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Valentine’s Raspberry Cake Recipe

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★★★★★

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.

Ingredients

Scale

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

Find it online: https://www.cheftara.com/valentines-raspberry-cake-recipe/