Okay, so I have a thing for heart-shaped cakes. It’s a little embarrassing. My kitchen cabinets are basically a shrine to various heart-shaped pans I’ve collected over the years. But for the longest time, my results were… not great. Dense cakes, frostings that tasted like sweetened shortening, and colors that looked more radioactive than romantic.

Then I messed around and landed on this raspberry heart cake. It’s the one. The one people ask for by name. The one my friend requested for her bridal shower instead of ordering a fancy bakery cake. That’s a compliment that still makes me blush.

What makes it different? It’s not just pink food coloring. It’s real raspberry flavor, in the cake, in the frosting, in the filling. It’s got this soft, vintage look that feels fancy but homemade. And honestly, it’s a project. I’m not gonna lie to you. But breaking it down into parts makes it totally doable, even fun. Let’s get into it.

Ingredients I Used for the Recipe

Gathering everything first is key. Here’s what you’ll need, and why I use it.

• Cake flour: This is non-negotiable for me. It gives the cake that super soft, delicate crumb that feels professional. All-purpose flour makes it a bit tougher.
• Unsalted butter, softened: For the cake and the buttercream. “Softened” means you can press your finger into it easily. I leave mine out for a good 2 hours. Not melty, just soft.
• Egg whites: Just the whites! It keeps the cake layers light and bright white, so the raspberry pink really pops. Save the yolks for custard or something.
• Granulated & powdered sugar: Regular white sugar for the cake, powdered (confectioners’) for the frostings.
• Buttermilk: The secret to moisture and a slight tang that balances the sweet raspberries. If you don’t have it, you can make a decent substitute with milk and a squeeze of lemon juice, but real buttermilk is better.
• Fresh or frozen raspberries: A whole lot of them. I use frozen most of the time because they’re cheaper and work perfectly for the compote and purée. No one can tell the difference once it’s cooked down.
• Mascarpone cheese: For the filling frosting. It’s like a richer, less tangy cream cheese. It makes the filling so luxuriously creamy.
• Heavy cream: For whipping into the mascarpone frosting and to smooth out the buttercream.
• Vanilla extract & a pinch of salt: The flavor boosters. They make the raspberry taste more like itself, somehow.
• Pink food coloring (optional): I use just a tiny drop of gel coloring if my raspberry purée isn’t giving me that soft pink I want. It’s backup.

How to make Starbucks Medicine Ball Recipe?

Wait, what? That’s a drink. We’re making a cake. Let’s focus, people.

How to make Raspberry Heart Cake?

Step 1 – Make the Raspberry Stuff First

This is the biggest tip I can give you. Do the compote/purée ahead of time. It needs to cool completely. I often do it the night before. Throw the raspberries in a pot, cook them down until thick, stirring so they don’t scorch. Let it bubble away for like 10 minutes. Then, I take out about a third of a cup of this thick jammy stuff for the filling later. The rest goes in my blender, then gets strained through a fine mesh sieve to get rid of the seeds. It’s a bit of a pain, but seedless purée is what gives you that smooth, professional texture in the cake and buttercream. Trust me on this.

Step 2 – The Heart of the Matter: The Cake Layers

Preheat your oven to 325°F. Grease your heart pan well. I mean it. Get in all those curves. Line the bottom with parchment paper too.

Now, cream the soft butter and sugar together for a solid 3 minutes. It should look pale and fluffy. Then add the egg whites and vanilla. Here’s where patience pays off: whip this for another 5 minutes. It’ll get super light and almost like a mousse. This is what gives the cake its beautiful texture. Mix in your cooled raspberry purée. Then, add your dry stuff (flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt) and the buttermilk in alternating batches, starting and ending with the dry. Mix just until it’s combined. Don’t overmix here. If the color isn’t pink enough for you, now’s the time for that tiny drop of food coloring.

Step 3 – Baking & The Waiting Game

Since most of us only have one heart pan, we bake one layer at a time. It’s okay. Just keep the other batter bowls at room temp. Pour in a third of the batter, spread it evenly, and bake for 20-25 minutes. Don’t open the oven door early. A toothpick should come out clean. Cool the cake in the pan for 10 minutes, then flip it out onto a wire rack to cool completely. I mean completely. Warm cake layers will melt your frosting and make a huge mess. I sometimes even pop them in the fridge for a bit.

Step 4 – The Two Frostings

First, the raspberry buttercream. Beat the softened butter until it’s creamy. Gradually add the powdered sugar. It will be thick. Add the vanilla and heavy cream, and beat on medium-high until it’s light and fluffy, maybe 2-3 minutes. Then, gently beat in that seedless raspberry purée. It’ll turn this gorgeous pale pink. Set this aside.

