Our Lady of Sorrows' Heart Cake

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Two feast day desserts in a row -- I think we shall fast for the rest of the week! Normally I would forgo a special dessert tonight, after last night's treat, but I really like to do this one and the children remember it now from year to year. Last year's cake was chocolate, but this year I made a white cake and white frosting for Mary's Immaculate Heart. Pretzel sticks represent the swords that pierced Mary's heart. If you do not have a heart-shaped cake (I do not), then use this method for creating a heart with a square and a round.

For the cake I used a recipe by Swans Down Cake flour, posted below. It's a good traditional white cake, but you can use any recipe, or a boxed mix. My buttercream frosting recipe is (loosely) noted below. I often go too far in an effort to get creamy and end up with soft, but since this frosting is just for spreading, not decorating, it's fine if it's soft.

Swans Down White Cake


2 c. Swans Down cake flour
2 t. baking powder
1/2 c. butter
1 c. sugar
2/3 c. milk
1 t.. vanilla
3 egg whites

Measure flour in a bowl. Add baking powder. Cream butter thoroughly; add sugar gradually and cream together until light and fluffy. Add flour mixture alternately with milk (a small amount at a time), beating after each addition until smooth. Add vanilla. Beat egg whites until stiff; fold quickly into mixture. Bake in 2 greased 8 inch layer pans in moderate oven at 375 ° for 25 to 30 minutes -- check after 20 minutes (for the heart-shaped cake you'll want to use one 8-inch round and one 8-inch square. Grease generously.)

Buttercream Frosting

1/4 c. soft butter
2 1/2 c. powdered sugar
1 t. vanilla
3 - 5 T. milk

Whip butter; add sugar 1 cup at a time. Add vanilla. Add milk one tablespoon at a time until creamy. Whip for several minutes until light and fluffy, adding more milk if necessary.
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