Copycat Little Debbie Heart Cakes Recipe
This Copycat Little Debbie Heart Cakes recipe recreates the beloved Valentines treat featuring soft, thin heart-shaped cakes sandwiched with a fluffy marshmallow frosting and coated in pink-tinted white chocolate. Perfect for festive celebrations or a sweet gift, these cakes combine a moist vanilla batter with a rich, creamy filling and a smooth candy coating for a delightful homemade indulgence.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15-20 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 10-15 heart cakes 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
Cake Batter
- 1 box vanilla cake mix
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup milk
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Whipped Frosting Center
- 7 ounces marshmallow creme
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
Coating
- White chocolate candy melts, melted
- Pink food coloring
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Pans: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two 9×13 inch baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent sticking and ensure even baking.
- Make Cake Batter: In a large mixing bowl, combine the vanilla cake mix, all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, salt, eggs, milk, vegetable oil, sour cream, and vanilla extract. Mix thoroughly until you have a smooth, uniform batter without lumps.
- Bake the Cakes: Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared baking sheets. Spread the batter into a thin, even layer to allow for quick and uniform baking. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Once baked, remove from the oven and let cool completely on wire racks.
- Cut Heart Shapes: Using a heart-shaped cookie cutter approximately 2 inches wide, cut out mini heart cakes from both cooled sheets. This will create the petite cake layers for your sandwich treats.
- Prepare Frosting Filling: In a clean bowl, beat softened butter until creamy. Add marshmallow creme, powdered sugar, salt, vanilla extract, and heavy cream. Beat the mixture until fluffy and light, ensuring it’s spreadable but stable.
- Assemble the Cakes: Spread a generous layer of the whipped frosting on one heart-shaped cake. Top it with another heart cake to create a sandwich. Repeat with all cut cakes to form multiple heart cakes with creamy centers.
- Prepare Coating: Melt the white chocolate candy melts following package instructions. Separate a few tablespoons of the melted white chocolate into a piping bag or small bowl. Add pink food coloring to the larger portion of melted white chocolate and stir until you achieve a smooth, light pink color.
- Coat the Cakes: Dip each heart cake sandwich into the pink-tinted white chocolate, coating it fully. Place dipped cakes on a wire rack with a baking sheet underneath to catch drips and allow the coating to set.
- Decorate: Using the reserved white melted chocolate, pipe or drizzle decorative designs on top of the pink-coated heart cakes for an attractive finishing touch. Let the chocolate set completely before serving.
Notes
- Nutrition information is an estimate and can vary.
- Yield depends on cookie cutter size; expect 10-15 heart cakes with a 2-inch cutter.
- Pink or red food coloring can be used; if using red, add gradually to avoid overpowering color.
- Heart cookie cutter size can range between 1.5 and 2.5 inches for good results.
- Use baking sheets instead of cake pans to bake very thin cakes that are easy to cut and assemble.
Keywords: Valentine Cakes, Heart Cakes, Copycat Recipe, Little Debbie, Dessert, Valentine's Day Treat
