1-2-3-4 Heart-Shaped Cake with Rose Buttercream

red heart shaped cake decorated with heart.

5 from 1 vote

1-2-3-4 Heart-Shaped Cake with Rose Buttercream

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This recipe makes an easy to remember classic vanilla cake in a heart-shaped pan with easy-to-make rose-flavored buttercream.

Prep Time45

Cook Time35

Cooling time3

Total Time4 20

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Unspecified

Servings:

Calories: 408kcal

Author: Joanne Stekler

Equipment

Stand or hand mixer
1 Heart-shaped or 9 inch round cake pan

Ingredients

1-2-3-4 Cake

1½ cups ((180 grams)) cake flour plus more for flouring the pan
1½ teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons ((113 grams)) unsalted butter, softened plus more for flouring the pan
1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
½ cup whole milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Rose Buttercream

8 tablespoons ((113 grams)) unsalted butter, room temperature
3 cups ((340 grams)) powdered sugar plus more, as desired
¼ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons rose syrup or vanilla extract
2 tablespoons cream or milk plus more as desired

Assembly

candy hearts or finishing sugar for decorating

Instructions

1-2-3-4 cake

Preheat your oven to 350°F and ready a rack in the middle of the oven.
Lightly butter your pan, line it with parchment paper, and butter the paper. Then lightly flour the pan.
Sift or whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together into a small bowl.
1½ cups ((180 grams)) cake flour, 1½ teaspoons baking powder, ¼ teaspoon salt
In the bowl of your stand mixer, or in a medium bowl if using a hand mixer, beat the butter and sugar together on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 to 5 minutes, scraping down the bowl as needed.
8 tablespoons ((113 grams)) unsalted butter, softened, 1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar
Add the eggs one at a time and beat on medium for one minute after each addition, scraping down the bowl as needed.
2 large eggs, room temperature
Measure out the milk, add the vanilla to the measuring cup, and stir to combine.
½ cup whole milk, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Add one half of the dry ingredients to the butter, sugar, and egg mixture, and beat on low speed until just combined. Scrape down the bowl.
Add the milk and vanilla and mix on low. Then add the remaining dry ingredients and beat on low until just combined.
Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and the cake is just starting to pull away from the sides of the pan.
Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, and then transfer to a rack to cool completely.

Rose buttercream

Cream the butter until soft, about one minute.
8 tablespoons ((113 grams)) unsalted butter, room temperature
Add the powdered sugar and salt and beat on low speed until well-mixed.
3 cups ((340 grams)) powdered sugar, ¼ teaspoon salt
Add the cream and rose syrup and beat one minute. Taste and adjust, as desired. For a thinner frosting, add more cream. For a thicker frosting, add more sugar.
2 tablespoons rose syrup, 2 tablespoons cream or milk
Beat for 3 to 5 minutes until light.

Assembly

Level the cake, if desired, and frost the cooled cake.
Decorate with candy hearts, finishing sugar, or additional frosting.
candy hearts or finishing sugar
Refrigerate if not serving right away, but bring it to room temperature for at least one hour prior to serving.

Notes

Variations and adjustments

If you don't have a heart-shaped cake pan, this cake can be made in a 9 inch round cake pan. Feel free to double the recipe for a two-layer cake.

With two tablespoons of rose syrup, the rose buttercream has a subtle rose flavor. If you are concerned about the floral flavor, consider starting out with just one tablespoon and taste before adding more. Or substitute one teaspoon of vanilla extract instead.

Feel free to add food coloring to the buttercream if you want to up the pink or dust with pink or red finishing sugar.

Nutrition