Description
Celebrate love and creativity with this stunning Valentine’s Terrazzo Cake, featuring moist vanilla layers wrapped in luscious cream cheese whipped filling and adorned with colorful terrazzo-style chocolate shards. The light pink buttercream frosting adds a perfect touch of sweetness and elegance, making it ideal for Valentine’s Day or any special occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Vanilla Cake
- 2 ½ cups (315g) all-purpose flour
- 2 ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- ¾ cup (170g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 ¾ cups (350g) granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 tbsp vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
- 1 cup (240ml) whole milk, room temperature
For the Cream Cheese Whipped Filling
- 8 oz (225g) cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup (60g) powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups (360ml) heavy whipping cream, cold
For the Terrazzo Chocolate Shards
- 1 cup white chocolate, melted
- Gel food coloring in red, pink, burgundy, and ivory
- Parchment paper
For the Pink Buttercream
- 1 ½ cups (340g) unsalted butter, softened
- 5 cups (600g) powdered sugar
- 2–4 tbsp heavy cream or milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Gel food coloring in light pink
Instructions
- Make the Cake Layers: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line three 8-inch round cake pans with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt, then set aside. In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, around 3–4 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Mix in the vanilla bean paste. Alternately add the dry ingredients and milk in three parts, starting and ending with the flour mixture, mixing just until combined. Divide batter evenly among pans and bake for 25–28 minutes. Let cool in the pans for 10 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.
- Prepare the Cream Cheese Whipped Filling: Beat the softened cream cheese in a medium bowl until smooth. Add powdered sugar and vanilla extract, beating until well combined. Gradually add cold heavy cream while beating on high speed until soft peaks form. Refrigerate until ready to use.
- Make the Terrazzo Chocolate Shards: Divide melted white chocolate into small bowls and tint each with different gel colors: red, pink, burgundy, and ivory. Spoon small irregular blobs of each color onto parchment paper to create a terrazzo pattern. Allow chocolate to set at room temperature or refrigerate until fully hardened. Carefully peel shards from parchment and set aside.
- Make the Pink Buttercream: Beat softened butter in a large bowl until smooth and pale. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating well after each addition. Mix in vanilla and 2 tablespoons of cream or milk. Beat for 2–3 minutes until fluffy. Add more cream if needed for a spreadable consistency. Tint with light pink gel food coloring and mix thoroughly.
- Assemble the Cake: Level the cooled cake layers if needed. Place one layer on a cake board or plate. Spread or pipe a layer of cream cheese whipped filling on top. Optionally press some terrazzo chocolate shards into the filling for texture and visual interest. Repeat with remaining layers. Apply a thin crumb coat of pink buttercream and chill for 15 minutes. Finish with a smooth final coat of pink buttercream.
- Decorate Terrazzo Style: Press the colorful chocolate shards gently into the sides and top of the cake in a random, balanced pattern, resembling terrazzo tiles. Chill the decorated cake briefly to set the frosting and decorations before serving.
Notes
- Ensure all ingredients like eggs, butter, and milk are at room temperature to achieve the best cake texture.
- Use gel food coloring to keep the chocolate shards vibrant without altering texture.
- Chilling the cake between frosting layers helps achieve a smooth finish and prevents crumbs from mixing into the icing.
- Handle chocolate shards gently to avoid breaking them into too small pieces.
- Store the cake refrigerated and bring to room temperature before serving for best flavor and texture.
