Valentines day is just around the corner so what better way to celebrate than by making your loved one a special cake. The hidden heart in this cake makes for such a beautiful little surprise.
What we need to do is bake a sheet cake, something thin and flat so we can get a cookie cutter and cut out the shapes for the hidden center. After the shapes have been cut out we can prepare the chocolate batter, arrange the cut out shapes around the edge and then bake. I have tried making this cake a few times and I can tell you it is not as easy as it sounds. I have made some horrible cakes that tasted like scrambled eggs. I have under filled the tin so the bottom of the heart was sticking out and burnt to a crisp. Through trial and error, I have managed to perfect this recipe as much as I can.
The recipe you see is entirely lactose free, providing you use the right products of course.
I always use Over The Top because it is dairy free and top quality.
The final product is drizzled with colored royal icing.
Ingredients
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Vanilla Sheet Cake
- Chocolate Bundt Cake
- Decorating
Instructions
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Vanilla Sheet Cake
- Preheat your oven to 180°c. Coat a large baking tin with cooking spray.
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In a large bowl combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
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Add in the eggs, margarine, milk, and vanilla and mix.
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When the mixture is smooth you can add in the food colouring. Keep in mind when the cake bakes the colour may dull slightly.
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Pour the batter into the tray and bake for 20 to 25 minutes until the cake is cooked. (test it by inserting a wooden skewer into the center, it will come out clean when fully cooked through)
- When the cake is done flip it out onto a large flat tray. Place in freezer to cool down.
- While the cake is cooling down get your bundt tin and your heart cookie cutter. This is the time to check to see if you have the right size cookie cutter to fit in your tin. Remember smaller is most always better. You want there to be a decent sized gap around the edge of the cutter and the tin.
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When the cake is nice and cool take it out of the freezer. Flip the cake over and use a knife to level the cake. Get your heart shaped cutter and cut out as many pieces as you can. Transfer onto a tray and place in the fridge.
Chocolate Bundt Cake
- Preheat your oven to 180°C/160°C fan-forced.
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In a bowl add the margarine, sugar, eggs, flour, cocoa, bicarbonate of soda and milk. Mix until smooth.
- Now grab your bundt tin and grease it. My method was to put some oil in my hands and smother the tin with it, making sure to cover every little section.
- Grab your hearts out of the fridge.
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Spoon a small amount of mixture into the bottom of the tin. Place the hearts upside down into the tin close together. You will always end up with a few gaps. Make sure they are facing the right way so when you slice into the cake the heart will be in the right position.
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Fill the tin up with rest of the chocolate batter. Fill it up so that the hearts are completely covered. Give the cake a few taps to eliminate any possible air pockets.
- Bake for 40 to 50 minutes. Insert a skewer into the center, when it comes out clean the cake is done. While it is still hot you need to turn the cake out.
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This is the tricky part. Tap the cake a few times and give it a bit of a jiggle. Use oven mitts because the cake will still be very hot! Invert the cake onto a large plate. Do it in a quick motion. The cake should come out smoothly. If not give it a few taps on the bottom. Don’t worry gravity will take over and the cake should come out smoothly.
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To decorate drizzle the royal icing on top of the cake and sprinkle with sprinkles.
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Slice, serve and enjoy.
