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@whiskworthtasting
Standing heart cake, chocolate chip espresso flavor. Orange buttercream, black fondant jack-o-lantern face, green leaf & vine. Spooky-cute centerpiece!
Bake time: 40 minutes
Assemble/decorating time: 2 hours
Total time: 2h 40 minutes (not including cooling time)
Makes 1 8 inch 2 layer heart cake (feeds 15)
You will also need:
vanilla buttercream, black fondant, green fondant, and a leaf cutter. Use Kootek's 158 piece decorating kit, a 10-inch cake board, and piping tips to decorate.
2 and 2/3 cups (315g) cake flour (spooned & leveled)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup (12 Tbsp; 170g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
5 teaspoons espresso powder
1 and 3/4 cups (350g) granulated sugar
4 large egg whites, at room temperature
1/2 cup (120g) sour cream, at room temperature
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2/3 cup (160ml) whole milk, at room temperature
1/3 cup (80ml) brewed strong black coffee, at room temperature
1 and 1/4 cups (225g) mini chocolate chips coated in 1 tsp of flour
Coffee Buttercream
1 and 1/4 cups (282g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
1 TBSP espresso powder, plus more to taste
5 cups (560g) sifted confectioners’ sugar (sift before measuring)
1/3 cup (80ml) heavy cream or whole milk
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
Spray two 8 inch heart pans with baking spray and preheat oven to 325F Convection or 350F.
Make the cake: Whisk dry ingredients together, set aside. Cream butter, sugar and espresso powder for 5 minutes. Add egg whites, sour cream, and vanilla. Scrape and mix again for 2 minutes. Add dry ingredients, then coffee and milk, and mix until just combined. Fold in mini chocolate chips. Pour into prepared pans and bake for 35-40 minutes or until the center springs back when touched. Let cool completely before assembling.
Make the frosting by creaming the butter and espresso powder together for 5 minutes. Add remaining ingredients, then cream for another 2 minutes.
Crumb coat the cake on a piece of parchment paper or thin cake board and place in fridge for 20 minutes (use a thick 10 inch Kootek board for the next step).
Dye two cups of vanilla buttercream orange. Apply a final coat of orange buttercream to the heart cake, smooth with the scraper, and set in freezer for 30 minutes. Once chilled, quickly remove the cake from the thin board and stand it up on the two humps, with the point of the heart facing up towards the ceiling. Pipe on orange buttercream to the exposed side, and smooth with the scraper. Chill again for 20 minutes.
Cut out a fondant jack-o-lantern face in black fondant and smooth onto the front of the cake. Use tip T17 to pipe a drop flower border, T15 for the brown stem on top, and K45 for the green vine. Add a green fondant leaf. Add any sprinkles and edible glitter you desire!
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