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6-inch Horoscope Heart Cake: Libra Baby

It’s Libra season and we’re celebrating with a matcha horoscope heart cake. The batter is baked in a heart shaped pan, and makes a delicious matcha cake paired with vanilla and strawberry faux Swiss meringue and fresh strawberries!
Author Alissa
Prep Time 40 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings 8

Equipment

Ingredients

6-inch Matcha Heart Cake

  • ½ cup unsalted butter (room temperature) (113g or 1 stick)
  • 1 cup granulated sugar (200g)
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 eggs (room temperature)
  • 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour (180g)
  • 2 tbsp matcha powder (baking grade)
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • ¼ tsp kosher salt
  • ½ cup buttermilk (or whole milk) (125ml)
  • 1 batch faux Swiss meringue buttercream

Instructions
 

6-inch Matcha Heart Cake

  • Make sure all the ingredients are at room temperature. Preheat the oven to 350℉ (177℃). Butter or spray the sides of the cake pans with cooking spray. Trace the heart cake pan on parchment paper and cut out. Place the parchment in the pans.
  • Whisk together the flour, matcha powder, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
  • In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or a handheld mixer, beat the butter on high speed for 1 minute. Add the sugar and beat on high speed for 2 minutes. Scrap down the bowl with a rubber spatula.
  • On low speed, add the vanilla and mix. Then add the eggs one at a time, mixing in-between additions.
  • Add half of the flour mixture and mix on low. When mostly incorporated, add half of the buttermilk. Repeat for the other half of flour and buttermilk. Mix until just combined.
  • Pour into the heart pans and bake on the center rack for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
  • Transfer the pans to a wire cooling rack. After 5 minutes, use a knife to gently release the sides of the cake for the pan. Turn out the cake using oven mitts (the pans will still be hot). Let the cakes cool completely before icing.

Decorate

  • Place the cooled cake layer onto a cake board or a plate.
  • Separate the buttercream into 4 parts. Set aside one portion for white icing.
  • Dye another other portion with 1 small drop electric blue. Dye the third portion with 1 small drop electric yellow.
  • Flavor the last portion with ½ teaspoon strawberry emulsion and mix together. This will naturally dye the buttercream light pink.
  • Fill the cake with the strawberry flavored portion. Optional: add fresh strawberries. Then, frost the cake with the rest of the strawberry buttercream.
  • Add dabs of yellow and blue buttercream around the cake. Slowly smooth out with a cake scraper.
  • To make clouds, add small dabs of white buttercream next to each other and smooth with an offset spatula.
  • Spread the leftover buttercream over a piece of plastic wrap. Gently roll it and twist the ends of the plastic wrap. Cut a hole on one side. Add to a piping bag prepared with the Ateco French #869 tip.
  • Apply even pressure and pipe a border on the bottom and top of the cake.

Notes