Colored icing gives these treats pizzazz

Looking for a yummy, unique way to say “Happy Valentine’s Day”? Beautiful, bite-sized, heart-shaped cakes offer a delicious solution.

Whether for your sweetheart, friends or family, or perhaps a special dessert for a romantic dinner, these tiny treats will delight.

Enrobed in pastel icing, decorated with shimmering matching sugar pearls, these little gems are a cinch to make. Use a cake mix for convenience and bake in a petite heart-shaped silicone mold. Cakes pop right out of the mold after cooling (and the silicone is super easy to clean after baking.)

Icing the hearts couldn’t be simpler, even though it might appear that you need an expert hand. The secret? Ready-to-use decorator icing in a can.

Microwave the icing — in the can (one can at a time) — until it reaches pouring consistency, and tint with pastel icing colors. Pour over the cooled cakes to cover tops and sides, then arrange pearls on top. Perfect, Petite Pastel Hearts look bakery beautiful, but are lovingly homemade. How special is that?

For more sensational ideas for Valentine’s Day or other celebrations, visit www.wilton.com.

 

Petite Pastel Hearts

1 pkg.     white or yellow cake mix

…………Water, eggs and vegetable oil to prepare mix

4 cans   white ready-to-use decorator icing

…………royal blue, rose, kelly green and

…………lemon yellow icing color

…………green, yellow, pink and blue sugar pearls

 

Preheat oven to 350°F.  Spray silicone mold with vegetable pan spray.

Prepare cake mix following package instructions. Fill silicone mold cavities 2/3 full. Place mold on a cookie sheet and bake 8 – 12 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center of cakes comes out clean. Cool in mold on cooling grid 15 minutes; remove cakes from mold and cool completely. Repeat with remaining cake batter.

Remove lid and foil seal from canned icing. Heat in microwave on Defrost (30 percent power) 20-30 seconds; stir. Repeat until consistency of icing will pour. Stir in icing color. Place cooled cakes on cooling grid positioned over cookie pan.

Working with two to three treats at a time, pour icing on center of cake; continue covering top so icing drips down and covers sides.  Let set briefly; position sugar pearls before icing sets completely.

Courtesy of Family Features