Quilted Valentine Cake

Prepare cake mix and bake in a 13 x 9-in. pan as directed on box. Cool in pan on a wire rack 10 minutes before inverting on rack to cool completely.

Color frosting as follows: Tint 1 cup pink and 1 cup pale lavender. Spoon 2 Tbsp of each color into separate small bowls (see Tip). Spoon remaining white frosting into the plastic bag; seal bag. Knead 1⁄4 cup confectioners’ sugar into frosting in each bowl until a clay-like dough forms, kneading in more sugar if dough is sticky. Wrap airtight in plastic wrap.

Lightly dust work surface and rolling pin with cornstarch. Roll doughs to about 1⁄8 in. thick. Using cutters, cut a lavender L and V, a pink heart and E, and 4 small hearts from each color. Press and reroll scraps (pieces may crack, so make extra).

Transfer hearts and letters to a cornstarch-dusted sheet of foil. Let set uncovered at room temperature overnight.

Score top of cake with a toothpick or skewer into 12 even rectangles (3 rows lengthwise; 4 crosswise).

To frost cake: Carefully spread pink and lavender frosting in alternating rectangles and on sides of cake. Snip tiny tip off corner of bag with white frosting and pipe zigzag stitching lines between rectangles and around top of cake. Press a candy heart in each corner. Snip 1⁄4 in. more off corner of bag; pipe beads around base of cake.

Press alternating pink and lavender hearts in top and bottom row of rectangles and L(heart-shape)VE in center row. NOTE Cutters, piping tips and heart-shaped pans can be found in stores selling Wilton cake-decorating supplies. Planning Tip: The hearts and letters can be stored, loosely covered, at room temperature up to 1 week. The cake can be decorated up to 1 day ahead. Store loosely covered at room temperature.