Description
Romantic Hidden Heart Chocolate Loaf Cake reveals surprising love inside each delectable slice. Sweet chocolate layers conceal a charming heart-shaped center, promising delightful moments for passionate bakers eager to wow special someone.
Ingredients
Scale
Cake Ingredients:
Pink Heart Sponge:
- 175 grams (1 ½ cups) self-raising flour
- 175 grams (¾ cup) caster sugar
- 175 grams (¾ cup) unsalted butter, softened
- 3 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pink gel food coloring
Chocolate Loaf Base:
- 175 grams (1 ½ cups) self-raising flour
- 35 grams (⅓ cup) cocoa powder
- 150 grams (¾ cup) caster sugar
- 175 grams (¾ cup) unsalted butter, softened
- 3 large eggs
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 ½ tablespoons milk
Frosting and Decoration:
- 100 grams (7 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
- 200 grams (1 ⅔ cups) icing sugar
- 50 grams (1 ¾ ounces) dark chocolate, melted and cooled
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 12 tablespoons milk
- Heart-shaped sprinkles
Instructions
- Prepare the pink sponge by creaming butter and sugar until fluffy, then gradually incorporate eggs and vanilla.
- Blend in pink gel food coloring to create a vibrant pink batter, folding in self-raising flour until smooth.
- Transfer the pink batter to a lined loaf tin and bake at 180C until fully cooked, approximately 50 minutes.
- Allow the pink sponge to cool completely, then slice into 2cm thick pieces.
- Use a small heart-shaped cookie cutter to precisely cut out heart shapes from each pink slice, setting them aside.
- Clean the loaf tin and prepare it again with fresh greasing and lining.
- Create the chocolate batter by creaming butter and sugar, then carefully adding eggs and milk.
- Sift cocoa powder, self-raising flour, and baking powder into the mixture, folding gently to maintain a smooth consistency.
- Spread a thin layer of chocolate batter at the bottom of the prepared tin.
- Arrange the pink heart cut-outs in a precise line down the center of the tin, ensuring they are tightly packed.
- Delicately cover the pink hearts with remaining chocolate batter, smoothing the surface to ensure complete coverage.
- Bake at 180C for approximately 50 minutes, checking doneness with a skewer inserted away from the heart section.
- Cool the cake in the tin briefly before transferring to a wire rack for complete cooling.
- Prepare chocolate buttercream by whipping butter until creamy, then gradually incorporating icing sugar.
- Mix in melted dark chocolate, vanilla extract, and milk until the buttercream reaches a smooth, spreadable consistency.
- Once the cake has cooled, generously cover the top with chocolate buttercream.
- Optional: Garnish with heart-shaped sprinkles for additional decoration.
- Slice the cake to reveal the hidden pink heart surprise nestled within the chocolate layers.
Notes
- Ensure butter is at room temperature for seamless mixing and a lighter cake texture.
- Use gel food coloring for vibrant pink shade without altering batter consistency.
- Precision matters when cutting heart shapes; freeze pink cake briefly for cleaner cuts.
- Maintain even batter layers to guarantee hidden hearts remain perfectly centered when sliced.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 10
- Calories: 322
- Sugar: 31g
- Sodium: 150mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 11g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 38g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 85mg