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Discover Our Little Secret
On the outside, these may seem normal cupcakes, nothing much to talk about, but take a large bite and you’ll see an adorable little heart staring back at you. Now that’s what I’d call ‘going that extra mile’ to make someone feel special. Additionally, you could make them if you forgot to buy a gift for someone you love. What’s even better is that you don’t need much time to put these together.
Cupcake Fans: This Recipe Is for You!
Why Make These Surprise Heart Cupcakes?
No matter what time of year it is, these cupcakes would be a complete delight to make for someone you love. The “secret” hidden heart inside them will make everyone think you have worked for hours. They’re also great for picnics and lunch boxes.
You’ll have a great time making and eating these cupcakes. However, your favorite part may simply be watching people discover the heart shapes in the middles!
Look at These Little Beauties!
This Is All You’ll Need
Two Batters of Contrasting Colors
You’ll need two cake batters of contrasting colors to make these surprise cupcakes. You can make your own vanilla cake recipe or or take a short cut and use a boxed vanilla cake mix.
For the hearts, I used a boxed red velvet cake mix. Feel free to use your favorite recipe for red velvet.
If you’re making these cupcakes for a gender reveal party, you can use blue or pink cake mixes for the hearts. You can also use chocolate cake mix to make the hidden hearts.
Red Frosting
You’ll need red frosting to decorate these surprise cupcakes. Feel free to use your favorite homemade frosting or use a ready one to save time.
Sprinkles
Feel free to decorate your cupcakes the way you like. You can sprinkle some white pearls or red and white heart shaped sprinkles on top to make your cupcakes look amazing!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):
Paper cupcake liners can be used in place of a cupcake tray, as long as you don’t overfill the liners. After that, place them in a pan that will hold 5-6 paper liners upright.
Fill your cupcake cases 2/3 full – about 3 tablespoons – or with one good ice cream scoop. If you fill your cupcake cases too much, they will not bake properly and may overflow when they rise.
Bake until a cake tester inserted into the center of the cupcakes comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes for standard cupcakes or 10 to 12 minutes for minis, rotating the tin halfway through baking time. Cool the cupcakes in the tin for 10 minutes on a rack, then remove from the tin and cool completely on the rack.
You will have some offcuts after cutting out the heart shapes from the red sheet cake. These obviously make an excellent chef’s perk, and you can nibble on them while preparing the remaining cupcakes.
What a Lovely Surprise!
Top Tips for the Best Surprise Heart Cupcakes
- Have fun with it and make different colors! The batters can be your choice of colors, especially if you get a white or yellow batter, you can add any food coloring!
- These Cupcakes are perfect for Valentines day, surprise gender reveals, birthday party, princess tea parties and more!
- Any simple small shape can be added to the middle of your cupcakes. You could add stars, flowers, etc…
Bored Getting Flowers for Your Special One?
Surprise Cupcakes Ingredients
- white or yellow cake mix
- eggs
- milk or water
- vegetable oil
- red velvet cake mix
- Red frosting
- Sprinkles of choice like white pearls or red and white heart shaped sprinkles
Equipment
- Small heart shaped cake cutter
- Cupcake pan
- 9×13 rectangular pan
Steps to Prep these Surprise Heart Cupcakes
First Prepare the White and Red Cake Mixes
Preheat oven to 350°F
You will need 2 medium bowls to prepare the white & red cake mixes. In one bowl prepare the white cake mix by whisking 3 eggs, 1 cup of water or milk and 1/2 cup of vegetable oil with a electric mixer. In the second bowl whisk together the red velvet cake mix with three eggs, one cup of milk or water, and 1 cup of vegetable oil.
Next, Bake the Red Cake Mix
First, line and spray a 9×13 rectangular pan then pour in the red batter. Bake according to box instructions, about 30 minutes. Remove from oven, allow to cool.
Then, Cut the Heart Shapes
Once it cooled, begin to cut out mini heart shapes and set them aside.
After That, Bake the Vanilla Cake Mix
Line and spray a cupcake pan then pour about 1/3 of white batter into the cup cake pan.
Then, place a heart shaped red velvet cake in the center of the batter that is in the pan.
Bake according to cake box instructions, about 20-24 minutes.
Finally, Let them Cool and Decorate them
Once the cupcakes are finished slice a tiny slit where you see the red heart is positioned so that when you cut it open, you cut through the center of the heart shapes red velvet.
Cool then decorate with red frosting and your choice of sprinkles.
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Other Dessert Recipes You Must Try:
- Brioche Strawberry Cheesecake French Toast
- Lebanese Sfouf (Turmeric Cake)
- Almond Milk Strawberry Pancakes (Dairy Free)
- Middle-Eastern Pancakes (Atayif)
- Three-Ingredient Oreo Ice Cream Cake
- Vegan Banana Blender Pancakes
- Fluffy Shortcake Yogurt Cream Bars
- Cinnamon and S’mores Cheesecake Trifle
- Blender Mango Soft Serve |Ice Cream in 5 Minutes
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies
If you like this recipe, you might also want to try Valentine’s Day Surprise Cake. It’s an amazing way to tell them that they are special!
Surprise Heart Cupcakes
Equipment
- Small heart shaped cake cutter
- Cupcake pan 9×13
- rectangular pan
Ingredients
- 1 box white or yellow cake mix
- 1 box red velvet cake mix
- 6 eggs
- 2 cups milk or water
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- Red Frosting
- Sprinkles of choice like white pearls or red and white heart shaped sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- You will need 2 medium bowls to prepare the white & red cake mixes. In one bowl prepare the white cake mix by whisking 3 eggs, 1 cup of water or milk and 1/2 cup of vegetable oil with a electric mixer. In the second bowl whisk together the red velvet cake mix with three eggs, one cup of milk or water, and 1 cup of vegetable oil.
- First, line and spray a 9×13 rectangular pan then pour in the red batter. Bake according to box instructions, about 30 minutes. Remove from oven, allow to cool.
- Once it cooled, begin to cut out mini heart shapes and set them aside.
- Line and spray a cupcake pan then pour about 1/3 of white batter into the cup cake pan.
- Then, place a heart shaped red velvet cake in the center of the batter that is in the pan.
- Now, gently pour over the heart shapes some more white batter to fully cover.
- Bake according to cake box instructions, about 20-24 minutes.
- Once the cupcakes are finished, slice a tiny slit where you see the red heart is positioned so that when you cut it open, you cut through the center of the heart shapes red velvet.
- Cool then decorate with red frosting and your choice of sprinkles.
Made these for my husband’s birthday. Every one was amazed! They looked and tasted great
Aww that is sweet!
Make these for my daughter’s birthday
She took them to school and her friends loved them. Thank you.
awww, happy birthday to her!
These were awesome. I put a flower shape in the middle. My daughters lived them. Thanks
These cupcakes are the coolest things I’ve ever seen. My kids would be so excited to see the cute heart in the middle