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Vintage Cake Valentine’s Box

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Create the sweetest DIY vintage cake Valentine’s box with this easy step-by-step tutorial! Perfect for school exchanges or decor, this charming craft is a must-try for Valentine’s Day.

Lately, I’ve been absolutely obsessed with the vintage cake trend—the frilly piping, pastel colors, and all those gorgeous, decadent details. It’s such a fun, nostalgic aesthetic, and I couldn’t resist finding a way to incorporate it into something special.

I knew this was the perfect opportunity to take my love for vintage cakes to the next level, when my daughter needed her Valentine’s box for school.

The result? A DIY Valentine’s box that looks just like a beautifully decorated cake—complete with faux frosting and all!

Let me show you how to make one of your own!

Materials Needed

Supplies to make vintage cake Valentine's box on wood table top.

To make this cute cake Valentine’s box you’ll need:

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Start by brushing the Mod Podge on the lid of the heart box (we removed the lid for this). Be sure to use even strokes, and spread any thick spots out. Lay the lid over a plastic bag or newspaper and sprinkle the glitter over the glue. Work quickly so the glue doesn’t dry before you can add all of the glitter.

Pink box lid decorated with glitter on plastic grocery bag.

2. Tap the lid carefully over the plastic bag or paper to remove all of the excess glitter. If there are any sparse parts, add a bit more Mod Podge, glitter, and tap to remove the glitter. Let the lid dry.

Pink box pleat ribbon glued onto bottom of white heart shaped box.

3. While the lid is drying, heat up your hot glue gun. Add a dot of glue to the bottom of the heart box. Press some of the box pleat ribbon trim to the glue. Continue to add glue and press the ribbon all the way around the bottom of the heart box.

Pearl trim draped around white heart shaped box.

4. Once the lid is dry, carefully place it on top of the bottom of the heart box. Add a dot of glue right below the lid and press the pearl trim on, being careful not to touch the glue. Drape the trim a little, add a dot of glue and press the trim in. Add another dot of glue where the trim curves to attach it to the box. Repeat the process all the way around the box.

5. Add the box pleat ribbon to the lid just like you did to the bottom of the heart.

6. Once the lid is dry, carefully brush another layer of Mod Podge over the glitter to protect it from falling off.

Pink letters spelled out to be "Ella A" on heart shaped box decorated with glitter.

7. Use the hot glue to attach the foam letters to the top of the box.

Heart shaped box decorated like a cake on wood table top.

8. Add on the remaining embellishments like the thin ribbon bows and faux cherries to make the cake look extra fancy.

Project Costs

Here is the breakdown of the costs associated with making this Valentine’s box:

  • Heart-shaped box – $4.19
  • Box pleat ribbon trim – $4.00
  • Pearl trim – $0.40
  • Thin ribbon – $0.20
  • Mod Podge – $0.50
  • Glitter – $0.30
  • Foam letters – $0.50
  • Faux cherries – $2.00
  • Hot glue gun – $9.99

The cost will vary depending what you already have on hand! I used a coupon for the heart shaped box and had a lot of the other supplies on hand, so this project ended up costing about $7 which is a steal for such a fun, custom Valentine’s box!

Pinterest Inspo

Here are some other ideas straight from Pinterest!

Want More?

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Your Turn

Did you use this cake Valentine’s box tutorial this year? Let us know how it turned out in the comments!