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Raspberry Heart Cake Recipe

| February 9, 2020 | 24 Comments

Raspberry Cake

Follow our easy, step-by-step, photo illustrated instructions to learn how to make this Raspberry Heart Cake. We’ll show you how to make a great raspberry filling that goes inside. Printable recipe included.

 

Raspberry Heart Cake, enjoy!
Slightly tart raspberry filling, meets white cake layers and buttercream frosting. Perfect cake for Valentines Day or any time you need a special dessert for a very special someone.

 

Raspberry Heart Cake, slider.

Our Raspberry Heart Cake was made especially for Valentines Day as a way for you to impress that special someone in your life. I mean, who wouldn’t appreciate a great made from scratch, home made cake? Right?

Naturally, it would make a great cake to serve to your family and friends any time of the year. And, seeing how it uses Raspberries for the filling, it’s not something you ordinarily see on the dessert table.

I liked the combination of the slightly sweet – slightly tart taste of the raspberry filling. It’s just a great combination for our Buttercream Frosting and our cake layers. I hope you’ll enjoy it.

The recipe was inspired by one of those fancy gourmet cakes you can order online for about 80.00. That doesn’t include shipping by the way. The one I was looking at was called a Rose Cake and the top was covered with buttercream rosettes instead of the heart that I’ve done here.

In my neck of the woods, the only time you’ll see someone paying 80.00 for a cake, is when it’s being auctioned off at some church fund raiser. Even then, although you know the cakes going to be good, you’re only going to be willing to pay that much for a cake because you know the money is going to be used for a good cause. Smile.

I’ve never claimed I could decorate a cake, so please don’t hold that against me. I just wanted to share the recipe. I’m sure you can do much better.

Still, what spouse or loved one wouldn’t be impressed that you at least TRIED to make them a special cake on Valentines Day. Right? Gotta score those brownie points wherever you can. Smile.

Ready to give our cake a try? Alright then, let’s head on out to the kitchen, and… Let’s Get Cooking!!!

 

Raspberry Heart Cake, ingredients.
Raspberry Filling – You’ll need these ingredients

 

Raspberry Heart Cake, cake layers.
You will also need three 8 inch cake layers, and a buttercream frosting.

You could use a boxed cake mix to make your layers, or you might want to check out our recipe for Basic Cake Layers made from scratch like we use here. If you use our recipe, and want to make your layers white, you will need to use 6 egg WHITES instead of the 3 whole eggs that the recipe calls for.

You will also need at least a double batch of our Buttercream Frosting.

 

Raspberry Heart Cake, drain the berries.
Drain the raspberries.

Thaw the raspberries in your refrigerator the night before you plan to make your cake filling. Place a sieve in a bowl and place the thawed berries in the sieve. Let the juice drain into the bowl. It’s not going to provide a lot of juice but we’ll make up for that.

 

Raspberry Heart Cake, juice.
This is all the juice that came from my package. Pour it in a measuring cup.

ADD enough water to the juice to equal 3/4ths cup of liquid.

 

Raspberry Heart Cake, press the berries.
Use the back of a spoon to press the berries through the sieve. This will remove most of the seeds, but probably will not remove them all. Those little seeds can be pesky when you’re enjoying your cake.

This will take a few minutes, but will be worth the effort. Smile.

 

Raspberry Heart Cake, pulp.
You will end up with pulp like this in your bowl.

You should have 1/2 cup of pulp. I ended up with just a couple of Tablespoons more than that, but I used it all. You only need 1/2 cup, so if you have a lot more than that, then measure out the 1/2 cup to use in the recipe.

Throw away the seeds left in the stainer.

 

Raspberry Heart Cake, add sugar.
Place the sugar in a medium sized sauce pot.

 

Raspberry Heart Cake, add cornstarch.
Add the cornstarch.

 

Raspberry Heart Cake, add lemon juice.
Add the lemon juice to the pot.

 

Raspberry Heart Cake, add the juice.
Add the juice-water combination. NOT the pulp.

 

Raspberry Heart Cake, stir everything together.
Stir everything together.

Note: No, I didn’t actually stir my coated pot with a metal spoon. It was just handy for the photo. Just in case you were wondering.

 

Raspberry Heart Cake, heat until it thickens.
Place the sauce pot over Medium heat. Stir it constantly while it heats up. Let it simmer until it thickens. This happens pretty quick so keep a close eye on it as you stir.

 

Raspberry Heart Cake, add flavoring.
Pour the thickened sauce into the pulp.

ADD the almond flavoring.

 

Raspberry Heart Cake, mix well.
Whisk everything together until fully combined.

Place this in the refrigerator for at least two hours or overnight if possible.

 

Raspberry Heart Cake, prepare the first layer.
Assemble your cake: You’ll need to have your Buttercream ready.

