Pink Heart Cake Bites (Print Version)

# Ingredients:

→ Cake

01 - 1 cup sour cream, full fat
02 - ½ tsp kosher salt
03 - 1 cup white granulated sugar
04 - 1 box of white cake mix
05 - 3 eggs, brought to room temperature
06 - 1 tbsp vanilla extract
07 - 1⅓ cups water
08 - 2 tbsp vegetable oil
09 - 1 cup all-purpose flour

→ Marshmallow Filling

10 - 2 cups powdered sugar
11 - ¼ tsp kosher salt
12 - 7 oz marshmallow creme or fluff
13 - ¾ cup softened, salted butter
14 - 1½ tsp vanilla extract
15 - 2-4 tbsp heavy cream at room temperature

→ Coating

16 - Pink gel-based food coloring
17 - 3 tbsp Crisco or cooking oil/butter
18 - 32 oz almond bark

# Instructions:

01 - Turn the oven on to 350°F. Grease and line two half-sheet trays (18×13-inch) with parchment paper. Mix together the boxed cake mix, sugar, water, eggs, vanilla, and oil using a stand or hand mixer for about a minute. At medium speed, add in the flour, salt, and sour cream and blend until silky, about 2-3 minutes.
02 - Spread the batter into the two pans evenly (the layers will be thin). Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, and make sure they're fully cooked through. Afterward, let them cool down for 30 minutes at room temp, then pop them in the fridge for 30-60 minutes.
03 - Combine marshmallow fluff and butter, then beat on medium-high for about 1 minute until it's creamy. Add in powdered sugar, vanilla, salt, and 2 tablespoons heavy cream. Mix on medium speed, adding a bit more cream if needed to reach a smooth but spreadable texture.
04 - Use a 3-inch heart cutter to cut 32 hearts out of the cooled cake layers. Spread a layer of filling on half of the hearts, and then sandwich them with the rest. Lay them on a pan lined with parchment and place in the freezer for an hour.
05 - Microwave the almond bark in short 30-second bursts, stirring each time until it's fully melted. Add Crisco, mix until smooth, and save ½-1 cup of the white coating for later. Stir pink gel food color into the rest of the melted chocolate, and set it aside for 3-5 minutes to cool a bit.
06 - Dip the frozen cakes into the pink-tinted chocolate, then place them on a cooling rack lined with parchment paper. Let the coating set for about 10 minutes, then drizzle the leftover white chocolate on top to create messy patterns.

# Notes:

01 - Only use gel-based food dyes, as liquid ones can ruin the chocolate.
02 - For the best outcome, ensure every ingredient is room temperature.
03 - Freezing helps keep the cakes firm enough for dipping in chocolate.

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