Valentine's Lunch Box Cake
Valentine’s Lunch Box Cake is a cute, single serve dessert made for gifting, sharing, or adding a sweet surprise to lunch.
Servings: 6 servings
Equipment
- 4-inch heart-shaped cake pans (or any other shape)
- hand mixer or stand mixer
- rubber spatula
Ingredients
Cake
- 1 ⅔ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup milk
Frosting
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- ½ cup shortening
- 2-3 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- dash salt
- 3 tablespoons milk
Optional
- food coloring
- Valentine’s sprinkles
Instructions
Cake
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Coat 6 mini heart cake pans with cooking spray and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour and baking powder.1 ⅔ cups all-purpose flour, 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar until smooth.½ cup unsalted butter, 1 cup granulated sugar
- Add the eggs and vanilla extract and mix until fully combined.2 large eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Add the flour mixture and milk alternately, starting and ending with the flour mixture. Mix just until combined.½ cup milk
- Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans, filling each about ⅔ full.
- Bake for 20 minutes, or until the tops are lightly golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then remove and cool completely before frosting.
Icing
- Beat the butter and shortening together until smooth.½ cup unsalted butter, ½ cup shortening
- Gradually add the powdered sugar, mixing on medium speed.2-3 cups powdered sugar
- Add the vanilla extract and salt.1 teaspoon vanilla extract, dash salt
- Add the milk one tablespoon at a time until the frosting reaches a smooth, spreadable consistency.3 tablespoons milk
- If desired, mix in food coloring.food coloring
- Frost the tops of the cakes with a knife or spatula.
Optional
- Pipe decorations, add sprinkles, or write messages on the cakes.Valentine’s sprinkles
- Serve and enjoy.
Notes
🥡 STORAGE: Store at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
♨️ REHEATING: Not recommended, best served at room temperature.
❄️ FREEZING: Freeze unfrosted or frosted cakes for up to 3 months.
Wrap tightly in plastic wrap, then aluminum foil, before freezing.
💡 TIPS FOR BEST RESULTS: Chill cakes 2-3 hours or overnight before frosting to reduce crumbs.
Use a piping bag, cake decorating tool, or zip-top bag with the corner snipped for easy decorating.
🍳 ALTERNATE COOKING METHODS: Bake the batter in a 13x9-inch pan, then cut shapes using 4-inch cookie cutters and stack layers with frosting between.
♻️ LEFTOVERS: Leftover cake scraps can be turned into cake pops or cake truffles.
📝 NOTES: This recipe also makes 24 cupcakes.
Six-inch bakery boxes are available online and work perfectly for gifting.
Nutrition
Serving: 1mini cake | Calories: 875kcal | Carbohydrates: 101g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 51g | Saturated Fat: 25g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 16g | Trans Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 139mg | Sodium: 144mg | Potassium: 112mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 74g | Vitamin A: 1070IU | Calcium: 117mg | Iron: 2mg