I use a turntable to assemble my cakes on. It makes it easier to decorate the cake. That’s it on the bottom. Then, I placed a small piece of drawer liner on top of that. This will hold my cardboard in place as I rotate the cake and keep it from slipping around.

I use ready made cardboard circles for most of my cakes. I did have to trim this one a bit so I could store the cake when finished. Once everything is in place, you can begin to assemble your cake.

Place just a dab or two of frosting on the cardboard. Center the first layer on top of the board. The frosting will help hold the cake layer so it doesn’t slip around.

Place the first layer with the bottom down on the cardboard.

 

Raspberry Heart Cake, pipe a border.
Use your frosting to pipe a border around the outside edge of your first layer. Obviously, it doesn’t have to be pretty, but if you can do it – go for it. Smile. This should be about 3/4 of an inch high by the way.

 

Raspberry Heart Cake, pipe a second ring.
Pipe another ring inside of the first. The frosting is going to act as a dam or barrier to keep the filling from running out of your cake.

 

Raspberry Heart Cake, fill the ring.
Pour or spoon enough of the filling to fill the inside of the ring.

 

Raspberry Heart Cake, repeat the process.
Place the second cake layer on top of the first. Gently press it down and center it up on top of the first layer.

I placed the second layer with the bottom side down also. Repeat the process of piping two borders of frosting around the outside edge. Spoon or pour more of the filling into the rings on this layer.

 

Raspberry Heart Cake, add the third layer.
Place the third layer with the bottom side up. This will give you a nice flat surface for the top of your cake. Again, gently press this layer down into the frosting to sturdy everything up.

 

Raspberry Heart Cake, spread frosting on top.
Use an offset spatula to add some frosting to the top of the cake. Spread it out evenly over the top. You only need a thin layer of frosting at this time. We’re going to add this as a crumb coat.

 

Raspberry Heart Cake, frost the sides.
Add a thin layer of frosting to the side of your cake. Fill in the space between the layers. I use this cake decorating tool to do this. You just coat the cake first with frosting, then you hold a spatula or decorating tool up to the edge and turn your cake. This will smooth out the frosting and remove any excess. Again, you just need a thin coat at this time.

 

Raspberry Heart Cake, crumb coated cake.
Here is my completed crumb coated cake. If you’re not familiar with this process, there are lots of videos online that explain this in more detail than what I can do here with photos. I encourage you to check some out.

A crumb coat is a thin layer of frosting that catches and holds any crumbs that might be coming off of your cake layers. This way, the final layer of frosting will not have any crumbs in it when you finish decorating your cake.

Once your cake is crumb coated, you will need to place it in your refrigerator for at least 30-60 minutes for it to firm up.

I hope you’ve noticed how straight the layers are on my cake. I was really proud of how this was turning out. Smile.

 

Raspberry Heart Cake, decorate as desired.
Decorate the cake as desired.

Once you pull the crumb coated cake from the refrigerator, be ready to add that final layer of frosting. Spread frosting over the top, around the sides, then smooth it out as best you can.

You can leave it smooth, or if you have enough frosting, you can add swirls to the sides. It’s your choice.

I went with these small dots on the sides. I’ve never claimed to be able to decorate a cake. I’ve always wanted to learn by taking some classes but never have. The dots were made with a bag of frosting with a small round tip. I could have been more accurate in my spacing, but I was pretty much just winging it.

 

Raspberry Heart Cake, heart on top.
I did try to make some swirls in the top layer of icing which was a bit thicker than what I had on the sides. I used the same bag and tip to pipe the outline of a heart in the center of the cake. Then, I used a little bit of the raspberry filling to fill in the heart outline. It’s okay to laugh, I don’t mind. Smile.

You might notice the long spot in the heart. That was some icing that was sticking up. I didn’t see it until after I’d added the filling. I decided to leave it. I thought it could be a scar from a broken heart that had healed over. Ahhh.

 

Raspberry Heart Cake, enjoy!
Enjoy!

The frosting on this cake is very sweet, no denying that. I liked that you could get a bite of cake, cake with raspberry filling, or cake with filling and frosting all together. The slight tartness of the raspberries helps offset some of the sweetness of the frosting. I hope you’ll enjoy it should you decide to make one.

 

Print
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Raspberry Heart Cake, printbox.

Raspberry Heart Cake Recipe

  • Author: Steve Gordon
  • Prep Time: 45
  • Cook Time: 30
  • Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
  • Yield: Varies
  • Category: Desserts, Cakes
  • Method: Bake
  • Cuisine: American, Southern

Description

Raspberry Heart Cake is a delicious white layer cake with a slightly sweet slightly tart raspberry filling. The cake is topped and coated with Buttercream frosting. This recipe will show you how to make the filling and assemble the cake.


