercream.
Storage
- Store the raspberry heart cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days.
- Bring it to room temperature about 30 minutes before serving.
Recipe variations
- Strawberry heart cake – Replace the raspberry purée with strawberry purée in all components.
- Chocolate raspberry heart cake – Use chocolate cake layers and keep the raspberry fillings.
- Lemon raspberry version – Swap the raspberry filling for lemon curd and keep the raspberry buttercream.
- Classic round cake – Use the same recipe in round cake pans instead of a heart shape.
Recipe Questions
Can I make this raspberry heart cake ahead of time?
Yes. You can bake the cake layers and prepare the fillings one day ahead, then assemble the cake the next day.
Can I freeze this cake?
Freeze the cake layers only, well wrapped, for up to 2 months. Assemble and decorate after thawing.
Why is my cake unstable when assembling?
The layers may be too warm or the fillings too soft. Chill the cake briefly between steps for better stability.
More Cake Recipes
I hope you’ll love these cookies. If you try the recipe, feel free to leave a comment. Happy baking!
Print
Raspberry Heart Cake
- Total Time: 3 hours 20 minutes
- Yield: 8 slices
Description
Pink heart raspberry cake made with a moist raspberry cake, homemade raspberry compote, raspberry mascarpone frosting, and pink raspberry buttercream (for a 6-inch cake - serves 8).
Ingredients
Raspberry Cake (heart-shaped layers)
- 169 g (¾ cup) unsalted butter, very soft
- 250 g (1¼ cups) granulated sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 165 g (5 large) egg whites, at room temperature
- 65 g (¼ cup) raspberry purée
- 170 g (1⅓ cups) cake flour
- 1 tsp (6 g) baking powder
- ½ tsp (3 g) baking soda
- 180 g (¾ cup) buttermilk
- Pink or red food coloring
Homemade Raspberry Compote (filling + purée)
- 400 g (3 cups) fresh or frozen raspberries
Used as a thick compote for the filling and blended into a smooth purée for the cake and buttercream.
Raspberry Mascarpone Frosting
- 100 g (½ cup) mascarpone cheese, cold
- 88 ml (⅓ cup + 1 tbsp) heavy cream, cold
- 25 g (2 tbsp) raspberry purée
- 2 tbsp powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Raspberry Buttercream
- 250 g (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened
- 370 g (3 cups) powdered sugar, sifted
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 100 ml (⅓ cup + 1 tbsp) heavy cream, full-fat
- 60 g (¼ cup) raspberry purée (from about 100 g / ¾ cup raspberries)
Instructions
Raspberry Compote & Purée
- Cook the raspberries in a medium saucepan over medium heat for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thick and reduced.
- Reserve about 80 g (⅓ cup) of the compote for filling the cake layers.
- Blend the remaining compote, then strain it through a fine sieve to remove the seeds and get a smooth raspberry purée.
- Let the purée cool completely before using it in the cake and frostings.
Raspberry Cake Layers
- Preheat the oven to 165°C (325°F), grease a heart-shaped cake pan, and line the bottom with parchment paper.
- Beat the butter and sugar for 3 minutes until creamy and smooth.
- Add the egg whites and vanilla and whip for 5 minutes until the mixture is light and fluffy.
- Mix in the cooled raspberry purée until evenly combined.
- Add the dry ingredients and buttermilk alternately, mixing gently until smooth.
- Adjust the color with a small amount of pink or red food coloring if needed.
- Divide the batter into 3 equal portions and bake one layer at a time for 20–25 minutes without opening the oven.
- Check doneness, then cool the cake upside down on a wire rack before trimming if needed.
Raspberry Buttercream
- Beat the softened butter for 3–4 minutes until pale and creamy.
- Add the powdered sugar gradually and mix until smooth.
- Mix in the vanilla extract and heavy cream until light and fluffy.
- Add the strained raspberry purée and beat briefly until fully incorporated.
- Let the buttercream rest at room temperature, then transfer to a large piping bag.
Raspberry Mascarpone Frosting
- Combine all ingredients (cold mascarpone, cold cream, raspberry purée, powdered sugar, vanilla) in a bowl.
- Whip on low speed for 1–2 minutes until smooth, thick, and stable.
- Transfer to a piping bag and keep refrigerated until assembly.
Assembling the Raspberry Heart Cake
- Place the first cake layer on a cake board set on a turntable.
- Pipe a buttercream border around the edge to create a dam.
- Fill the center with raspberry mascarpone frosting, then add raspberry compote.
- Repeat with the remaining layers, finishing with the final cake layer.
- Apply a thin crumb coat of raspberry buttercream and smooth it.
- Add a second, thicker layer and smooth with a metal scraper.
- Pipe decorative borders on the top and bottom using star tips for a vintage finish.
- Refrigerate until ready to serve, or serve once fully set.
Notes
Storage: Keep the cake in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 1 month.
Tips:
- Always use a digital kitchen scale instead of measuring cups for the best accuracy and results.
- Let the raspberry purée cool completely before using it in your preparations.
- Ensure the sponge cakes are fully cooled before assembling. You can place them in the fridge to speed up the cooling process and make assembly easier.
- Microwave a small portion of buttercream for a few seconds and mix it back into the rest to make the buttercream smoother.
- Pipe a thick border of buttercream to fully seal the raspberry compote in the center and prevent it from leaking out.
- Don’t skip the crumb coat—it helps trap crumbs and ensures a clean, smooth finish.
- After chilling, take the layer cake out of the fridge 20 minutes before serving to soften the buttercream for easier slicing.
- Prep Time: 2 hours
- Cook Time: 80 minutes
- Category: cake, dessert
- Cuisine: American
Leave a Reply