Red Heart Cupcakes

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These red heart cupcakes are perfect for Valentine’s Day. Learn how to make these easy heart-shaped cupcakes that you can share with family and friends.

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Valentine’s Day is just around the corner and it’s a well-known fact that I love to whip up fun holiday recipes. Wait! Didn’t we just wrap up Christmas? Valentine’s Day is a nice break from the cold winter months. It’s that special holiday where we get to eat cute heart-shaped foods, indulge in chocolate and candy and share a card or two with our friends and family.

When it comes to baking for any holiday, I like to find a few shortcuts here and there to make my life easier. I made thesered heart cupcakes with a doctored-up box cake mix. The reason why I share this is that we are all busy, or maybe you don’t feel like you can bake well. But you can. I like to share different methods for those who may otherwise run the other way when you hear the word “baking”.

Do I need a heart-shaped pan to make these cupcakes?

Nope! Scroll down below and I will share an easy baking hack for how to make cupcakes heart-shaped.

Ingredients For Red Heart Cupcakes

• Vanilla cake mix cake mix (you can also use a box of chocolate cake mix instead, if you prefer)
• Eggs
• Softened unsalted sweet cream butter
• Whole milk

Kitchen Essentials Needed To Make Heart Cupcakes

• Cupcake Pan
• Marbles
• Stand Mixer or Hand Mixer
• Cupcake Liners
• Aluminum Foil
• Large Mixing Bowl
• Measuring Cups & Spoons

How To Make Heart-Shaped Cupcakes With Marbles

Line the cupcake tin with cupcake liners. Place a marble in the center of the “top” of the cupcake on the OUTSIDE of the cupcake liner. (We don’t want to be eating marbles). Fold a small piece of foil to fit on both sides of the cupcake liner

Use a 1/4 measuring cup to add the batter to the cupcake tin. Bake for 15-18 minutes. Remove and let cool in the pan for 20-25 minutes. Once removed you should have a heart-shaped cupcake!

Can I MakeRed Heart Cupcakes From Scratch?

Absolutely! You can certainly whip up a cupcake recipe from scratch. This is my favorite cupcake recipe. I am sharing an easy boxed cake mix version of this recipe as an option.

Cupcake Decorating Ideas

To frost these cute cupcakes, you can either make your own frosting from scratch or use frosting from a can. You will need to add food coloring to the frosting too. Red food coloring is perfect. Pink food coloring is also perfect. It’s your choice. I also like to add some fun sprinkles to the tops of my cupcakes as well.

Decorating Options:

• Mini rosettes: Hold your piping bag straight up and down and make small circles using a “star tip.
• Criss/Cross Design: Slightly angle the piping bag and create a criss-cross pattern.
• Heart outline: Outline the cupcake and make small circles in the center to fill in the space.
• Add sprinkles!

How To Store Frosted Cupcakes

Frosted cupcakes should be stored on your counter in an air-tight container. Like all cakes and cupcakes, make sure they are completly cooled before frosting.

How To Freeze Frosted Cupcakes

Have some extra cupcakes leftover? Freeze them to use at another time. I know some are not of fan of frozen cupcakes because they like a “fresh” frosting, but I grew up with this method. My mom would always make too many and then freeze the rest.

I place mine in a large air-tight container. Make sure you don’t smash them. When ready to eat, just take out as many as you need and let them come to room temperature on the counter before serving.

How To Store Unfrosted Cupcakes

If you want to make these Valentine cupcakes ahead of time, no problem. Let the cupcakes COOL COMPLETELY. If you place them in your storage container too soon, they will release steam and get soggy. And no one likes a soggy cupcake.

For best results, remove them from the pan as soon as they are done baking and place them on a wire cooling rack.

Once the cupcakes are completely cooled, place them in an air-tight container. Make sure it has a tight-fitting lid. Store on the counter for up to two days. You may notice the top of the cupcakes will get sticky. Don’t worry, just frost as usual and they will be just fine.

How To Freeze Unfrosted Cupcakes

I learned this trick from my mom. Unfrosted Cupcakes freeze well. Again, make sure they are completely cooled before freezing. If the cupcakes are not cooled before your freeze them, the tops get funky from the condensation and often turn into a soggy cupcake once defrosted. Wrap each cupcake individually so they do not get that yucky freezer taste.

To defrost the unfrosted cupcakes, unwrap each cupcake and let it come to room temperature before adding frosting. Once the cupcakes are frosted, you can store on the counter in an air-tight container.

Try These Easy Cupcake Recipes

Cannoli Cupcakes

Chocolate Ganache Cupcakes

Strawberry Cheesecake Cupcakes

Cherry Bombs

Cruella Cupcakes

Valentine’s Day Recipes & Crafts

How To Make A Charcuterie Board for Valentine’s Day

Baby Yoda Valentines

Mason Jar Valentines With Printable Gift Tags

Valentine Dessert Board

Valentine Brownie Pops

Save this easy Valentine’s Day Heart cupcake recipe. Pin the image below to your favorite Pinterest board.

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Yield: 18 Cupcakes

How To Make Red Heart Cupcakes

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Additional Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

These red heart cupcakes are perfect for Valentine's Day. Learn how to make easy heart-shaped cupcakes to share with family and friends.

Print

Ingredients

• 1 box of vanilla cake mix cake mix (you can also use chocolate cake mix instead)
• 3 large eggs room temp
• 1/2 cup of softened unsalted sweet cream butter
• 1 cup whole milk

Equipment

• Marbles
• Cupcake Tin
• Cupcake Liners
• Aluminum Foil

Instructions

1. Line the cupcake tin with cupcake liners. Place a marble in the center of the "top" of the cupcake on the OUTSIDE of the cupcake liner. Fold a small piece of foil to fit on both sides of the cupcake liner
2. Use a 1/4 measuring cup to add the batter to the cupcake tin.
3. Bake for 15-18 minutes. Remove and let cool in the pan for 20-25 minutes
4. Once removed, allow to cool for another 25-30 minutes on a cooling rack before frosting. Now you should have a cute heart-shaped cupcake!
5. Frost as you would like with your favorite red or pink buttercream frosting recipe.

Notes

Decorating Options

Mini rosettes: Hold your piping bag straight up and down and make small circles using a "star tip".

Criss/Cross Design: Slightly angle the piping bag and create a criss-cross pattern.

Heart outline: Outline the cupcake and make small circles in the center to fill in the space.

Add sprinkles!

Did you make this recipe?

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