How to Make Conversation Heart Cupcakes
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If you’re looking for Valentine’s Day dessert ideas, these conversation heart cupcakes are the perfect treat. They come with a recipe and instructions to make them at home!
I am so excited to share today’s recipe with you! These conversation heart cupcakes are super easy to make and they look absolutely adorable. I love the idea of baking these, giving them away as a gift, or having some for myself too!
There is something about baked goods that just makes me feel warm inside. I hope you enjoy this recipe and let me know what you think in the comments below.
Conversation Heart Candy History
The history of conversation heart candy is fascinating. It was created in 1848 by a candy maker named Oliver R. Chase and it is still made the same way today with natural ingredients like sugar, corn syrup, food coloring; citric acid (to make them sour), and ammonium chloride which gives them their shape through a process called conching where they are mixed for hours at high temperature to break down the molecules of cocoa butter into smaller pieces so that they melt more easily on your tongue.
A lot of words to explain that he basically created the first machine to whip these candy lozenges out faster and in a fun shape.
Yup – they were originally sore throat lozenges – that were designed to help ailing patients. That candy maker was originally a pharmacist!
Food historians say that the conversation heart shape was chosen because it resembles a human mouth with teeth. They are also said to represent kisses and were first called “sweethearts.”
The German word for these candies is Herzensbonbons, which translates as “Heart’s Delight” or “Sugar of my Heart,” and they have been known in Japan since 1907 as Kokin-no-tama or Sweetheart Ball.
In 1912, President Taft became the first American president to receive this type of candy when he received them from his wife who had traveled abroad. The popularity spread quickly around America until World War II where sugar shortages made their production difficult, but after WWII they never stopped being made.
They used to be larger and had longer sayings on them. As with all things over time, the price goes up and the size goes down. The latest development? The candy endearments now speak with common text phrases.
Conversation Heart Shortage
In 2018 Necco declared bankruptcy. The original plant closed and their candy brands were sold off. The rights to Sweethearts were acquired by the Spangler Candy Company. With the purchase of the brand by Spangler, Sweethearts were unavailable for Valentine’s Day 2019 as Spangler set up production of the confections in a new plant.
Sweethearts returned in 2020 with the original flavors from before Necco’s 2010 change to more vivid colors and sour flavors, but due to equipment problems, the familiar sayings were largely either incomplete or missing entirely.
They seem to have all the bugs worked out though and are headed in the correct direction.
Whew!
Other Valentine’s Day inspired cupcakes
I have used the trendy treats of the season before to inspire things like our Homemade Hostess Cupcakes for Valentine’s Day and even my Amazing Chocolate Peanut Butter Heart Cupcakes. A little more whimsical? Adorable Valentine’s Day Bear Cupcakes might be just the ticket if your Valentine is pint-sized.
Now, I can add these Conversation Heart Cupcakes to the list!
Heart Shaped Cupcakes Are a Lie!
Yes – I have heard of the old trick about placing a marble or small ball of tinfoil between the cupcake liner and the muffin tin wall before adding batter and then baking them.
Contrary to the often shared knowledge – you do NOT get a heart shaped cupcake from this. You get a cupcake that looks like it is a scratch-n-dent special.
I blame Tupperware ladies for this rumor – they shared the tip at parties for 30 years.
How do you store Conversation Heart Cupcake?
Here is the thing – with the more futzy designs, I like to make them in advance of an event or get-together. The best way to usually store your finished creations? Room Temperature.
Granted, they aren’t going to be around that long – my family of three could easily take them out in two to three days. Since you are using canned frosting instead of buttercream frosting or fondant, they should be fine for five to six days. You can learn more about that in our article How To Frost A Cupcake.
Our awesome Conversation Heart Cupcakes
You can make your cupcake bases as you see fit. I love to use my Best Yellow Cupcake Recipe from Scratch recipe but you could use a boxed cake mix too. They are on sale all the time, always just a buck at your local Dollar Tree store, and super easy to dress up so no one knows you used a boxed mix.
I often keep cupcake bases in my freezer for those times I want to whip up something fun and whimsical – like these Conversation Heart cupcakes or even my Oreo cupcakes.
I must admit – I am not in love with these and will probably try to improve on them later. The red gel icing needs to go and white lettering to replace it.
The conversation heart candy – just. nope.
But – these are a fun thing to let the kids decorate – and easily doable.
Conversation Heart Cupcakes Ingredients
- Yellow cupcakes – cooled and at room temperature
- White frosting – either canned or homemade
- Blue, green, pink, and yellow food coloring
- Red gel icing, for writing
How to make Conversation Heart Cupcakes
Divide your white frosting into 4 separate bowls.
In each bowl, add just a drop or two of food coloring to create 4 different pastel tones.
Place 3 dollops of frosting on each cupcake in the desired color, 2 at top and 1 in the middle, and smooth and shape into a heart or pipe the frosting on in a heart shape.
Use red gel icing to write words or symbols
See – this is what didn’t seem to really work for me. White – that is what is needed, even if the message won’t show up as well. And the candy was overkill –
What do you think?
Like our conversation heart cupcakes recipe? Try these fun ideas:
- Lemoncello Cupcakes: A Deliciously Tangy Treat
- Camo Cupcakes: How to Make the Perfect Army-Inspired Treats
- When Making Cupcakes: How Full to Fill the Liners
- Polar Bear Cupcakes: Adorable Treats for Your Winter Party
- Rudolph Cupcakes: A Delicious and Festive Holiday Treat
Happy Valentine’s Day!
