Love-Filled Hearts

Preparation Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour two round cake pans.

Cake batter In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy.

Cake batter Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract.

Cake batter In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the cake batter, alternating with the milk. Mix until just combined.

Cake batter Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cake pans. Smooth the tops with a spatula.

Baking Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow the cakes to cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Strawberry filling While the cakes are cooling, prepare the strawberry filling. In a saucepan, combine the diced strawberries, granulated sugar, cornstarch, and lemon juice. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens and the strawberries release their juices. Remove from heat and let cool.

Cream cheese frosting In a mixing bowl, beat together the softened cream cheese and butter until smooth and creamy. Gradually add the powdered sugar and vanilla extract, beating until well combined.

Assembly Once the cakes have cooled, use a heart-shaped cookie cutter to cut out heart shapes from each cake layer.

Assembly Place one heart-shaped cake layer on a serving plate. Spread a layer of cream cheese frosting over the top. Spoon dollops of strawberry filling on top of the frosting, then gently spread it out.

Assembly Place another heart-shaped cake layer on top, and repeat the cream cheese frosting and strawberry filling layers.

Assembly Place the remaining heart-shaped cake layer on top. Spread a thin layer of cream cheese frosting over the entire cake to create a crumb coat. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to set.

Assembly Remove the cake from the refrigerator and frost the entire cake with the remaining cream cheese frosting.

Decoration Decorate the cake with heart-shaped sprinkles and fresh strawberries.

Serve Serve and enjoy!