This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
These Valentine’s Day heart cupcakes have a cute heart-shaped cutout filled with canned strawberry jam (or your favorite filling). Because this recipe uses pre-baked cupcakes, it’s ready in 20 minutes or less!
Recipe Overview: Valentine’s Day Heart Cupcakes
- Ready In: 20 minutes or less
- Serves: 8
- Calories: 275 kcal (approximately, depending on the cupcake recipe used)
- Main Ingredients: Pre-baked cupcakes (unfrosted), strawberry jam, powdered sugar
- Why You’ll Love It: These Valentine's Day heart cupcakes are easy to make, fun to decorate, and don’t require special pans or complicated techniques. You can fully customize them with your favorite cake recipe and filling. It’s also an easy and fun recipe for kids!
SUMMARIZE & SAVE THIS RECIPE ON
These Valentine’s Day cupcakes are so easy to make!
I made these with vanilla cupcakes and strawberry filling. But they will work with any cake and icing combo. They would be delicious made with my sourdough carrot cake recipe or your other favorite cake and filling.
For a full Valentine’s Day dessert spread, serve them with sourdough Valentine’s Day brownies, sourdough strawberry shortcake, sourdough strawberry cake with fresh berries, and sourdough strawberry chocolate chip scones.
Jump to:
- Recipe Overview: Valentine’s Day Heart Cupcakes
- Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Key Ingredients
- Variations
- How To Make Valentine’s Day Heart Cupcakes
- Get the FREE sourdough starter eBook!
- Tips for Success
- Serving Suggestions
- Storing
- Valentine’s Day Heart Cupcakes FAQs
- More Valentine’s Day Desserts
- Valentine’s Day Heart Cupcakes
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Easy: All you need is your favorite cupcake recipe, a small heart-shaped cookie cutter, and your favorite filling.
Versatile: You can make these cupcakes with any cake recipe and filling you prefer.
Kid-Friendly: These Valentine’s Day heart cupcakes are fun for kids to make.
Key Ingredients
Cupcakes: Make your favorite cupcake recipe. I made vanilla cupcakes, but they would also be great with chocolate or even sourdough carrot cake. Or you can swing by a local bakery and buy unfrosted cupcakes.
Filling: Use your favorite filling or icing. I used home-canned strawberry jam. But you can use Instant Pot apple butter, buttercream, Nutella…it’s up to you!
Powdered Sugar: You will need powdered sugar for dusting the tops.
Get the full list of ingredients and measurements on the printable recipe card below.
Variations
Chocolate: Use a chocolate cupcake base.
Red Velvet: Red velvet cake is perfect for Valentine’s Day.
Funfetti: Toss Valentine’s Day sprinkles into the batter for a kid-friendly option.
Cream Cheese: Use a cream cheese frosting. This pairs especially well with chocolate or red velvet cake.
Whipped Cream: Use my whipped cream recipe with vanilla for an easy filling.
How To Make Valentine’s Day Heart Cupcakes
Step 1: Make your favorite cupcakes (or grab unfrosted ones from a bakery).
Be sure to fill the cupcake liners close to the top. The baked cake should dome over the liner, but not overflow.
Allow the cupcakes to completely cool to room temperature.
Step 2: Once cooled, use a serrated knife to slice the tops off the cupcake.
Use the top of the cupcake liner as a guide.
Step 3: Turn the sliced-off portion over so that the bottom is facing up. Use a small heart-shaped cookie cutter to cut out the heart.
Step 4: Turn the sliced-off top over again (it should be right-side up now). Dust powered sugar over the top.
Dust as heavily as preferred. Set aside.
Step 5: Spread a thin layer of jam on the bottom of the cupcake (the portion in the liner).
Step 6: Evenly place the top back onto the bottom portion.
Use a small spoon to fill the heart with jam. If, after a few minutes, the jam has settled into the heart, add another dollop to fill it again.
Repeat the steps for each cupcake.
Tips for Success
- Double-check that your cutter is tall enough to cut through the top of the cupcake that you slice off.
- I found that if I tried to cut from the top or front of the cupcake, it cracked the cake. However, by flipping it over and cutting from the bottom/back of the cupcake, there was less cracking.
- For these cupcakes specifically, you will need the cake to dome above the liner. That way, you can easily slice the tops off.
- Don’t worry if the tops crack when slicing. You can easily cover it up with the powdered sugar.
- Use room temperature filling. When it’s cold, it will be hard to spoon into the heart cutout.
- Keep in mind that there needs to be a color contrast between the cake and filling. Otherwise, the heart won’t stand out.
Serving Suggestions
Coffee: These sweet cupcakes pair nicely with a cup of coffee and vanilla brown sugar coffee creamer.
Ice Cream: Cake and ice cream are a classic combo. Serve with old-fashioned strawberry ice cream or no-egg vanilla ice cream.
Brunch: For a Valentine’s Day brunch, serve with sourdough coffee cake and slow cooker egg and sausage casserole.
Storing
- Store leftover cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
- For longer storage, refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Valentine’s Day Heart Cupcakes FAQs
Absolutely. Any cake mix-homemade or store-bought-will work for Valentine’s Day heart cupcakes.
Yes, bake the cupcakes a day in advance. When ready to serve, continue with the recipe instructions, cutting out the heart and filling the cupcake with jam, Instant Pot apple butter, or your favorite filling.
Yes, as long as you have a small enough heart-shaped cookie cutter, that will definitely work.
More Valentine’s Day Desserts
If you tried this Valentine’s Day Heart Cupcake recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks, y’all!
Valentine’s Day Heart Cupcakes
Equipment
- Small heart cookie cutter
Ingredients
- 8 cupcakes, pre-made, cooled, unfrosted
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar, or as much needed for dusting
- 1 cup strawberry jam, room temperature
Instructions
- Make your favorite cupcakes. Be sure to fill the cupcake liners close to the top. The baked cake should dome over the liner, but not overflow. Allow the cupcakes to completely cool to room temperature. Or use unfrosted cupcakes from a bakery.8 cupcakes
- Slice the Tops. Once cooled, use a serrated knife to slice the tops off the cupcake. Use the top of the cupcake liner as a guide.
- Cut the Heart. Turn the sliced-off portion over so that the bottom is facing up. Use a small heart-shaped cookie cutter to cut out the heart.
- Dust with Powdered Sugar. Turn the sliced-off top over again (it should be right-side up now). Dust powered sugar over the top. Dust as heavily as preferred. Set aside.1/4 cup powdered sugar
- Add the Jam. Spread a thin layer of jam on the bottom of the cupcake (the portion in the liner).1 cup strawberry jam
- Fill the Heart. Evenly place the top back onto the bottom portion. Use a small spoon to fill the heart with jam. If, after a few minutes, the jam has settled into the heart, add another dollop to fill it again. Repeat the steps for each cupcake.
Video
Notes
- Use your favorite filling or icing for the heart.
- Keep in mind that there needs to be a color contrast between the cake and filling. Otherwise, the heart won’t stand out.
- Double-check that your cutter is tall enough to cut through the top of the cupcake that you slice off.
- I found that if I tried to cut from the front/top of the cupcake, it cracked the cake. However, by flipping it over and cutting from the bottom/back of the cupcake, there was less cracking.
- For these cupcakes specifically, you will need the cake to dome above the liner. That way, you can easily slice the tops off.
- Don’t worry if the tops crack when slicing. You can easily cover it up with the powdered sugar.
- Use room temperature filling. When it’s cold, it will be hard to spoon into the heart cutout.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is auto-calculated and may not reflect your final product. Please verify independently if needed.
