Surprise Valentine Heart Cupcakes

Valentine’s Day is right around the corner, and I’ve got the perfect treat to make your celebration extra special: Heart Cupcakes!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword Heart Cupcakes

Prep Time 45

Cook Time 40

Total Time 1 25

Servings each

Calories 356kcal

Author Dana DeVolk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Place red velvet cake mix, water, eggs, and oil into a large bowl. With a hand mixer on low speed mix until moistened 30 seconds. Place on medium speed and mix for 2 minutes.
1 box red velvet cake mix, 1 cup water, 3 large eggs, 1/3 cup vegetable oil
Pour batter onto a sheet tray lined with parchment paper, spread out evenly. Bake 20-24 minutes, until toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
Place on a wired rack to cool. When cooled completely, take a small heart shaped cookie cutter and carefully cut out 24 mini hearts and set aside.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Place french vanilla cake mix, water, eggs and oil into a large bowl. With a hand mixer on low speed mix until moistened 30 seconds. Place on medium speed and mix for 2 minutes.
1 box french vanilla cake mix, 1 cup water, 3 large eggs, 1/3 cup vegetable oil
Place 1 Tablespoon of batter into lined cupcake tin. VERY GENTLY place a red velvet heart in the center, do not press down or you will have a circle, not a heart. Cover with about 1 Tablespoon of batter.
Bake for 14-16 minutes, until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and they look done on top.

Place butter and half of the sugar in a large bowl. Whip on high speed until sugar is incorporated. Add the remaining sugar and whip on high speed until light and fluffy, 3 minutes.
1 Cup unsalted butter, 3 Cups powdered sugar
Add in the vanilla and salt, mix to combine. Add in half of the milk and whip until combined, add remaining milk if mixture is too thick.
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste, pinch of salt, 2 Tablespoons milk
Top cupcakes with frosting (I used a large open star tip), decorate with sprinkles if desired, serve and enjoy!

Use Quality Cupcake Liners: Good cupcake liners prevent sticking and make your cupcakes look professional.
Heart Placement: When placing the red hearts into the cupcake batter, make sure they’re aligned so the heart shape shows when you cut or bite into the cupcake.
Don’t Overfill: Fill each muffin cup about two-thirds full to prevent overflow and ensure even baking.
Proper Cooling: Let the cupcakes cool on a wire rack before frosting to prevent the frosting from melting.
Piping Techniques: Use a piping bag with a decorative tip to create beautiful frosting swirls on the top of the cupcake.
Storage: Keep cupcakes in an airtight container to maintain their freshness and ensure moist cupcakes.