Valentine Cake: No-Bake Mini Heart Cakes

　　* Active Time: 45 minutes
　　* Total Time: 2 hours 45 minutes
　　INGREDIENTS
　　o One 16-oz frozen poundcake, not thawed
　　o Icing
　　o 51/4 cups (about 11/2 lb) confectioners’ sugar
　　o 1/2 cup milk
　　o 3 Tbsp light corn syrup
　　o 2 tsp almond or vanilla extract
　　o Red liquid or paste (icing) food color
　　o Decorations: tubes of white, red and pink decorating icing, each fitted with round piping tip; red crystal sugar; and tiny candy hearts (available in many supermarkets, crafts stores and
　　o cake-decorating and party-supply shops)
　　PREPARATION
　　1. Have ready 2-in. and/or 21/2-in. heart-shape metal cookie cutters.
　　2. Using a long, sharp knife, trim rounded hump off poundcake so top is flat. Trim crust off sides. Slice cake horizontally in half. Cut hearts from each half.
　　3. Put hearts 11/2 in. apart on a wire rack set on wax paper to catch drips.
　　4. Icing: Stir ingredients, except food color, in a bowl until smooth and as thin as maple syrup. Divide between 2 bowls; cover 1 bowl with plastic wrap. Tint icing in other bowl pink.
　　5. Spoon pink icing over half the cakes, completely covering tops and sides. Stir drips on wax paper into icing in bowl; cover airtight. Let icing set 30 minutes. Meanwhile repeat with white icing on rest of cakes.
　　6. Thin remaining pink and white icings with a little water as needed; give cakes a second coat. Let set at least 1 hour.
　　7. To decorate: With decorating icing, pipe designs and words on cakes as shown, or create your own designs. Add red sugar and candy hearts.
　　Planning Tip: Decorated cakes can be stored airtight in a single layer at cool room temperature up to 1 week or frozen up to 3 months. Thaw uncovered at room temperature.