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image of a chocolate lambeth cake that's been decorated with chocolate buttercream frosting for valentine's day
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4.96 from 48 ratings

Heart Shaped Chocolate Cake

This heart shaped chocolate cake recipe makes two, tender cake layers that are frosted with homemade chocolate buttercream.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time34 minutes
Additional Time1 hour
Total Time2 hours 4 minutes
Course: Cakes
Cuisine: American
Servings: 16
Calories: 785kcal
Author: Chelsey White

Ingredients

Chocolate Cake Layers

  • 1 1/2 cups + 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour 210g
  • 2 cups granulated sugar 400g
  • 1/2 dark or Dutch-processed cocoa powder 50g
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking powder 6g
  • 1/2 tsp fine salt 3g
  • 2/3 cup (1 1/3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature 150g
  • 2/3 cup carton egg whites or 5 large egg whites, room temperature 155g
  • 1 cup buttermilk, room temperature 240g
  • 1 Tbsp vegetable or canola oil 14g
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste 4g

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

  • 2 cups unsalted butter, room temperature 452g
  • 1 Tbsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste 12g
  • 1/2 tsp fine salt 3g
  • 6 cups powdered sugar 750g
  • 1/3 cup dark or Dutch-processed cocoa powder 33g
  • 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream, room temperature 120g
  • 1 1/2 cups dark chocolate, melted and cooled - to be added one the cake is frosted 260g
  • 1/3 cup heavy cream or whipping cream - to be added one the cake is frosted 80g

Recommend Equipment

Instructions

Chocolate Cake Layers:

  • Preheat oven to 350°F/175°C. Line two 8-inch heart shaped cake pans with parchment rounds and grease with non-stick baking spray or homemade cake release. If you don't have heart shaped cake pans, use two, round, 8-inch cake pans and follow the instructions on how to do this at the top of this post.
  • Whisk 1 1/2 cups + 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour, 2 cups granulated sugar, 1/2 cup of cocoa powder, 1 1/2 tsp baking powder, and 1/2 tsp salt together in a large bowl or in the bowl of a stand mixer.
  • Mix 2/3 cup (1 & 1/3 sticks) unsalted butter into the dry ingredients on a medium-low speed with a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or hand mixer. Continue to mix until no large chunks of butter remain, and the mixture looks like damp sand.
  • Pour in 2/3 cup or about 5 large egg whites and mix on low until just combined.
  • Mix in 1 cup of buttermilk, 1 Tbsp of vegetable oil, and 1 tsp vanilla extract on a low speed. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed with a rubber spatula, then beat on a medium speed for about a minute to make sure everything is properly mixed together. This also helps lighten the texture of the cake layers a bit.
  • Divide batter evenly between the prepared cake pans. I like to use a digital kitchen scale to weigh my pans and ensure they all have the same amount of batter. This guarantees your layers will bake to the same height.
  • Bake for 32-35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs. Let the pans cool for 10 minutes, then run a small offset spatula around the perimeter of the pan to separate the cake from the pan.
  • Place the cake layers into the freezer for 30 minutes to accelerate the cooling process. Once the layers are fully cooled, carefully flip the pans, and remove the layers.
  • These layers bake up pretty flat, so leveling them is optional! If you want to level them, use a serrated knife to level the top of each cake layer. If you make these in advance, wrap and freeze them at this point.

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting:

  • While the cake layers bake and cool, make the chocolate buttercream frosting.
  • Beat 2 cups of unsalted butter on a medium speed for 30 seconds with a paddle attachment or hand mixer until smooth.
  • Add 1 Tbsp of vanilla extract and 1/2 tsp salt and mix on low until combined.
  • Gradually mix in 6 cups of powdered sugar, 1/3 cup cocoa powder, and 1/2 cup of heavy cream on a low speed. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed with a rubber spatula.
  • Once the frosting is fully mixed and smooth, mix on the lowest speed for a couple minutes to help make the frosting silky smooth. Wait to add in the melted dark chocolate until the cake is frosted.
  • If the frosting seems too thick, add in additional cream (1 Tbsp at a time). If the frosting is too thin, add in more powdered sugar (a 1/4 cup at a time). If you're unsure how thick your frosting should be, you can learn what consistency you're looking for in my frosting consistency post

Assembling this Heart Shaped Chocolate Cake:

  • Stack and frost cake layers on a greaseproof cake board. Use a dab of frosting to help stick the first cake layer to the board.
  • Spread a thick, even layer of buttercream on top of the cake layer with a large offset spatula. Flip the top cake layer upside down to make the cake easier to frost.
  • Cover the cake in a thin coat of frosting. Smooth using a bench scraper, then chill the cake in the fridge (20 minutes) or freezer (10 minutes) until the frosting is firm to the touch.
  • Add a second, thicker layer of frosting to the cake and smooth using a bench scraper. Chill the cake again in the fridge (20 minutes) or freezer (10 minutes) until the frosting is firm to the touch.

