Homemade Little Debbie Heart Cakes: A Sweet Valentine’s Treat
Recreate the magic of your favorite childhood treat with these Homemade Little Debbie Heart Cakes, perfect for Valentine’s Day or any special occasion. These delightful heart-shaped cakes are made with a light and fluffy white wedding cake batter, filled with a creamy marshmallow buttercream, and coated in a luscious red chocolate shell. This homemade version brings a personal touch to the beloved snack, ensuring freshness and a taste that’s customizable and even more delicious.
Ingredients
White Wedding Cake Batter:
- White Cake Mix: 1 box (Pillsbury, Kroger, or HyVee brand)
- Flour: 1/2 cup
- Sugar: 1/2 cup
- Salt: 1/2 teaspoon
- Water: 1 cup
- Egg Whites: 1/2 cup
- Sour Cream: 1/2 cup
- Oil: 1/4 cup
- Vanilla Extract: 1-2 teaspoons, pure
- Almond Extract: 1/2 teaspoon
Marshmallow Buttercream:
- Butter: 1 cup, softened
- Powdered Sugar: 2 cups
- Vanilla Extract: 1 teaspoon, pure
- Marshmallow Fluff: 10 oz
Chocolate Coating:
- White Melting Wafers: 48 oz, Ghirardelli, divided
- Heavy Cream or Crisco: 4-6 tablespoons (do not use butter)
- Red Food Dye
Directions
White Wedding Cake Batter:
- Preparation: Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease a 1/2 sheet pan and line with parchment paper.
- Mixing: Combine all cake ingredients in a stand mixer and blend on low for 30 seconds. Scrape the bowl and mix on medium-high for 2-3 minutes.
- Baking: Pour the batter into the prepared pan, tap out air bubbles, and bake for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cooling: Allow the cake to cool completely before cutting out hearts with a cookie cutter.
Marshmallow Buttercream:
- Mixing: Beat the butter and powdered sugar together for 1-2 minutes. Add the vanilla extract and marshmallow fluff, beating for an additional 3 minutes until fluffy.
- Filling: Transfer the buttercream to a piping bag.
Assembling Heart Cakes:
- Cutting: Use a heart cookie cutter to cut shapes from the cooled cake.
- Layering: Cut hearts in half horizontally, pipe marshmallow buttercream on one half, then sandwich with the other half.
- Freezing: Place assembled hearts on a baking sheet and freeze for at least 30 minutes.
Chocolate Coating:
- Melting: Melt 2/3 of the white chocolate wafers with cream or Crisco for a thinner consistency. Add red food dye to achieve the desired color.
- Coating: Dip the frozen heart cakes in the melted chocolate, ensuring all sides are covered.
- Setting: Use forks to remove the cakes, letting excess chocolate drip off, then place on a lined sheet to set in the fridge.
- Decorating: Melt the remaining chocolate, then pipe swirls on the set cakes.
Preparation Details
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Baking Time: 20 minutes
- Freezing/Setting Time: 1 hour
- Total Time: About 2 hours 5 minutes
- Calories: 300 kcal per serving
- Servings: 24 cakes
These Homemade Little Debbie Heart Cakes are not only a nostalgic treat but also a perfect way to show love and affection. Each bite of these cakes brings a combination of tender cake, creamy filling, and crisp chocolate coating, making them utterly irresistible. Enjoy creating and sharing these delightful treats with your loved ones!
Homemade Little Debbie Heart Cakes
- Total Time: 2 hours 5 minutes (including Freezing/Setting Time)
- Yield: 24 1x
Description
Homemade Little Debbie Heart Cakes are a delightful homage to the iconic snack cake, reimagined with a gourmet twist. Each heart-shaped cake features soft, moist layers filled with a light marshmallow buttercream, enveloped in a vibrant red chocolate shell that’s as eye-catching as it is delicious.
Ingredients
White Wedding Cake Batter:
1 box white Pillsbury cake mix (Kroger or HyVee Brand can also be used)
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup water
1/2 cup egg whites
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup oil
1–2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
Marshmallow Buttercream:
1 cup butter, softened
2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
10 oz marshmallow fluff
Chocolate Coating:
48 oz Ghirardelli white melting wafers, divided
4–6 tablespoons heavy cream or Crisco (do not use butter)
Red food dye
Instructions
White Wedding Cake Batter:
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Combine all cake ingredients in a stand mixer and blend on low for 30 seconds.
Scrape down the bowl and mix on medium-high for 2-3 minutes.
Grease a 1/2 sheet pan and line with parchment paper.
Pour batter into pan, tap out air bubbles, and bake for 15-20 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.
Allow to cool completely before cutting out hearts.
Marshmallow Buttercream:
Beat butter and powdered sugar together for 1-2 minutes.
Add vanilla extract and marshmallow fluff, beating for an additional 3 minutes.
Transfer to a piping bag.
Assembling Heart Cakes:
Use a heart cookie cutter to cut shapes from cooled cake.
Cut hearts in half horizontally.
Pipe marshmallow buttercream on one half and sandwich with the other half.
Freeze assembled hearts on a baking sheet for at least 30 minutes.
Chocolate Coating:
Melt 2/3 of the white chocolate wafers with cream or Crisco for thinner consistency.
Add red food dye to achieve desired color.
Coat frozen heart cakes with chocolate, ensuring all sides are covered.
Remove cakes using forks, let excess chocolate drip off, then place on a lined sheet to set in the fridge.
Melt remaining chocolate, pipe swirls on set cakes.
Store covered in the refrigerator.
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
Nutrition
- Calories: 300