Description

This elegant Coquette Cake captures the vintage romance of the Victorian era with its delicate heart shape and intricate piped ruffles. A light vanilla crumb paired with silky, pale buttercream makes it the perfect centerpiece for a sophisticated afternoon tea or celebration.

Ingredients

2 8-inch round vanilla cakes, cooled and leveled
9 cups vanilla buttercream, whipped until pale and airy
Deep Pink food color gel
Fuchsia food color gel
Silk bows (optional, for decoration)
12-inch cake drum
10-inch cardboard base

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Instructions

Shape the heart by cutting a ‘V’ from the bottom of the 8-inch cake rounds and using the excess cake to form the top lobes, securing them with a dab of buttercream.
Apply a thin crumb coat over the entire surface to seal in moisture and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes until firm.
Spread a final layer of buttercream over the chilled cake, using an icing smoother on a turntable to create a flat, glossy finish with sharp edges.
Tint the remaining buttercream with pink and fuchsia gels and fill piping bags fitted with Wilton tips 102 and 32.
Using the Wilton 102 tip, pipe rhythmic ruffles along the base and the top edges of the heart-shaped cake.
Layer shell borders using the Wilton 32 tip to create the characteristic depth of a vintage aesthetic.
Use the Wilton 3 tip to add delicate pearl-like dots or a written message across the surface of the cake.
Add optional silk bows as a final flourish and allow the cake to reach room temperature before serving to ensure the buttercream is soft and luxurious.

Notes

For the most stable piping, ensure your buttercream is at a perfect room temperature; if it becomes too warm from your hands, wrap the piping bag in a cold damp cloth for a few minutes. Using gel-based food coloring is essential as it provides vibrant tones without thinning the frosting’s consistency. For a perfectly symmetrical heart, you may want to create a parchment paper template before cutting your cake layers.

Prep Time: 45 mins
Cook Time: 35 mins
Category: Dessert
Method: Baking and Piping
Cuisine: International