Valentine Cake Recipes

Steps:

• In a bowl, combine the first six ingredients. Add the water, oil, vinegar and vanilla. Coat an 8-in. square baking dish with cooking spray and dust with flour; add butter. , Bake at 350° for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack to cool completely., In a small bowl, beat the confectioners' sugar, cocoa, milk, butter and vanilla until smooth; set aside. Transfer cake to a work surface. Using a 3- to 3-1/2-in. heart-shaped cookie cutter, gently cut out four heart-shaped cakes (set cake scraps aside for another use)., Place one heart on a serving plate; spread with some frosting. Top with a second cake; frost top and sides. Repeat with remaining cakes and frosting. Decorate with icing and candies.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease an 8x8-inch square pan and an 8-inch round pan.
• Beat white sugar and 1 cup butter together in a bowl with an electric mixer until creamy and smooth. Mix eggs, 1 tablespoon vanilla extract, and almond extract into creamed butter mixture. Stir baking powder and baking soda into butter mixture until just combined.
• Stir 1 cup flour into butter mixture until just combined. Add 2/3 cup milk into butter-flour mixture; mix well. Continue adding 1 cup flour and 2/3 cup milk, alternating until all the flour and milk are used and batter is smooth. Pour batter into the 2 prepared pans.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center of each cake comes out clean, 30 to 40 minutes. Cool cakes completely before removing from pans, at least 2 hours.
• Beat confectioners' sugar, 1 cup butter, and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract together in a bowl with an electric mixer until icing is fluffy and smooth.
• Remove cakes from pans and slice round cake in half. Lay the square cake on a work surface so it resembles a diamond-shape. Lay 1 round cake half on the top left side of the 'diamond' cake. Lay the second round cake half on the top right side of the 'diamond' cake, creating a 'heart-shaped' cake on top. Spread icing over the assembled cake.