# What You Need:
→ For the Cake
01 - 2½ cups cake flour, sifted
02 - 2 tablespoons natural unsweetened cocoa powder
03 - 1½ teaspoons baking powder
04 - ½ teaspoon baking soda
05 - ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
06 - 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
07 - 1¾ cups granulated sugar
08 - 4 large eggs, room temperature
09 - 1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
10 - 2 tablespoons red gel food coloring
11 - 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
12 - 2 teaspoons distilled white vinegar
→ For the Cream Cheese Frosting
13 - 1 cup cream cheese, room temperature
14 - ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
15 - 4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
16 - 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
17 - Pinch of salt
→ For the Betty Boop Silhouette Decoration
18 - 6 oz dark chocolate or candy melts, melted
19 - Parchment paper
20 - Betty Boop heart-shaped stencil
# Step-by-Step:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease two 9-inch heart-shaped cake pans and line bottoms with parchment paper.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together cake flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and sea salt. Set aside.
03 - In a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat butter on medium speed for 1 minute until creamy. Gradually add sugar and beat for 2–3 minutes until light and fluffy.
04 - Add eggs one at a time, beating on low speed after each addition just until blended. Scrape down bowl sides as needed.
05 - Stir in red gel food coloring, vanilla extract, and 1 teaspoon white vinegar until batter is evenly colored.
06 - With mixer on low, add one-third of dry ingredients, then half of buttermilk, mixing just until incorporated. Repeat with another third of dry ingredients, remaining buttermilk, and finish with last third of dry ingredients. Do not overmix.
07 - In a small cup, combine 1 teaspoon vinegar with baking soda, then gently fold into batter. The mixture will foam slightly.
08 - Divide batter evenly between prepared pans, smoothing tops with offset spatula. Bake on center rack for 25–30 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
09 - Let cakes cool in pans for 10 minutes. Run thin knife around edges, then invert onto wire racks and remove parchment. Cool completely before frosting.
10 - In a clean mixer bowl, beat cream cheese and butter on medium speed for 2 minutes until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar and salt, then vanilla extract, beating on low until combined and fluffy. Transfer to piping bag or cover in refrigerator.
11 - If desired, level cake domes with serrated knife. Place one heart cake layer on cake board or plate. Pipe or spread even layer of frosting over top. Top with second cake layer, press gently, and refrigerate for 15 minutes to set crumb coat.
12 - Apply thin crumb coat of frosting over entire cake. Chill for 10 minutes, then add final smooth layer of frosting. Use offset spatula to create swirls or leave smooth as desired.
13 - Place printed stencil under sheet of parchment. Pipe or brush melted dark chocolate over outline on parchment. Allow chocolate silhouette to fully set at room temperature or refrigerator for 10 minutes.
14 - Carefully peel chocolate silhouette from parchment and lift onto center of cake. Press gently so it adheres to frosting.
15 - Decorate cake edges with additional frosting rosettes, edible glitter, or red sugar pearls. Chill cake for 30 minutes before serving to let frosting set. Slice with warm, clean knife for neat hearts.
