Hidden Hearts Cake

I am quite sure that this is a common scenario in many homes…you are still reminiscing your new year’s eve party and hoping that the new year will bring you happiness…and who comes knocking? Valentine’s Day, of course. If you are like me, you will be scampering to figure out what to make/buy for your valentine. Even though my husband and I don’t fuss about this day, I still try and make something special. This cake was inspired by a baking technique I had seen a couple of months ago. So all I had to do was get inspired, buy a heart shaped cookie cutter and get baking. For another simple Valentine's Day recipe, visit Little Hearts.

Ingredients (makes 2 cakes)

For Pink/Red Cake

All purpose flour – 1 ½ cups

Baking powder – 1 ¾ tsps

Butter – ½ cup

Eggs – 2

Vanilla extract – 2 tsps

White sugar – 1 cup

Pink/Red food color as required

For Plain Cake

All purpose flour – 1 ½ cups

Baking powder – 1 ¾ tsps

Butter – ½ cup

Eggs – 2

Vanilla extract – 2 tsps

White sugar – 1 cup

Method

Preheat the oven to 350⁰ F.

Grease and flour a loaf pan and keep ready.

In a bowl, cream together the sugar and butter. Once it is smooth and creamy, beat in one egg at a time. Stir in the vanilla and food color.

Mix together the flour and baking powder and add to the butter mixture. The batter will be slightly thick at this point. Slowly, stir in the milk until batter is smooth. Add more color if required. Transfer to the prepared pan and bake for 30-40 minutes. The cake is done when it springs back upon touch.

Remove from the oven and turn out onto a plate/cutting board. Once it has cooled completely, cut into ¾ - 1 inch thick slices.  Using a heart shaped cookie cutter, cut out pink hearts and keep aside.

Cake 2

Preheat the oven to 350⁰ F.

Grease and flour a loaf pan and keep ready.

In a bowl, cream together the sugar and butter. Once it is smooth and creamy, beat in one egg at a time. Stir in the vanilla. Mix together the flour and baking powder and add to the butter mixture. The batter will be slightly thick at this point. Slowly, stir in the milk until batter is smooth. Place the pink hearts from the previous cake into the loaf pan and pour the fresh batter, making sure all the hearts are covered completely. Bake for 30-40 minutes. The cake is done when it springs back upon touch.

Remove onto a plate and allow it to cool completely before slicing. Present it to your valentine and surprise him/her with the hidden hearts! Bon Appétit and Happy Valentine’s Day!

Note:

I made the mistake of pouring the plain batter into the loaf pan and pushing the hearts into the batter. This wasn’t easy and the end result was not neat. So I recommend placing the hearts first and pouring the batter over them.

The heart shape can be substituted with any other shape, to suit the occasion.