Second, the mascarpone filling. This one’s easy but crucial: everything needs to be cold. Cold mascarpone, cold heavy cream. Whisk it all together—the mascarpone, cream, a bit of the purée, powdered sugar, and vanilla—on LOW speed just until it’s thick and holds its shape. Over-beating will make it grainy. Pop it in the fridge until you’re ready to assemble.

Step 5 – The Fun Part: Assembly

Put a little dab of buttercream on your cake board or plate to hold the first layer. Place it down. Take your piping bag with the buttercream and pipe a border around the very edge of the cake layer. This is your “dam” to hold in the runny filling. Inside that dam, spread on some of the mascarpone frosting, then spoon on some of that reserved thick raspberry compote. Gently place the next cake layer on top and repeat. Top with the final layer.

Step 6 – Crumb Coat & Final Frost

Spread a very thin layer of buttercream all over the cake. This is the “crumb coat.” It doesn’t have to be pretty. It’s just to trap any loose crumbs. Chill the cake for 20-30 minutes to set it. Then, pile on the rest of your buttercream and use a bench scraper or spatula to smooth it all around. This is when it starts looking real.

Step 7 – The Vintage Vibe Decoration

I use a star piping tip for this. Just simple shell borders around the top and bottom edges. It gives that classic, vintage bakery look with zero fuss. Sometimes I’ll dot a few fresh raspberries on top if I have them.

Tips

My biggest lesson? A digital kitchen scale. Cups are so inconsistent, especially with flour. Weighing your ingredients is a game-changer for baking success.

If your buttercream ever looks curdled or weird, just keep beating. It’s probably just a temperature issue. Sometimes I’ll gently warm a bit of it in the microwave for 5 seconds and beat it back in to smooth everything out.

And for slicing a clean piece? Run your knife under hot water, wipe it dry, then cut. Do this between every slice. It’s a pain, but the pictures will be worth it.

This cake is a labor of love. It’s for a birthday, an anniversary, a “just because I love you” day. It’s not a Tuesday night cake. But when you bring it out, and everyone goes quiet for a second before the “wows” start? That’s the good stuff right there. Happy baking.

Print Recipe

Pink Heart Cake Recipe

Author: katie Smith Cooking Method: Baking Cuisine: American Courses: Desserts

Difficulty: medium Prep Time 120 mins Cook Time 80 mins Rest Time 30 mins Total Time 3 hrs 50 mins

Cooking Temp: 165  C Servings: 8 Estimated Cost: $ moderate Calories: 495

Best Season: Spring, Summer, Winter

Description

This elegant pink raspberry heart cake features tender raspberry-infused cake layers, luscious homemade raspberry compote filling, and a dreamy combination of raspberry mascarpone frosting and buttercream. Designed with vintage piping details and a soft pink hue, this bakery-style dessert is perfect for Valentine's Day, birthdays, bridal showers, or any special celebration where you want to make a romantic impression.

ingredients

Servings

Raspberry Cake Layers (three 6-inch heart pans)

• 169 g unsalted butter (¾ cup, very soft)
• 250 g granulated sugar (1¼ cups)
• 5 large egg whites (165g, room temperature)
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 65 g raspberry purée (¼ cup, cooled completely)
• 170 g cake flour (1⅓ cups, sifted)
• 1 tsp baking powder (6g)
• ½ tsp baking soda (3g)
• 180 g buttermilk (¾ cup, room temperature)
• few drops pink food coloring (optional, for desired shade)

Raspberry Compote & Purée

• 400 g fresh or frozen raspberries (3 cups total)

Raspberry Mascarpone Frosting

• 100 g mascarpone cheese (½ cup, cold)
• 88 ml heavy cream (⅓ cup + 1 tbsp, cold)
• 25 g raspberry purée (2 tbsp, strained)
• 2 tbsp powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Raspberry Buttercream

• 250 g unsalted butter (1 cup, softened)
• 370 g powdered sugar (3 cups, sifted)
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 100 ml heavy cream (⅓ cup + 1 tbsp, full-fat)
• 60 g raspberry purée (¼ cup, strained)

Instructions

Raspberry Compote & Purée

1. Cook 400g raspberries in a medium saucepan over medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until thickened and reduced.
   Do not add sugar—the natural fruit sweetness is sufficient.
   Mark as complete
2. Reserve 80g (⅓ cup) of thick compote for cake filling.
   Mark as complete
3. Blend remaining compote until smooth, then strain through a fine-mesh sieve to remove seeds.
   You should have approximately 150g strained purée. Cool completely before using.
   Mark as complete

