No-Bake Mini Heart Cakes

* Active Time: 45 minutes
* Total Time: 2 hours 45 minutes

INGREDIENTS

o One 16-oz frozen poundcake, not thawed
o Icing
o 51/4 cups (about 11/2 lb) confectioners’ sugar
o 1/2 cup milk
o 3 Tbsp light corn syrup
o 2 tsp almond or vanilla extract
o Red liquid or paste (icing) food color
o Decorations: tubes of white, red and pink decorating icing, each fitted with round piping tip; red crystal sugar; and tiny candy hearts (available in many supermarkets, crafts stores and
o cake-decorating and party-supply shops)

PREPARATION

1. Have ready 2-in. and/or 21/2-in. heart-shape metal cookie cutters.

2. Using a long, sharp knife, trim rounded hump off poundcake so top is flat. Trim crust off sides. Slice cake horizontally in half. Cut hearts from each half.

3. Put hearts 11/2 in. apart on a wire rack set on wax paper to catch drips.

4. Icing: Stir ingredients, except food color, in a bowl until smooth and as thin as maple syrup. Divide between 2 bowls; cover 1 bowl with plastic wrap. Tint icing in other bowl pink.

5. Spoon pink icing over half the cakes, completely covering tops and sides . Stir drips on wax paper into icing in bowl; cover airtight. Let icing set 30 minutes. Meanwhile repeat with white icing on rest of cakes.

6. Thin remaining pink and white icings with a little water as needed; give cakes a second coat. Let set at least 1 hour.

7. To decorate: With decorating icing, pipe designs and words on cakes as shown, or create your own designs. Add red sugar and candy hearts.

Planning Tip: Decorated cakes can be stored airtight in a single layer at cool room temperature up to 1 week or frozen up to 3 months. Thaw uncovered at room temperature .