Perfect Valentine's Day Cakes

I was so indecisive this year about what to bake for my hubbie for Valentine's Day, and picking up some gimmick 'valentine' cake moulds in my local Lidl supermarket didn't help me with my choices. So I decided to just make two cakes. Valentine's falls on a Friday this year so we will worry about the diet on Monday.

I used the same basic cake recipe for both cakes, the recipe is adapted from an earlier blog from my Donna Hay adapted recipe http://serenasmediumrare.blogspot.ie/2013/04/quick-apple-blueberry-almond-cake.html

The first cake is a pink and white chocolate rose shaped cake, using a flower cake mould; and the second is my Triple Chocolate Heart cake. I think you will agree the heart cake totally stole the show. Here's how I made both cakes; they are surprisingly easy to make, and it was made start to finish during baby's morning nap!

Pink White Chocolate Chip Rose Cake

Ingredients

Cake Mix

• 225g self raising flour
• 165g caster sugar
• 125ml milk
• 125g soft butter
• 1 tsp of vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 3 drops of red food colouring
• 100g of white chocolate chips
• icing sugar to dust

Method

1. Preheat oven to 160 degrees and grease the cake mould with some butter.
2. In a food mixer, add all the dry cake mix ingredients and mix on low for a couple of seconds.
3. Melt the butter in the microwave for a minute. Add the butter to a jug with the milk, eggs, vanilla, and food colouring.
4. With the food mixer on slow, pour in the wet ingredients and mix until just combined, do not over mix.
5. Scrape it into the cake mould and level it out evenly
6. Bake in the oven for 45 mins.
7. Check that the cake is fully baked with a skewer before removing from the oven (Insert skewer to centre of cake if it comes out clean it's done, if not bake for a further 5 mins and try again)
8. Leave to cool on a wire rack in the mould until completely cooled.
9. Invert the mould onto a plate to dislodge it from the mould and dust with icing sugar.

Triple Chocolate Love Heart Cake

Ingredients

Cake Mix

• 220g self raising flour
• 165g caster sugar
• 125ml milk
• 125g soft butter
• 1 tsp of vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 25g of cocoa powder
• 100g of dark chocolate chips
• 1 can of Dr Otker Chocolate flavoured cupcake buttercream
• 50g of raspberries
• Icing sugar to dust

Method

1. Preheat oven to 160 degrees and grease the cake mould with some butter.
2. In a food mixer, add all the dry cake mix ingredients and mix on low for a couple of seconds.
3. Melt the butter in the microwave for a minute. Add the butter to a jug with the milk, eggs, vanilla.
4. With the food mixer on slow, pour in the wet ingredients and mix until just combined, do not over mix.
5. Scrape it into the cake mould and level it out evenly
6. Bake in the oven for 45 mins.
7. Check that the cake is fully baked with a skewer before removing from the oven (Insert skewer to centre of cake if it comes out clean it's done, if not bake for a further 5 mins and try again)
8. Leave to cool on a wire rack in the mould until completely cooled.
9. Invert the mould onto a plate to dislodge it from the mould.
10. Frost the cake with the ready made chocolate buttercream, decorating however you like. I scattered the raspberries in a heart shape in the centre for the extra 'cheezy' factor.
11. Dust with icing sugar.

Rachel's Chocolate Mousse Cake

I ADORE this recipe from Rachel Allens's Easy Meals book. She says in the book that you have to make it to believe it and I 100% agree. For a cake that simple to make, it really has the WOW factor for a dinner party. There are hardly any ingredients and its made start to finish in 30 minutes. What more could you ask for. 

This cake has the added appeal of being gluten free. I'm often asked to cater for girls who need a gluten free diet at my Fancy Pants Tea Parties, and I'm totally confident that this cake delivers that little something special. You don't have to follow a gluten free diet to enjoy this cake, it vanishes in what seems like seconds. 

This is not my recipe, but its so delicious and impressive and most importantly, easy; I just had to share it with you!!! I highly recommend Rachel Allen's Easy Meals book, fantastic recipes for everyday life, with some great recipes that have a little pizzazz! The only thing I did differently is topped the cocoa powder with a little icing sugar and pimped it up with some pomegranate seeds, to make it really girlie.

Ingredients

• 300 g dark chocolate, broken into pieces, or dark chocolate drops
• 150 g butter
• 5 eggs
• 50 g caster sugar
• cocoa powder, for dusting
• 20cm (8in) diameter spring-form/loose bottomed cake tin

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F/Gas 4). Line the base of the cake tin with a disc of baking parchment and grease the sides with butter.
2. Place the chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water and allow to melt, then remove from the heat and set aside.
3. Place the eggs and sugar in a separate bowl and, using a hand-held electric beater or electric mixer, whisk for 7–10 minutes or until the mixture forms a light, pale mousse.
4. Fold the chocolate mixture into the eggs until fully combined, then pour into the prepared tin and bake for 20–22 minutes or until the cake is almost set. Allow to cool down completely in the tin before removing, then dust with cocoa powder and cut into slices to serve.