A valentine cake recipe to remember! It may seem involved and difficult. It really is not. This is a great cake recipe for all would be bakers who desire more of a challenge in the kitchen. Impress your friends and family with this unbelievable concoction. Happy Valentine’s Day!

CAKE

3⁄4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

2 1⁄3 cups boiling water

2 1⁄3 cups granulated sugar

3⁄4 cup oil

3 large eggs, at room temperature

1 Tablespoon vanilla extract

2 1⁄2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

FROSTING

1 stick (1⁄2 cup) butter, softened

1 1⁄2 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 cups confectioners’ sugar

6 oz unsweetened baking chocolate, melted and cooled

About 1⁄2 cup heavy (whipping) cream

Chocolate Hearts

1⁄2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1⁄2 cup milk chocolate chips

1⁄2 cup white chocolate chips

1. Heat oven to 325*F. Coat two 8 x 2-in. heart-shaped cake pans* with nonstick spray. Line bottoms with wax paper.

2. Cake: Put cocoa powder and boiling water in a medium bowl; stir until smooth. When cool, add next 4 ingredients.

3. Beat with mixer on medium speed until blended.

4. On low speed, add flour, baking soda and salt. Beat just until smooth (batter is thin). Divide between pans.

5. Bake 45 to 55 minutes until a wooden pick inserted in center of cakes comes out clean. Cool in pans on a wire rack 10 minutes. Run knife around edges of cakes, invert on rack, peel off paper and cool completely.

6. Frosting: Beat butter and vanilla in a large bowl with mixer on medium speed until creamy.

7. Reduce speed to low and beat in 1⁄2 cup sugar, then melted chocolate.

8. Alternate beating in remaining sugar and 1⁄2 cup cream. Increase speed to medium; beat, adding more cream if needed, until spreadable.

9. To assemble: Turn cakes right side up. With a serrated knife, trim tops level if necessary.

10. Place 1 layer top side down on serving plate. Spread top with 1 cup frosting. Add other layer, top side down.

11. Brush any crumbs off cake. Coat with a thin layer frosting, then spread and swirl on remaining frosting.

12. Shortly before serving: Place hearts on cake.

Chocolate Hearts

1. Line a baking sheet with wax paper. Have ready assorted-size heart-shaped metal cookie cutters and red paste food color.

2. Melt 1⁄2 cup semisweet chocolate chips as package directs.

3. Pour onto lined baking sheet and spread with a metal spatula to a 6 1⁄2-in. square. Refrigerate 5 minutes until set.

4. Fill a shallow bowl with hot water. Dip cookie cutter(s) in water about 30 seconds, tap off excess water and cut out chocolate hearts.

5. Refrigerate until needed. Repeat with 1⁄2 cup milk chocolate chips.

6. Melt 1⁄2 cup white chocolate chips as bag directs. Remove about 1⁄4 and tint red.

7. Spread white and red chocolate on lined baking sheet; proceed as above.

Planning Tip:

Cake can be baked and frosting made up to 2 days ahead. Wrap layers separately; store at cool room temperature. Refrigerate frosting. To use, bring frosting to room temperature; beat until spreadable. The hearts can be made up to 1 week ahead. Refrigerate.

Note: For the red heart, substitute 1⁄4 cup red candy melts* or a heart-shaped red candy.

Makes 1 cake.

Recipe and photo courtesy of Woman’s Day Magazine. Recipe published 2/17/04.

Comments

DaeMac

0

 

 

If you don't have heart shaped pans, here is my trick: Prepare a 9 inch round pan and a 9 inch by 9 inch square pan,(you can use an 8 inch round and an 8x8 square pan) divide batter between the pans and bake. Let cake cool in pan for 5 minutes then turn out the cakes onto cooling racks. When completely cool, place the square onto a large platter. Cut the round cake in half and align each half to meet at a point of the square. This will form the heart. This cake will be more like a sheet cake instead of layered cake, but it will make a grand impression.

Thursday 11 February 2010, 20:26

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