How to make a surprise inside cake with a heart or any other hidden shape in the middle. Easy video tutorial too showing you how to make one yourself.
A surprise cake is fun. Usually they are made with someone in mind and for a special occasion, but have you ever made shape in the middle of your cake? What I mean by that is a cake that when you cut into it there is a surprise shape or color inside. It’s so fun!! Let me show you how to make this Valentine’s Day heart surprise cake (or you could make any other shape inside).
Surprise Cake with Heart Inside
Isn’t this a fun Valentine’s Day cake, or something for a gift??!! If you have kids they will think you are superwoman if you make this and serve it for dessert. You’re going to make two cakes total for this recipe. Once the first is done you’ll be on your way to your surprise inside cake.
It’s really quite easy to make this surprise inside cake heart shape shown here. Or use a car if you are making one for a boy’s birthday party!
Video
Can you bake any shape inside of a cake?
Yes, we have done this for 4th of July as you can see in the video with stars, you could make pumpkin shape inside loaf cake like we did here in the Fall months. A Christmas tree, green, inside a red or white cake would pop and surprise your guests. Anything goes friends…..
From my understanding, Amanda Rettke from I Am Baker made the first one of it’s kind. I was curious to see just how simple it would be to make.
As you know, I don’t always go the homemade route when baking. With that in mind I have done this with a really easy homemade cake mix, and boxed. To me it didn’t matter which way I did it, it turned out as great either way. I also used loaf pans instead of 8-inch round cake pans because I thought that would be simpler. It was.
I’ve also made a simple frosting with some powdered sugar and I add more milk to make it thinner, less to create a thick paste. Ready made works too. Get out your mixer and whip up the white cake mix batter on high speed and then you’ll be ready to start.
You could make homemade cake mix or boxed, you’ll want 2 different colors / flavors. It is nice to use white for the outside so the inside color really pops and you can see the design you have chosen. Anything works, this is perfect for the holidays in that way.
Ingredient Notes
We used vanilla and strawberry cake mix., you can just color half your white cake mix too with food coloring in it. I actually prefer food color gel from Wilton because it is thicker and richer.
You are going to want a small Cookie cutter in any shape you want to create the picture that you will see. You will want this cake to be a deeper color than the outside you will pour over so that the picture really pops.
You will want two 9×5″ Loaf pans, one to bake the colorful loaf for the middle and another to bake the final cake.
I typically will just buy a tub of cream cheese frosting and use about 1/3 cup to drizzle on top of cake, or use pastry bags to make a design. You don’t really need a mixer to make the batter, you can do that with a whisk.
Instructions
First you will start by making the pink cake to use for the inside heart. Just combine all items in a large bowl as you would to make a regular cake in a loaf pan. Take out when toothpick inserted is clean and cool.
If you want to save money just buy white cake mix and color half of it for the inside pieces, you’ll need 2 cake pans for this.
Cut each slice about 1 inch thick once the cake is baked and cooled. Stack the heart cut outs to be placed in the middle of the next cake. Discard cake scraps or make cake pops with cake mix with them!
Once you make the batter for your second cake you can then pour some on the bottom. Then line your heart pink cake pieces inside as you see here. Recipe for the vanilla cake below, you can use cake mix too though.
Make sure when you pour the vanilla cake batter in that it surrounds the heart cake layers in between each piece. You can really put any shape in the middle of your cake. In the video below we made a star, perfect for the Fourth of July!
Once caked you can top with frosting or melt Wilton candy melts and drizzle on top like this one. OR just leave it plain because the excitement is inside of course when you slice it. You could even make this as a reveal cake.
Surprise Inside Cake Recipe
Equipment
- 2 9×5 loaf pan
- 1 cookie cutter in shape you want
Ingredients
- 1 box cake mix, plus ingredients to make batter OR make homemade, color only half of the batter
- 1 drop food gel coloring, if you don't use an already colored mix
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prep a loaf pan with baking spray.
- I use colored cake mix for the inside shape part. Bake accordingly in 9×5" loaf pan until top springs back. Cool. With the cookie cutter in hand measure for the width of each slice. Cut each slice about 1" thick. Using the cookie cutter, cut out the hearts or another shape. Set aside.
- For the vanilla cake or outer layer cake you can use boxed cake mix or homemade vanilla cake below. Make your batter
- Take your cut outs and line them up so they are next to one another in the middle of your 9×5 sprayed loaf pan, then pour the white cake batter on both sides of shapes and in between the hearts you have in the loaf pan. Bake at 350 for about an hour or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pan, remove, slice and enjoy
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Easy Gender Reveal Cake Idea
I mean right??? Have someone make this for you with a blue or pink heart inside to slice with your relatives. Simple but just as exciting for everyone. Not only great for a Valentine’s Day treat but you can make it for other holidays with a pumpkin or turkey inside too. Watch video of how I make it and then make one yourself below!! It shouldn’t take much more than 30 minutes to complete.
Looking for more fun quick easy desserts??
- Surprise inside cupcakes are filled with goodies.
- Strawberry cake in a mug takes just 1 minute.
when you cooked the 2nd cake, did you reduce the cook time a lot since the inside was already cooked?
I love this! I also love how easy it is to make and looks super cute! Saving this for Valentines Day!
This cake is adorable and delicious!
What an adorable cake! I have always wanted to make one of these surprise inside cakes! So cute!