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Raspberry Heart Cake


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  • Author: Fadela
  • 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 Cakes

  • 169 g (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, very soft
  • 250 g (1 1/4 cups) granulated white sugar
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 165 g (5 large) egg whites, at room temperature
  • 65 g (1/4 cup) raspberry purée
  • 170 g (1 1/3 cups) cake flour
  • 1 tsp (6 g) baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp (3 g) baking soda
  • 180 g (3/4 cup) buttermilk
  • Pink or red food coloring

Homemade Raspberry Compote

  • 400 g (3 cups) fresh or frozen raspberries

Raspberry Mascarpone Frosting

  • 100 g (1/2 cup) cold mascarpone
  • 88 ml (1/3 cup + 1 tbsp) cold heavy cream
  • 25 g (2 tbsp) raspberry purée
  • 2 tbsp powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

Raspberry Buttercream


Instructions

Raspberry Compote

  1. Place the fresh or frozen raspberries in a medium saucepan and cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until you get a thick raspberry compote.
  2. Reserve about 80 g (1/3 cup) of the compote for filling the layer cake.
  3. Blend the remaining compote with an immersion blender or a regular blender, then strain it through a fine sieve to get a smooth, seedless purée. Let it cool completely.

Raspberry Cake Layers

  1. Preheat your oven to 165°C (325°F). Grease a heart cake pan with butter and line the bottom with parchment paper.
  2. In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the softened butter and sugar for 3 minutes until creamy and smooth.
  3. Add the egg whites and vanilla extract, and beat for at least 5 minutes until the mixture is fluffy and volumized.
  4. Incorporate the cooled raspberry purée and mix until the batter is uniform.
  5. Gradually and alternately fold in the sifted dry ingredients— cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt—and the buttermilk.
  6. Gently mix with a spatula until you get a smooth pink batter. (Add a touch of pink or red food coloring if you want a more vibrant cake.)
  7. Weigh the cake batter and divide it into 3 portions (bake in 3 separate batches using the same pan). Pour one portion into the prepared heart cake pan and bake in the preheated oven for 20–25 minutes without opening the door.
  8. Check doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center; it should come out clean.
  9. Run a knife gently around the edges of the cake to help release it from the pan, then let the cake cool upside down on a wire rack. (Once cooled, use a knife to carefully trim the crust if you want.)

Raspberry Buttercream

  1. Prepare the raspberry buttercream according to the recipe and let it to room temperature before assembling the cake. Transfer the buttercream into a large piping bag.

Raspberry Mascarpone Frosting

  1. In a medium mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients: cold mascarpone, cold heavy cream, cold raspberry purée, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract.
  2. Whip with an electric mixer on low speed for 1–2 minutes until the frosting is smooth and firm.
  3. Transfer the frosting to a piping bag and keep it refrigerated.

Assembling the Layer Cake

  1. Place one cake layer on a cake board, then set it on a cake turntable.
  2. Pipe a border of raspberry buttercream around the edges of the heart-shaped sponge.
  3. Fill the center with a layer of raspberry mascarpone frosting, followed by raspberry compote.
  4. Add the second cake layer and repeat the process with the final layer.
  5. Coat the entire cake with a thin layer of raspberry buttercream (crumb coat) and smooth it with an offset spatula to seal in the crumbs.
  6. Apply a second, thicker layer of buttercream and smooth it with a metal icing scraper.
  7. Transfer the remaining buttercream into a piping bag fitted with a medium star tip.
  8. Pipe a shell border along the top edge of the cake. Use the same tip to create another border along the bottom edge, then switch to a smaller star tip to pipe a second border for a vintage effect. (Add more pink food coloring to create contrasting shades for the borders if desired.)
  9. Refrigerate the heart cake until ready to serve or enjoy immediately.

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