Raspberry Cake Layers

1. Preheat oven to 165°C (325°F). Grease three 6-inch heart-shaped pans and line bottoms with parchment paper.
   Mark as complete
2. Beat butter and sugar for 3 minutes until creamy and pale.
   Mark as complete
3. Add egg whites and vanilla; whip 5 minutes until light and fluffy.
   Mixture will increase in volume significantly.
   Mark as complete
4. Mix in 65g cooled raspberry purée until evenly incorporated and batter turns pink.
   Add pink food coloring now if deeper color desired.
   Mark as complete
5. Whisk together cake flour, baking powder, and baking soda. Add to batter alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with dry ingredients.
   Mix just until combined—do not overmix.
   Mark as complete
6. Divide batter equally among prepared pans (about 300g per pan).
   Mark as complete
7. Bake 20–25 minutes until edges pull away from pan and center springs back when lightly touched.
   Rotate pans halfway through baking for even cooking.
   Mark as complete
8. Cool cakes upside down on wire racks for 10 minutes, then remove from pans and cool completely.
   For easiest assembly, chill layers 30 minutes before frosting.
   Mark as complete

Raspberry Buttercream

1. Beat softened butter 3–4 minutes until pale and creamy.
   Mark as complete
2. Gradually add sifted powdered sugar on low speed, then increase speed and beat until smooth.
   Mark as complete
3. Add vanilla and heavy cream; beat 2 minutes until light and fluffy.
   Mark as complete
4. Add 60g strained raspberry purée; beat briefly until fully incorporated and color is even.
   Buttercream will soften slightly—this is normal.
   Mark as complete
5. Transfer to piping bag fitted with star tip; set aside at room temperature.
   Mark as complete

Raspberry Mascarpone Frosting

1. In a chilled bowl, combine cold mascarpone, cold heavy cream, 25g raspberry purée, powdered sugar, and vanilla.
   Mark as complete
2. Whip on low speed 1–2 minutes until thick, smooth, and holds soft peaks.
   Do not overwhip or frosting may curdle.
   Mark as complete
3. Transfer to piping bag; refrigerate until assembly.
   Mark as complete

Assembly

1. Place first cake layer on cake board set on turntable.
   Mark as complete
2. Pipe buttercream border around edge to create dam.
   Border should be thick enough to contain filling.
   Mark as complete
3. Fill center with half the mascarpone frosting, then dot with half the reserved compote.
   Do not spread compote to edges—keep it contained by buttercream dam.
   Mark as complete
4. Repeat with second layer. Top with third layer (bottom-side up for flat surface).
   Mark as complete
5. Apply thin crumb coat of buttercream over entire cake; chill 15 minutes.
   Crumb coat seals in crumbs for smooth final layer.
   Mark as complete
6. Apply final layer of buttercream; smooth sides with metal scraper.
   Mark as complete
7. Pipe decorative shell borders on top and bottom edges using star tip.
   For vintage look, keep piping consistent and elegant.
   Mark as complete
8. Refrigerate cake minimum 1 hour before serving to set layers.
   Bring to room temperature 30 minutes before slicing for best texture.
   Mark as complete

Nutrition Facts

Servings 8

Serving Size 1 slice (1/8 cake)

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Amount Per Serving

Calories 495kcal

% Daily Value *

Total Fat 27g42%

Saturated Fat 16g80%

Trans Fat 0.8g

Cholesterol 95mg32%

Sodium 235mg10%

Potassium 185mg6%

Total Carbohydrate 61g21%

Dietary Fiber 2g8%

Sugars 48g

Protein 6g12%

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Calcium 85 mg

Iron 1 mg

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Note

• Always weigh ingredients using a digital scale for best results—volume measurements vary significantly with cake flour and sugar.
• Cool purée completely before adding to batter or frostings to prevent melting butter or curdling mascarpone.
• Chill cake layers before assembly for cleaner slicing and more stable structure.
• Thick compote only—if your compote seems runny, simmer longer until it mounds on a spoon.
• Smooth buttercream tip: Microwave 2 tbsp of finished buttercream for 8 seconds, then mix back into main batch for silkier texture.

Keywords: raspberry heart cake, pink cake, valentine's day cake, vintage cake, raspberry layer cake, heart shaped cake, mascarpone frosting