Hidden Heart Cake

By Tracy

8 Person

150 Minutes

0 Calories

Have a go at baking this lovely romantic loaf cake, which has a surprise center when cut - perfect for a valentine’s gift. Death by chocolate couldn't be sweeter with these amazingly decadent chocolate cake recipes. For this classic chocolate loaf cake recipe with easy chocolate frosting, you can do a mix of cocoa and two kinds of bar chocolate, unsweetened and bittersweet.

Ingredients

Chocolate Sprinkles (To Decorate )

Chocolate Buttercream

1 1/2 tbsp. Milk (Whole)
1/2 tsp. Vanilla Extract
300 g Unrefined Golden Icing Sugar
150 g Unsalted Butter (Softened)
75 g Plain Chocolate (70% cocoa)

Chocolate Sponge

1 tbsp. Milk (Whole)
1 tsp. Chocolate Extract
35 g Cocoa Powder
1/2 tsp. Baking Powder
150 g Self-Raising White Flour
175 g Caster Sugar
175 g Unsalted Butter (Softened)
3 Medium Free Range Eggs (Beaten )

Pink Sponge

Pink Food Coloring Gel
1 tsp. Vanilla Extract
1/2 tsp. Baking Powder
175 g Self Raising White Flour
175 g Caster Sugar
175 g Unsalted Butter (Softened)
3 Large Free Range Egg(s)

Method

01

Preheat the oven to 180° C. Line and grease a 2lb loaf tin. Cream together the sugar and softened butter until light and fluffy. Gradually add the beaten eggs, adding a tablespoon of the flour after each addition if it looks like the mixture is starting to curdle.
02

Mix in the vanilla extract. Sift together the baking powder and flour before folding into the mixture.
03

Add the pink food colour until you get to your desired shade. Note: a concentrated, artificial color will give a stronger shade and not lose its colour in the oven as some natural colors may.
04

Spoon the mixture into the prepared loaf tin and bake for 40-45 minutes or until well risen, firm and a skewer comes out clean. Cool in the tin for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
05

Once cooled cut the cake carefully into 3cm slices and stamp out a heart shape from each slice using a heart cutter, which is approximately 5cm/2in diameter.
06

For the chocolate sponge: Cream together the sugar and softened butter until light and fluffy. Gradually add the beaten eggs, adding a tablespoon of the flour after each addition if it looks like the mixture is starting to curdle.
07

Mix in the chocolate extract. Sift together the baking powder, flour and cocoa powder before folding into the mixture with the milk
08

Grease and line the 2lb tin again. Add a small amount of the chocolate mixture to the tin until it is approximately 3cm deep – try to keep the thickness the same all the way along the bottom.
09

Pack the heart-shaped cut-outs together tightly in a row and gently place in the center of the loaf tin, leaving a gap of approximately 2cm at each end. Be careful not to push the cutouts right to the bottom of the tin.
10

Spoon over the remaining cake mixture, ensuring the top of the hearts is covered. Bake for approximately 45-50 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tin for a few minutes before removing onto a wire rack.
11

To make the buttercream: melt the chocolate in a bowl over a pan of simmering water before leaving to cool slightly. Beat the icing sugar into the softened butter and add the vanilla. Mix in the melted chocolate, adding the milk if required.
12

Decorate your cake once cooled with the buttercream and chocolate sprinkles.

Related Tags

Dessert Recipes

Cake Recipes

Chocolate Cake Recipes

Hidden Heart Cake

4.6

( By Tracy )

01 Information

Grade medium
Serving 8 servings
Prep Time 60 Mins
Cook Time 90 Mins
Total Time 150 Mins

02 Ingredients

Chocolate Sprinkles (To Decorate )

Chocolate Buttercream

1 1/2 tbsp. Milk (Whole)

1/2 tsp. Vanilla Extract

300 g Unrefined Golden Icing Sugar

150 g Unsalted Butter (Softened)

75 g Plain Chocolate (70% cocoa)

Chocolate Sponge

1 tbsp. Milk (Whole)

1 tsp. Chocolate Extract

35 g Cocoa Powder

1/2 tsp. Baking Powder

150 g Self-Raising White Flour

175 g Caster Sugar

175 g Unsalted Butter (Softened)

3 Medium Free Range Eggs (Beaten )

Pink Sponge

Pink Food Coloring Gel

1 tsp. Vanilla Extract

1/2 tsp. Baking Powder

175 g Self Raising White Flour

175 g Caster Sugar

175 g Unsalted Butter (Softened)

3 Large Free Range Egg(s)

03 Method

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 180° C. Line and grease a 2lb loaf tin. Cream together the sugar and softened butter until light and fluffy. Gradually add the beaten eggs, adding a tablespoon of the flour after each addition if it looks like the mixture is starting to curdle.

Step 2

Mix in the vanilla extract. Sift together the baking powder and flour before folding into the mixture.

Step 3

Add the pink food colour until you get to your desired shade. Note: a concentrated, artificial color will give a stronger shade and not lose its colour in the oven as some natural colors may.

Step 4

Spoon the mixture into the prepared loaf tin and bake for 40-45 minutes or until well risen, firm and a skewer comes out clean. Cool in the tin for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.

Step 5

Once cooled cut the cake carefully into 3cm slices and stamp out a heart shape from each slice using a heart cutter, which is approximately 5cm/2in diameter.

Step 6

For the chocolate sponge: Cream together the sugar and softened butter until light and fluffy. Gradually add the beaten eggs, adding a tablespoon of the flour after each addition if it looks like the mixture is starting to curdle.

Step 7

Mix in the chocolate extract. Sift together the baking powder, flour and cocoa powder before folding into the mixture with the milk

Step 8

Grease and line the 2lb tin again. Add a small amount of the chocolate mixture to the tin until it is approximately 3cm deep – try to keep the thickness the same all the way along the bottom.

Step 9

Pack the heart-shaped cut-outs together tightly in a row and gently place in the center of the loaf tin, leaving a gap of approximately 2cm at each end. Be careful not to push the cutouts right to the bottom of the tin.

Step 10

Spoon over the remaining cake mixture, ensuring the top of the hearts is covered. Bake for approximately 45-50 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tin for a few minutes before removing onto a wire rack.

Step 11

To make the buttercream: melt the chocolate in a bowl over a pan of simmering water before leaving to cool slightly. Beat the icing sugar into the softened butter and add the vanilla. Mix in the melted chocolate, adding the milk if required.

Step 12

Decorate your cake once cooled with the buttercream and chocolate sprinkles.

04 Author