Valentine’s Heart Cake
By Marci Sorce
Valentine’s Day usually invokes the thoughts of luscious creamy chocolate desserts.
Like a rich chocolate espresso soufflé.
Or a decadent chocolate hazelnut torte.
Or a warm ooey gooey molten chocolate cake.
But, not in my house. Nothin says lovin like a big chocolate heart cake.
My Mom has been making this for me and my sisters since we were kids and I have now passed on the tradition to my two little cherubs.
So, if you are looking for those aforementioned desserts, you will have to look elsewhere this weekend. Or maybe I’ll make them in the future but for now, it’s a big fat heart cake. Especially since Valentine’s Day is on a Monday night and it will be impossible to have a lengthy dinner, let alone dessert between school, homework, showers and rock climbing.
Yes, rock climbing – not me – my son Anthony.
So, I decided to give you a mini tutorial on how to make a heart shaped cake for Valentine’s Day without having to spend money on a heart shaped baking pan.
I’m all about saving the money and all about less clutter in the kitchen. Why spend the money on a pan that you will use 1 day out of the year and then have to store somewhere in your already over crammed kitchen cabinets.
Or is that just me?
Anyway, the nice thing about this recipe is you can make your own cake from scratch or throw together a boxed cake mix. I won’t tell.
So, basically, you get your cake mix together but instead of using 2 – 9 inch cake pans, you want to use one square 9 inch pan and one round 9 inch cake pan. Divide the mix between the 2 pans.
Be sure to grease your pans well – something I have learned painfully to do.
Bake according to recipe or package directions and let cool.
When cakes are cool, flip them out onto a cooling rack or platter and this is what you have:
Okay, yes, you may have noticed that this picture was taken with the cakes on the floor. It was the only way I could get the shot without climbing on top of the table. Do whatcha gotta do.
Take the round cake and cut it in half like so:
Then carefully, place the two round halves by the top of the square pan which is placed on a platter in a diamond formation. Diamonds – Valentine’s Day – another good combination!
If the cakes don’t line up perfectly, don’t worry, it’s nothing a little frosting can’t cure. Another option would be to flip the cake pieces over and cut them down a little so they lay a little more evenly. Do this on the bottom though, or it will be impossible to frost since the cake crumbs will get pulled up with the frosting.
Besides, I’m all about the frosting.
Speaking of which, here is the cake all frosted:
Think I could have used a bigger platter?
Enjoy! And again, Happy Valentine’s Day!