Valentine’s Raspberry Cake Recipe

Introduction

This Valentine’s Raspberry Cake is a stunning dessert that combines tender layers of cake with luscious white chocolate buttercream and fresh raspberries. Perfect for a romantic celebration, it features a beautiful gradient frosting and delicate heart decorations that will impress your loved ones.

Ingredients

• 1 2/3 cup all-purpose flour (230g)
• 1 cup granulated sugar (136g)
• 1/4 tsp baking soda (heaping)
• 1 tsp baking powder (heaping)
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter (room temperature, 170g)
• 3 egg whites (room temperature)
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup sour cream (120ml)
• 1/2 cup whole milk (105ml)
• 6 oz raspberries (fresh or freeze dried)
• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 tbsp lemon zest
• 1 ½ cup unsalted butter (room temperature, 315g) for buttercream
• 4 ½ cups confectioners sugar (648g)
• 1 cup white chocolate chips (melted and cooled, 168g)
• 1 tbsp granulated sugar
• 1 cup fresh raspberries
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp lemon zest
• 3 sheets printable heart stencils or free-hand piping
• 1 1/2 feet parchment paper
• ½ cup candy melts (84g)
• 4 large egg whites
• 1 1/3 cups granulated sugar (divided)
• 1 pinch kosher salt
• 16 ounces unsalted butter (454g, room temperature, cut into 1-inch pieces)
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp cream of tartar
• 1/3 cup water (70g)

Instructions

1. Step 1: Preheat your oven to 340°F. Butter and flour three 6-inch cake pans. For more even baking, you may wrap the pans with cake strips if available.
2. Step 2: Sift together the flour, kosher salt, baking soda, and baking powder in a large bowl. Whisk to combine and set aside.
3. Step 3: In a separate medium bowl, beat the wet ingredients together: butter, egg whites, vanilla extract, sour cream, whole milk, lemon juice, and lemon zest. It’s okay if small chunks of butter remain; they will integrate during mixing.
4. Step 4: Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix gently until just combined. Fold in the raspberries carefully at the end.
5. Step 5: Divide the batter evenly among the prepared pans. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until the cake centers spring back when lightly pressed.
6. Step 6: While the cakes bake, prepare the raspberry reduction: combine raspberries, lemon juice, lemon zest, and granulated sugar in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Mash and simmer until reduced by half, approximately 3 minutes. Strain and chill the mixture.
7. Step 7: For the white chocolate buttercream, cream 1 ½ cups unsalted butter with confectioners sugar and salt in a stand mixer using a paddle attachment until creamy. Mix in melted white chocolate until smooth.
8. Step 8: Divide this buttercream into two bowls. Add vanilla extract to one bowl. To the other bowl, add 2 ½ tablespoons of the raspberry reduction. If this becomes too runny, gradually add more confectioners sugar until thickened.
9. Step 9: Transfer each buttercream batch to separate piping bags. Then place both bags inside another piping bag fitted with a large round tip for marbled piping.
10. Step 10: For the Italian buttercream, whisk egg whites, salt, and cream of tartar until soft peaks form, gradually adding 1/3 cup sugar. In a saucepan, dissolve the remaining sugar in water and heat until reaching 235-240°F.
11. Step 11: Slowly drizzle hot sugar syrup into the egg whites while mixing, then continue beating until the meringue cools to tepid.
12. Step 12: Add cold room temperature butter pieces to the mixer one at a time. Beat until fluffy and silky. Stir in salt and vanilla extract.
13. Step 13: Divide the Italian buttercream into five bowls. Leave one white and color the others to create a gradient. Whip and pipe just before assembling.
14. Step 14: Prepare the hearts by lining parchment over the printable heart sheets or use free-hand piping. Melt candy melts and pipe heart shapes following the stencil. Allow hearts to harden completely.
15. Step 15: Assemble the cake by piping the pink and white chocolate buttercream mixture between cake layers. Apply a thin crumb coat with Italian buttercream and chill for 10-15 minutes.
16. Step 16: Frost the cake with the gradient Italian buttercream, starting with white at the bottom and working upward to the darkest shade. Smooth gently with an offset spatula.
17. Step 17: Decorate the cake with the hardened candy melt hearts for a festive Valentine’s presentation.

Tips & Variations

• Use freeze-dried raspberries instead of fresh for a more intense raspberry flavor in the cake layers.
• For even baking, ensure your pans are well-prepared and consider using cake strips to avoid doming.
• If white chocolate buttercream thins too much after adding reduction, gradually add confectioners sugar to reach the perfect consistency.
• Experiment with different food coloring shades for a personalized frosting gradient.
• Store printable heart stencils to reuse for other occasions or try piping hearts free-hand to customize your decoration.

Storage

Store the cake covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days to keep it fresh. Before serving, allow the cake to come to room temperature for about 30 minutes to enhance flavors and softness. Leftover cake can be wrapped tightly and frozen for up to a month; thaw overnight in the refrigerator.

How to Serve

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I use fresh raspberries instead of freeze-dried?

Yes, fresh raspberries work well in this recipe. Just fold them in gently to avoid breaking them up too much in the batter.

How do I melt white chocolate without seizing it?

Melt white chocolate slowly over low heat or in short bursts in the microwave, stirring frequently. Avoid any contact with water or steam as this can cause seizing.

Valentine’s Raspberry Cake Recipe

Print Recipe

★★★★★

4.7 from 98 reviews

This Valentine’s Raspberry Cake is a luscious layered dessert featuring a moist vanilla cake studded with raspberries, complemented by a dual frosting technique combining white chocolate buttercream and Italian buttercream with a beautiful gradient effect. Decorated with delicate piped hearts made from candy melts, it’s a perfect romantic treat for any special occasion.

