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Chocolate Love Cake




Source of Recipe


internet


Recipe Introduction


You don't really need a heart-shaped cake to express feelings of admiration for someone. A cake made by you is certainly enough. But when you want that festive presentation-for a Valentine's Day party, a birthday, a coming home fête-then this is it.



List of Ingredients




FROSTING:
Whipped Chocolate Ganache, flavored with kirsch if desired
CAKE:
Solid vegetable shortening for greasing the pans
Flour for dusting the pans
1 package (18.25 ounces) devil's food cake mix with pudding
1 can (21 ounces) cherry pie filling
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure almond extract
GARNISH:
White and dark chocolate curls
1 cup fresh cherries with stems, or 1 cup rose petals


Recipe



1. Prepare the ganache, adding 1 tablespoon kirsch or other cherry liqueur if desired. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator to chill for 1 hour.
2. Meanwhile, place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Generously grease one 8-inch round and one 8-inch square cake pan with solid vegetable shortening, then dust with flour. Shake out the excess flour. Set the pans aside.

3. Place the cake mix, cherry pie filling, eggs, and almond extract in a large mixing bowl. Blend with an electric mixer on low speed for 1 minute. Stop the machine and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat 2 minutes more, scraping down the sides again if needed. The batter should look well combined. Divide the batter between the prepared pans, smoothing it out with the rubber spatula. Place the pans in the oven side by side.

4. Bake the cakes until they spring back when lightly pressed with your finger, 30 to 35 minutes. Remove the pans from the oven and place them on wire racks to cool for 10 minutes. Run a sharp knife around the edge of each layer and invert each onto a rack, then invert again onto another rack so that the cakes are right side up. Allow to cool completely, 30 minutes.

5. When the ganache is nearly chilled, place the electric mixer beaters in the refrigerator to chill for 10 minutes. Remove the beaters and the bowl of ganache. Whip the ganache on high speed for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the frosting lightens in color and triples in volume.

6. Place the square cake layer on a large serving platter so that one point faces you. Cut the round cake layer in half, and place the halves on adjoining sides of the square, to form a heart shape. Spread the frosting over the top and sides of the cake with clean, smooth strokes.

7. Scatter the chocolate curls on top of the cake, and the cherries or rose petals around it. Slice and serve. Store this cake, covered in waxed paper, in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.