Add Chocolate into the Remaining Buttercream:

  • While the cake chills, melt 1 1/2 cups of dark chocolate in the microwave. Heat it in 15 second intervals, stirring between each interval. Once the chocolate is melted, set it aside for 5 minutes to cool off so that it doesn't melt the buttercream.
  • Pour 1/3 of the melted and cooled chocolate (roughly 1/2 cup) into the remaining buttercream along with 1 Tbsp of heavy cream. Stir until combined, then place 1/3 of the frosting into a small piping bag fit with a coupler. Seal the top with a clip or rubber band and set aside.
  • Stir 1/2 of the remaining chocolate (roughly 1/2 cup) and another 2 Tbsp of heavy cream into the remaining frosting. Scoop half of the frosting into a small piping bag fit with a coupler. Seal the top with a clip or rubber band and set aside.
  • Add the remaining melted chocolate and another 3 Tbsp of heavy cream into the remaining frosting. Scoop the frosting into a small piping bag fit with a coupler. Seal the top with a clip or rubber band and set aside.

Pipe the Details onto this Chocolate Heart Cake:

  • Secure a small French tip on the darkest bag of chocolate buttercream and pipe a shell border around the top edge and base of the cake.
  • Remove the French piping tip, rinse it out, then secure it onto the lightest bag of chocolate buttercream. Pipe a similar border above the dark chocolate buttercream border.
  • Then use a circle cookie cutter to mark semicircles around the side of the cake beneath the top buttercream border. Start at the bottom of the heart and work your way up to the top of the cake.
  • Place a very small round piping tip (like a Wilton 3) on the medium bag of chocolate buttercream and slowly pipe semicircles around the cake. Make sure your elbow or forearm is anchored to the counter to keep your hand steady. Pipe another layer of smaller semicircles above these. If any of the semicircles turn out less than perfect, don't worry! The cake will be chilled, so it should be super easy to gently scrape off the frosting and try again. I usually do that at least once on designs like this!
  • Place a small round piping tip like a Wilton 10 on the lightest brown bag of buttercream and pipe small hearts on the side of the cake where the semicircles meet.
  • Use the same tip and bag of frosting to pipe a message on top of the cake. I wrote "love you," but you can write whatever you want!
  • Place the smallest round piping tip (Wilton 3) on the darkest bag of frosting. Pipe the message again on top of the buttercream lettering, then add tiny hearts on the side of the cake and top to fill in any gaps.

Video

Notes

Tips for Making the Best Heart Shaped Chocolate Cake

  • Properly measure the flour (spoon into the cup measure, then level) or use a kitchen scale to weigh it.
  • Ingredients at room temperature mix together better. Set out any cold ingredients ahead of time.
  • Chill the cake layers in the freezer for about 15 minutes before assembling the cake. This makes it a lot easier to stack and frost.
  • I used piping bags to decorate this cake, but you can also use Ziplock bags if you don't have piping bags! I recommend using the freezer type because they're a bit sturdier. Cut a 1 cm hole in the corner of each.
  • If you notice the heat from your hands is melting the frosting and changing its consistency, wrap the piping bag in a couple layers of paper towel or in a thin kitchen towel.
  • Make a vegan or dairy free heart shaped chocolate cake if needed! Use your favorite type of dairy free milk to replace the buttermilk and heavy cream and use vegan butter sticks in place of the butter. For the eggs, I recommend using an egg replacer like this.
  • Make sure the buttercream is the right consistency. This will help give your cake proper structure and make it easier to decorate.
  • If your cake layers turn out less than perfect, read my cake troubleshooting guide to see where things might've gone awry.

Making This Heart Shaped Chocolate Cake in Advance and Storage Tips

Make your cake layers in advance and freeze them. It breaks the process up and makes it more approachable.
You can also make the frosting ahead of time too or save any leftover frosting! It can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a month, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Be sure to give it a good stir once it thaws to get the consistency nice and smooth again.
A frosted cake can last in the fridge for up to a week, or in the freezer for up to a month. The buttercream locks in all the moisture, keeping the cake fresh and delicious!
If you cut into the cake and have leftovers, use any remaining frosting to cover the cut section to keep it moist and store in the fridge for up to a week.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 | Calories: 785kcal | Carbohydrates: 97g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 43g | Saturated Fat: 24g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 16g | Cholesterol: 105mg | Sodium: 336mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 87g