VALENTINES DAY - Making a Heart shaped cake - How to make a heart shaped cake cut from a round shape pan

If you are like me you do not have enough room for all those extra pans and doodads to make cute holiday cakes and goodies. How do you do it with a limited amount of kitchen cookware?

Well. let me show you..

You will need:

• one round cake pan
• cooking spray or butter or margarine for the cake pan
• a knife long enough to cut the cake or any thin sharp non serrated knife
• bowl for mixing
• one package of cake mix (your choice)
• one container of frosting (your choice)
• a coffee cup or small cup
• basting brush or small spatula (or butter knife if you do not have either of those)
• frosting spreader (or the butter knife will work for this as well)
• some candies of your choice (red hots, m & m's, etc)
• fruit roll cut into hearts (TOTALLY OPTIONAL)
• frosting tube for writing or a small plastic baggie (will explain shortly)

Now all you have to do is follow the slides.

1. Bake a round cake (follow cooling directions, cake comes out best cool but not cooled over night in the pan so remove it from pan in recommended time for optimal results)
2. Cut ¼ from top
3. Cut the top curve off
4. Flip over and use as guide to cut bottom curve off of cake
5. Flip back over and put against bottom with point down
6. Trim curves from top points (does not need to be perfect)

Ok now you have your shape but what do you do with it???

1. Take a couple of tablespoons of the frosting and put it in the small cup.
2. Put a table spoon of water or milk in the cup, microwave for 10 seconds and stir it should be runny but not watery. (if you don't have a microwave don't worry, just stirring for a minute or two with your hand against the cup will warm it enough)
3. Use the basting brush, spatula or butter knife to spread some on the edges that meet. It will look like you are buttering toast. It does not have to be thick.
4. Place them together and use the rest on the cut portions of the outside of cake.
5. Take a short break say ½ hour or so to let the frosting "glue" start to dry (It does not have to be dry all the way)
6. Frost the entire cake. (If you want fluffier frosting put it in the microwave for 10-15 seconds and transfer the frosting into a glass or metal bowl, add a tablespoon of butter [or margarine], then whip for about 2-3 minutes. This will make it much fluffier)
7. Decorate as you wish. If you do not have the tube of frosting to write with, use the leftover frosting. Just add some food coloring, mix well, place in baggie, cut a very small amount from one corner, and twist top closed then squeeze out and write with that.
8. Voila! Congratulate yourself! You are a genius!!!