Valentine Cake

Cooking Instructions

Heart pattern: Draw outline of pan used to bake cake layers on a sheet of paper. Fold paper in half. Starting and ending at fold, draw a half heart 3⁄4 in. smaller on all sides than the pan outline. Cut through both layers of paper following drawn line. Unfold paper heart.

Place unfrozen cake on a serving plate; spread top with 1⁄2 cup frosting. Top with frozen layer, flat (bottom) side up.

Heart: Place heart pattern on middle of top cake. Using a pointed knife, cut about 1 in. deep around outline of heart. With a fork or serrated grapefruit spoon, remove cake in heart outline, removing as many loose crumbs as possible.

Spoon about 1⁄3 cup frosting into the plastic bag. Seal and set aside. Carefully frost sides and top of cake to edge of heart, swirling frosting decoratively.

Prepare gelatin as directed on box for speed-set method. When ice cubes are removed, use a small ladle to slowly fill heart to about 1⁄4 in. from top. Refrigerate cake 2 hours or until gelatin is very firm.

Cut tip off bag of frosting and pipe a border of dots around heart, saving a bit of frosting in bag. Using frosting in bag as glue, attach candy hearts to cake.

Planning Tip: The cake layers may be wrapped and frozen up to 1 month ahead. The cake can be completed up to 3 days ahead. Cover with a pot and refrigerate.