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 inside cake loaf with a pink heart shape in the center, topped with pink and white icing, and a sliced piece in front.

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 we 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 us 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 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!

Three-step guide showing how to make a surprise inside cake—a loaf cake with a hidden pink heart shape inside.

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 our understanding, Amanda Rettke from We Am Baker made the first one of it's kind. We was curious to see how simple it would be to make.

As you know, we don't always go the homemade route when baking. With that in mind we have done this with a really easy homemade cake mixand boxed. To us it didn't matter which way we did it, it turned out as great either way. We also used loaf pans instead of 8-inch round cake pans because we thought that would be simpler. It was.

We've also made a simple frosting with some powdered sugar and we 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 pops and you can see the design you have chosen. Anything works, this is solid for the holidays in that way.

Ingredient notes

We used vanilla and strawberry cake mix., you can color half your white cake mix too with food coloring in it. We 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 pops.

You will want two 9×5″ Loaf pansone to bake the colorful loaf for the middle and another to bake the final cake.

We typically will 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 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. 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 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 put any shape in the middle of your cake. In the video below we made a star, solid 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 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

By Pynmi This is how to make a surprise cake for with a heart or any other hidden shape inside. Easy video tutorial too showing you how to make one yourself. Prep: 10 minutes minsCook: 1 hour hr 20 minutes minsTotal: 1 hour hr 30 minutes minsServings: 10 Save Recipe Saved! Pin Recipe Comment Print Recipe

Equipment

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.
We 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

Notes

Homemade Cake Batter 1 cup softened butter 1 cup all purpose flour 1 cup white sugar 4 eggs 2 tsp vanilla 1/2 tsp salt You will beat on high the butter and sugar, then add eggs one at a time, stir in the vanilla and salt. Gradually add the flour as you beat on low all ingredients. Fill bottom of sprayed loaf pan with 1/3 batter which should fill 1/2 way full. Bake 350F about 50-60 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean in center. Cool on cooling rack in pan.

Nutrition

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: DessertCuisine: American Tried this recipe?Mention @thetypical_mom or tag #thetypicalmom!

Easy Gender Reveal Cake Idea

We mean right??? Have someone make this for you with a blue or pink heart inside to slice with your relatives. Simple but 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 we 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??