• Author: Tara
• Prep Time: 45 minutes
• Cook Time: 30 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
• Yield: One 6-inch three-layer cake, approximately 8 servings 1x
• Category: Dessert
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American
• Diet: Vegetarian

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Cake

• 1 2/3 cup all-purpose flour (230g)
• 1 cup granulated sugar (136g)
• 1/4 tsp baking soda (heaping)
• 1 tsp baking powder (heaping)
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter (room temperature, 170g)
• 3 egg whites (room temperature)
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup sour cream (120ml)
• 1/2 cup whole milk (105ml)
• 6 oz raspberries (fresh or freeze dried)
• 2 tbsp lemon juice (fresh)
• 1 tbsp lemon zest

White Chocolate Buttercream

• 1 ½ cup unsalted butter (room temperature, 315g)
• 4 ½ cups confectioners sugar (648g)
• 1 cup white chocolate chips (melted and cooled, 168g)
• 1 tbsp granulated sugar
• 1 cup raspberries (fresh)
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp lemon zest

Italian Buttercream

• 4 egg whites (large)
• 1 1/3 cups granulated sugar (divided)
• 1 pinch kosher salt
• 16 ounces unsalted butter (454g, room temperature, cut into 1-inch pieces)
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp cream of tartar
• 1/3 cup water (70g)

Decorations

• 3 sheets printable hearts (or pipe free-hand)
• 1 ½ feet parchment paper
• ½ cup candy melts (84g)

Instructions

1. Prepare the Cake Pans: Preheat the oven to 340°F. Butter and flour three 6-inch cake pans. Using cake strips on the pans helps ensure even baking.
2. Mix Dry Ingredients: Sift together the flour, kosher salt, baking soda, and baking powder into a large bowl. Whisk to combine and set aside.
3. Mix Wet Ingredients: In a medium bowl, beat together the unsalted butter, granulated sugar, egg whites, vanilla extract, sour cream, whole milk, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Small chunks of butter remaining are fine and will work out during mixing.
4. Combine Wet and Dry: Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Fold in the raspberries gently, ensuring even distribution without overmixing.
5. Divide Batter and Bake: Evenly divide the batter among the prepared cake pans. Bake for about 30 minutes or until the center springs back when touched lightly.
6. Make Raspberry Reduction for Buttercream: In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, combine raspberries, lemon juice, lemon zest, and granulated sugar. Mash lightly and bring to a simmer. Reduce by half (about 3 minutes). Strain out seeds, transfer the liquid to a bowl, and chill.
7. Prepare White Chocolate Buttercream: In a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, cream the butter until smooth. Add confectioners sugar and salt; beat until creamy. Incorporate melted and cooled white chocolate until smooth. Split the buttercream into two batches: flavor one with vanilla extract, and the other with 2 ½ tbsp of the raspberry reduction. If the raspberry-flavored batch becomes runny, gradually add confectioners sugar until thickened.
8. Prepare Piping Bags for Buttercream: Place each batch of buttercream in separate piping bags with tips snipped off. Insert both small bags into a larger piping bag fitted with a large round tip or with the tip removed for combined piping effect.
9. Make Italian Buttercream: Beat egg whites with salt and cream of tartar in a mixer until foamy. Slowly add 1/3 cup sugar and continue beating until soft peaks form.
10. Prepare Sugar Syrup: In a saucepan, combine remaining sugar and water. Heat over medium-high until sugar dissolves and syrup reaches 235-240°F.
11. Add Syrup to Meringue: Slowly drizzle hot sugar syrup into beaten egg whites while mixing. Continue beating until the mixture cools to tepid.
12. Add Butter to Meringue: With mixer running, add room temperature butter one tablespoon at a time until the mixture is silky and fully incorporated. Add salt and vanilla extract, then beat until smooth.
13. Color the Italian Buttercream: Divide buttercream into five bowls. Leave one plain white; add food coloring to remaining bowls to create a color gradient. Whip just before use and transfer to piping bags.
14. Create Candy Hearts: Overlay three sheets of printable heart stencils with parchment paper. Microwave candy melts until smooth and warm, transfer to piping bag, and pipe heart shapes following the stencil lines. Allow hearts to cool and harden completely.
15. Assemble the Cake: Pipe the pink and white chocolate buttercream mixture between each cake layer evenly.
16. Crumb Coat and Chill: Cover the assembled cake with a thin crumb coat of buttercream and chill in the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes to set.
17. Decorate with Italian Buttercream: Starting at the bottom, pipe the Italian buttercream gradient on the cake layer by layer, working your way up. Smooth the frosting carefully with an offset spatula for a seamless finish.
18. Add Candy Hearts: Decorate the cake by placing the hardened piped candy hearts on the sides and top as desired.

Notes

• Using cake strips ensures even baking and prevents domed tops.
• If fresh raspberries are unavailable, freeze-dried raspberries can be used but may alter moisture content slightly.
• Ensure white chocolate chips are melted and cooled before mixing to prevent curdling in buttercream.
• For a more stable Italian buttercream, make sure the sugar syrup temperature is accurate using a candy thermometer.
• Printable heart stencils can be custom made to fit your desired cake size and decoration style.
• Butter should be at room temperature but not too soft for proper frosting consistency.
• Chilling the cake after crumb coating is essential for a clean final frosting layer.

Keywords: Valentine’s cake, raspberry cake, white chocolate buttercream, Italian buttercream, layered cake, romantic dessert