Scale

Ingredients

1 pkg. Frozen Unsweetened Raspberries, (12oz) thawed
1/2 cup Granulated Sugar
1 teaspoon Lemon Juice
2 Tablespoons Cornstarch
1 teaspoon Almond Extract


Instructions

Strain juice from thawed raspberries.
Add enough water to juice to equal 3/4 cup of liquid.
Place juice mixture, sugar, lemon juice and cornstarch in a small saucepan.
Place pan over Medium heat. Whisk constantly until it bubbles and thickens.
Remove from heat.
Place berries in a fine mesh strainer.
Use a spoon to press berries so seedless pulp falls into bowl below.
Measure out 1/2 cup of pulp.
Add pulp to the liquid mixture.
Add almond extract.
Stir well to combine. Refrigerate for at least two hours or overnight.


Notes

You can use a boxed cake mix for the layers. Or, follow our step-by-step, photo illustrated instructions for making home made layers with our Basic Cake Layers recipe. You will also need to make our Buttercream Frosting recipe. Both are online at www.tasteofsouthern.com

Keywords: raspberry, heart, valentines, cake, white cake, buttercream frosting, home made, made from scratch

Your Comments:  Have you tried our Raspberry Heart Cake Recipe?

I’d love to hear your thoughts on it. It will only take a minute or two for you to leave your comments in the section below. Just remember, all comments are moderated.  That just means that I personally read each and everyone before they are approved for viewing on our family friendly website. Thank you in advance for sharing.

Sign Up For Our Free Newsletter:  While you’re here, be sure to sign up for our totally FREE NEWSLETTER.  I’ll send you an Email every once in awhile to remind you when I post a new recipe, or when anything else of importance is going on around Taste of Southern.  It’s totally free, and super easy to sign up.  And, should you ever decide that you are no longer interested, it’s even quicker to unsubscribe.  How cool is that?  I’ll be looking forward to seeing you add your name to our list.  The signup box is below and you’ll also find one in the top right hand corner of each page. I hope you’ll do it today.

Be Blessed!!!
Steve

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Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Category: Desserts

About the Author ()

Award Winning Food Preservationist, Fisherman, Author of three cookbooks. "From Mama's Big Oval Table, From Mama's Big Oval Table - BOOK TWO and Carolina Christmas Sweets and Appetizers." Online Contributor to Our State Magazine Newsletter.

Comments (24)

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  1. Dorothy Berry says:

    I haven’t tried this yet, but I did like one reader’s suggestion of doing it with a chocolate layer cake and the idea came to me that maybe for a function, make the top and bottom layers white and the middle one chocolate, or vice versa – or even make one of the white layers yellow and use all three. What do you think?

    And thanks for telling us how to make white layers – something that I never knew!

    • Steve Gordon says:

      Hi Dorothy, I think all the ways you mention sound good. I thought about trying to work in some chocolate along the way, but backed out on it. Let me know if you try the recipe and how you decide to make yours. Greetings to South Africa today. I hope all is well with you and yours. I always appreciate your visits and hope you’ll stop by again… real soon. Be Blessed!!! -Steve

  2. Phyllis Ivey says:

    This is a beautiful cake! Thanks so much for the recipe Steve.

    • Steve Gordon says:

      Hi Phyllis, Thank you for your compliments on the cake. I’m glad you liked it and it’s my pleasure always to share the recipes. I do appreciate your visits and your support. I hope you’ll visit with us again… real soon. Be Blessed!!! -Steve

  3. Fanica says:

    Your cake is lovely. You are being hard on yourself, only a professional bakery will be able to see mistakes and I am not on that level. If anyone is asks tell them it is your artistic interpretation. Any girl would be happy to get your cake as a present.

    • Steve Gordon says:

      Hi Fanica, Thank you for your kind compliments on the cake. I’m trying. Maybe I’ll figure it out one day. Smile. The cake tasted really good though, and that’s the important part. Thank you for your visits and your support. I do hope you’ll stop by often. Be Blessed!!! -Steve

  4. Karen says:

    Hi Steve,
    I think the cake looks beautiful and you get a A for effort!
    Itsounds delicious and I can’t wait to try it!!

    • Steve Gordon says:

      Hi Karen, Thank you for the A for effort. I didn’t do that good in school. Smile. I do hope you might try the cake. I enjoyed it and hope you will. I do appreciate your visits and your support, and I hope you’ll stop by again… real soon. Be Blessed!!! -Steve

  5. Nana T says:

    I noticed how level and how straight on the side your cake was. That alone was beautiful to me. I love the looks of the raspberry filling drained into the cake layers. I have not made it yet, but I could almost taste the tartness of the filling blended with the sweetness of the generous Buttercream Icing and the delicious white cake. I can imagine a chocolate layer cake with the Raspberry filling and Buttercream Frosting. Oh my!!

