Description
Rich chocolate heart cakes from Little Debbie’s classic recipe bring nostalgic sweetness to home baking. Chocolate lovers can easily recreate these beloved treats with simple ingredients and quick assembly.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 box white Pillsbury cake mix
- 1 cup water (237 milliliters / 8 fl oz)
- ½ cup flour (60 grams)
- ½ cup sugar (100 grams)
- ½ cup egg whites
- ½ cup sour cream (120 milliliters / 4 fl oz)
- ¼ cup oil (60 milliliters / 2 fl oz)
- 1 to 2 tsps pure vanilla extract
- ½ tsp almond extract
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 cup butter, softened (227 grams / 8 oz)
- 3 cups powdered sugar (360 grams / 12.7 oz)
- 10 oz (283 grams) marshmallow fluff
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 48 oz (1.36 kg) Ghirardelli white melting wafers
- 4 to 6 tbsps heavy cream or Crisco (60 to 90 milliliters / 2 to 3 fl oz)
- Red food dye
Instructions
- Preparation: Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C) with rack positioned centrally, generously grease and line a half sheet pan with parchment paper for optimal cake release.
- Batter Creation: Merge all cake ingredients in stand mixer, blending from low to medium-high speed until mixture transforms into a silky, uniform consistency, periodically scraping bowl edges to ensure thorough integration.
- Baking Process: Distribute batter evenly across prepared pan, gently tapping to eliminate air bubbles, then bake for 15-20 minutes until a toothpick emerges cleanly when inserted, indicating complete cooking.
- Cooling and Shaping: Allow cake to cool completely at room temperature, then methodically cut out heart shapes using a precise cookie cutter, subsequently slicing each heart horizontally into two delicate layers.
- Buttercream Assembly: Whip butter and powdered sugar until achieving a light, creamy texture, then fold in vanilla extract and marshmallow fluff, creating a luxurious filling that will sandwich cake layers together.
- Chocolate Coating: Freeze assembled heart cakes to stabilize structure, then immerse each in tinted white chocolate, ensuring comprehensive coverage and smooth finish using a fork for precise drainage.
- Decorative Finale: Once chocolate sets, pipe remaining melted chocolate in elegant swirls across cake surfaces, creating intricate design elements that elevate the visual appeal.
- Storage: Preserve finished delicacies in a sealed refrigerated container, maintaining optimal freshness for up to 5 days.
Notes
- Prevent Air Bubbles: Tap the pan gently after pouring batter to eliminate potential air pockets, ensuring a smooth, even cake texture.
- Temperature Precision: Use room temperature ingredients for better mixing and a more consistent cake batter consistency.
- Cooling Technique: Allow cake to cool completely before cutting to prevent crumbling and achieve clean, precise heart shapes.
- Chocolate Coating Tip: Freeze cakes before dipping in chocolate to create a stable base and prevent breakage during coating process.
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 25
- Calories: 240
- Sugar: 22 g
- Sodium: 160 mg
- Fat: 11 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 35 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg