If you’re looking to add a touch of love to your Valentine’s Day celebrations, these Easy Valentine’s Day Surprise Cupcakes are perfect. They feature a delightful twist on the classic vanilla cupcake by hiding a heart-shaped red velvet cake inside, making them both visually appealing and delicious. With a simple combination of vanilla and red velvet cake mixes, strawberry frosting, and festive red sprinkles, these cupcakes are as easy to make as they are charming. Whether for a party or a special treat for someone you care about, these cupcakes will make anyone feel extra loved.
Easy Valentine’s Day Surprise Cupcakes
Valentine’s Day is the perfect time to show your loved ones how much you care, and what better way to do so than with a sweet and creative treat? These Valentine’s Day Heart Inside Cupcakes combine the best of both worlds with their rich and moist vanilla cupcake exterior and a surprise red velvet heart hidden inside. The cupcakes are topped with luscious strawberry frosting and finished off with festive red sprinkles, making them both beautiful and delicious. Whether you’re celebrating with a special someone, friends, or family, these cupcakes are a fun way to add a little extra love to your day.
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Preparing the Red Velvet Hearts
To begin making these unique cupcakes, start by preparing the red velvet cake mix according to the directions on the box. Bake in a 13″ x 9″ baking pan. This will allow the cake to be baked evenly and give you enough surface area to cut out the heart shapes. Bake the cake for 25-28 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Once it’s done, allow the cake to cool for at least 20 minutes in the fridge, which will help firm up the texture and make it easier to cut out the heart shapes.
Creating the Heart Shapes
After the red velvet cake has cooled, use a small heart-shaped cookie cutter to cut out 12 mini hearts. These heart-shaped pieces of cake are the surprise hidden inside each vanilla cupcake. By cutting out these shapes, you create a visually appealing “heart” that will be revealed when the cupcake is cut open. Set these heart-shaped pieces aside while you move on to the next steps of preparing the cupcakes.
Making the Vanilla Cupcake Batter
Next, prepare the vanilla cake mix according to the package instructions. Once the batter is ready, it’s time to assemble the cupcakes. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners, then fill each liner with a small amount of vanilla batter. Only fill the liners about a quarter full to make room for the hidden red velvet heart. Carefully place one of the red velvet hearts in the center of each cupcake liner. Be sure the heart is centered so it will be in the middle of the cupcake once baked.
Assembling and Baking the Cupcakes
After placing the red velvet hearts in the batter, top them with the remaining vanilla batter, filling each liner about two-thirds full. To ensure that the heart stays in place, you may want to slightly mark the direction of the heart using a sprinkle of batter. This helps you keep track of where the heart is located in the cupcake. Bake the cupcakes according to the directions on the box or until a toothpick inserted just off-center comes out clean. Be careful not to overbake, as you want the cupcakes to stay moist while perfectly surrounding the red velvet heart.
Frosting and Decorating
Once the cupcakes have cooled completely, it’s time to decorate! Generously frost each cupcake with the strawberry frosting, covering them with a smooth and even layer. The sweet strawberry flavor pairs wonderfully with the richness of the red velvet heart inside and the vanilla exterior. To finish, sprinkle red heart-shaped decorations or sprinkles on top for a festive touch. These cupcakes not only taste amazing but look gorgeous as well, making them the perfect Valentine’s Day treat to share with others. Enjoy your creation and spread the love!
Conclusion
These Valentine’s Day Heart Inside Cupcakes are not only visually stunning, but they also offer a wonderful combination of flavors with each bite. With just a few ingredients and simple steps, you can create a memorable dessert that will surely brighten up your holiday celebrations. Start your Valentine’s Day with one of the delicious breakfast recipes: Valentine’s Day Breakfast Recipes.
These Valentine's Day Heart Inside Cupcakes are a fun and festive treat to share with your loved ones. Filled with a hidden red velvet heart and topped with strawberry frosting, they’re a sweet surprise in every bite!
- 1 box vanilla cake mix
- 1 box red velvet cake mix
- 1 container strawberry frosting
- Red sprinkles
- Preheat the oven according to the directions.
- Prepare the red velvet cake mix according to the directions. Pour batter into a ½ size cookie sheet with a lip. Cook for 25-28 minutes or until a toothpick that is inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
- Place the red velvet cake into the fridge for at least 20 minutes to cool completely.
- Prepare cupcake tin with 12 cupcake liners, set aside.
- Once the red velvet cake is cooled, use a small heart shaped cookie cutter and cut out 12 mini hearts that will go into the inside of the vanilla cupcakes. Set aside.
- Prepare the vanilla cake mix according to the directions. Once prepared, fill a ¼ of the cupcake liner with batter, place one red velvet heart cut out into the center of the cupcake batter. Continue until each cupcake has a red velvet heart.
- Fill the rest of the cupcake liner with batter until ⅔ full. Mark the direction of your hearts with a sprinkle.
- Cook according to directions on the box or until a toothpick that is inserted just off center comes out clean.
- Let cool completely.
- Frosting each cupcake with strawberry frosting and top with red sprinkled hearts.
- Cupcakes can be red velvet with vanilla heart cutout inside, or any combination you’d like.
- Cupcake liners can be marked with a Sharpie marker. Mark a small dot before frosting to indicate which direction the heart is facing inside the cupcake.
- Take the leftover Red Velvet Cake, mix it with frosting, dip in candy melts, and make Cake Pops.
