Chocolate heart cakes

                                     

It is summer and weddings are in the air.  We have 4 to go to ourselves!  It is very fun to see couples that you have known for a long time take that next step and become husband and wife.  

This past weekend the son of good friends got married. Dave coached the boy young man in high school basketball, and this couple were at our house for their senior prom dinner. The blond boy was in the wedding so he  and the DIL came up.  We were invited to the rehearsal dinner and I was asked to bring dessert.  I made these little heart cakes, filled with Nutella buttercream and raspberry jelly, topped with more Nutella buttercream and a little pink heart (the bridesmaids dresses were this shade of pink).  They were easy, delicious and a big hit.  I'm all for wedding season if I can eat more of these.

Bake the chocolate cake in a 13x17 inch sheet pan, then use a small cookie cutter to cut out the hearts.

As I removed the hearts, I cut them in half horizontally with a serrated knife

The bottom half bordered with Nutella buttercream and filled with raspberry jam.

White chocolate, dyed pink, for the hearts.

Tops added and frosted and hearts added.

Chocolate Heart Cakes with Nutella Buttercream and Raspberry Jam

For Cake

• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

• ¾ cup sugar

• ½ cup cocoa powder

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• ¼ teaspoon salt

• 1/3 cup warm water

• 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder

• 1 egg

• ½ cup milk

• ¼ cup vegetable oil

• ½ tablespoon pure vanilla extract

For the Buttercream

1 large jar or 2 small jars of Nutella (about 26 ounces)

3 sticks of butter or 1.5 cups  room temperature

Whip Nutella and butter together until light and fully mixed.  Scrap down bowl and mix on meduim-high for about 2 more minutes.

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C). Spray 13x17 inch pan with a baking spray, line with parchment, spray with baking spray.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
3. In a small cup, dissolve the instant espresso powder in water. Set aside.
4. In a large mixing bowl with paddle attachment, mix together egg, milk, vegetable oil and vanilla extract on medium speed until well combined. Add dry ingredients and mix on low speed just until everything is incorporated. Stir in mixed espresso. Pour the batter into the cake pan and bake for 15 minutes, or until the inserted toothpick comes out clean.
5. Cool the cake on wire rack  completely.
6. Cut our hearts or desired shape, carefully remove from pan.  Slice in half horizontally and place on a clean sheet pan.
7. Put buttercream in a piping bag with a star tip.
8. Place bottom half of heart on plate, pipe a rim around the edge, fill with raspberry jelly, place top of cake back on and press gently to secure.
9.  Pipe buttercream on top and decorate with candy heart or other decoration. (I do all the buttercream rims, then all the raspberry jelly, then all the tops - it goes faster than doing one full cake at a time.)
Refrigerate until buttercream firms.  Remove from refrigerator at least 15 minutes before serving.

1 year ago:     Patriotic Pie
2 years ago:  White Water Rafting at Denali Park
3 years ago:  Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies

July 1, 2015   Sunrise 3:11 am  Sunset 12:39 am  Temp H 63/ L 50°F