    • Steve Gordon says:

      Hi Nana, Thank you for your kind compliments on the cake. I hope you’ll try it one day soon. Be sure to let me know how you like it when you do. Yes, the addition of some chocolate would be awesome. Thank you for your visits and your support of our recipes. I hope you’ll stop by again… real soon. Be Blessed!!! -Steve

  6. Teddi Hocker says:

    Your cake is beautiful and I am sure delicious!!! REALLY enjoy your emails!!!

    • Steve Gordon says:

      Hi Teddi, Thank you for your compliments on the cake. It may not look so great but it tasted mighty good to me. Thank you for being a subscriber to the Newsletters. I appreciate your support and your visits. I do hope you’ll visit with us often. Be Blessed!!! -Steve

  7. Sylvia says:

    I think your cake looks beautiful. Better than I could do for sure. I’m going to look for your chicken pastry recipe now to see if it’s like mine. I’m from North Carolina too. Love reading your newsletter. Thanks a bunch.

    • Steve Gordon says:

      Hi Sylvia, Thank you for your compliments and comments on the cake. I bet you could do much better than me with it. I hope you find the Chicken Pastry and that it gets your approval. Smile. I do appreciate you being a subscriber to the Newsletters and for all of your support. Thank you for your visits and be sure to visit with us often. Be Blessed!!! -Steve

  8. Cheryl Ann says:

    Your cake looks wonderful! You wrote that it was going to be seen by professionals; this reminded me of a situation my children will Never let me live down–My son’s 18th Birthday this past November-he always wants carrot cake–but my carrot cake last year was an epic fail–still don’t know why-so I had decided to order his Bday cake this year. My daughter suggested a bakery she likes–mostly because they are close by. I rejected her suggestion-told her I was not all that impressed from the couple times I had been there-so he ended up with a Walmart cake-which wasn’t bad. But then–this baker I had rejected actually Won the Food Network Challenge which aired a few weeks later! My daughter could not wait to let me know–Food Network–awarded by Gorden Ramsey the whole nine yards–and I had called her mediocre! I will forever be told-every year how I turned down a world class baker for this particular birthday! Well at least it will be a story they can laugh about-in future-little darlings! Thought I would share. Have a great week! Oh, we are still at the teens for nighttime lows–rained ice yesterday-Spring surely needs to hurry!

    • Steve Gordon says:

      Hi Cheryl, I loved your story, thank you for sharing it with us. I’ve got Carrot Cake on my list. Not sure why I haven’t made one for Taste of Southern yet but hope to do so soon. Mine would never live up to the Food Network Challenge though. Smile. We had a light covering of snow this week here. I’m ready for Spring too. Thank you for all of your visits and your support. I do appreciate it very much, and I hope you’l stop by again… real soon. Be Blessed!!! -Steve

  9. Paula Harris says:

    Looks wonderful and I love raspberry. I usually buy a boxed cake mix and add to it to make it taste homemade. I also buy a can of raspberry filling (I love that stuff) and use it. Have only tried once to make a raspberry cake and that was years ago. You have inspired me to do this again this week. Your cake is very pretty and you did a wonderful job decorating. The heart makes the Valentines Raspberry cake! Thanks for sharing. Glad your brother got some good results from the doctor. God is good!

    • Steve Gordon says:

      Hi Paula, Thank you for your kind compliments on the cake. I do hope you will try it soon. Be sure to let me know how it turns out for you when you do. It’s my pleasure to share the recipes. Thank you for being a subscriber to the Newsletters. Yes, God is good, and we were thankful for the good report on my brother. Thank you for your prayers. I appreciate your visits and do hope you’ll stop by again… real soon. Be Blessed!!! -Steve

  10. Pauline Whooten says:

    What a lovely job you did! That cake is beautiful ❤️ Thank you for your recipes. I’ve learned a lot from you. Best wishes,!

    • Steve Gordon says:

      Hi Pauline, Your compliments and comments are very kind. It’s my pleasure to share the recipes. I’m glad you like them. I do appreciate your visits and your support. I hope you’ll visit with us often. Be Blessed!!! -Steve

  11. Mary Raymundo says:

    What a beautiful cake. You did well.

    • Steve Gordon says:

      HI Mary, Thank you. Your compliments are greatly appreciated. Maybe if I keep practicing, I might figure out how to decorate a cake one day. Smile. Thank you for your visits and all of your support. I hope you’ll visit with us often. Be Blessed!!! -Steve

  12. Debbie says:

    Good morning Steve, the cake is beautiful. Great job! Have a wonderful week.

    • Steve Gordon says:

      Hi Debbie, Thank you for your compliments on the cake. I appreciate your support. I hope you have an awesome week as well. I will always be grateful and thankful for your visits. I hope you’ll stop by again… real soon. Be Blessed!!! -Steve

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