Go Back
–+ servings
Closeup on a chocolate heart shaped cake with colorful buttercream.
Print Pin
4.88 from 8 votes

Heart Shaped Chocolate Cake

This Heart Shaped Chocolate Cake will win over all the special sweethearts in your life. A moist chocolate cake combined with the best buttercream frosting equals pure delight!
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword best chocolate cake, buttercream frosting, heart shaped chocolate cake, Valentine's day cake
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings 10 servings
Calories 296kcal
Author Sue Ringsdorf

Ingredients

cake wet ingredients:

  • 1 large egg
  • 1/4 cup canola oil - 55 grams
  • 1/3 cup buttermilk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

dry ingredients:

  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar - 150 grams
  • 3/4 cup all-purpose flour - 90 grams
  • 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder - 33 grams
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/3 cup HOT coffee (75 grams) - or hot water

For the buttercream frosting:

  • 6 Tablespoons unsalted butter - at room temperature
  • 1 ½ Tablespoon half and half
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 ½ cup powdered sugar - 180 grams
  • food coloring and/or sprinkles

Instructions

Make chocolate cake:

  • Prep. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Generously spray a heart shaped pan with baking spray. (I prefer to use the baking spray with flour when I bake cakes.)
  • Combine the wet ingredients. In a medium bowl, combine the egg, canola oil, buttermilk, and vanilla. Use a wire whisk to combine well. Add sugar and mix again.
    1 large egg, 1/4 cup canola oil, 1/3 cup buttermilk, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • Add the dry to the wet. Then add the dry ingredients to the mixing bowl – the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and kosher salt – into the wet ingredients. Stir cake batter together until just combined. Add the hot coffee (or water), and stir gently again.
    3/4 cup all-purpose flour, 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/3 cup HOT coffee (75 grams)
  • Add batter to pan. Use a rubber spatula to help pour batter into the prepared pan. 
  • Bake. Bake this cake for approximately 20 minutes, or until a toothpick, when inserted, comes out clean. Let the cake sit for about five minutes and then carefully remove to a cooling rack.

Make buttercream frosting:

  • Beat butter. In a mixing bowl, use a hand-held mixer to beat the butter until creamy, about two minutes.
    6 Tablespoons unsalted butter
  • Add remaining ingredients. Add the vanilla, half and half, powdered sugar, and salt – and continue beating until creamy.
    1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 ½ Tablespoon half and half, 1 ½ cup powdered sugar, 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • Add food coloring. Separate frosting into small bowls and add food coloring (according to how many colors you are using).
    food coloring and/or sprinkles
  • Frost cake. Then use a spoon to add the frosting to the top of the cake, covering the entire cake with swirls or other designs.

Notes

  • STORE leftover chocolate cake in an airtight container for about 4-5 days. You can keep it at room temperature for a couple of days and beyond that, I recommend refrigerating the cake.
  • FREEZE leftover cake (without frosting) wrapped in plastic wrap and a freezer bag in our freezer for up to three months.

Nutrition

Calories: 296kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 38mg | Sodium: 303mg | Potassium: 102mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 33g | Vitamin A: 258IU | Vitamin C: 0.02mg | Calcium: 31mg | Iron: 1mg