Valentines Day Cake

I treated myself to a Heart Tasty Fill Cake Pan when I came out of hospital.  I had been ever so itching to use it since before it arrived.  Now I have.  I was kinda saving it for Valentines Day, just to make it a bit extra special.  The cake has taken a fair few hours to do, from start to finish, including making a quiche for tea at the same time.  I am very pleased with the results.  It isn't an everyday cake, and is quite rich and filling (nothing to do with me having a massive slice, mind!)  I put only half the buttercream on the outside.  I also made up nearly twice as much filling as needed, as I wasn't sure of conversion quantities.

I am really chuffed with how it turned out - very nearly like the picture in the recipe leaflet

I've mixed and matched the cake, filling and topping from different recipes


Chocolate Raspberry Valentines Cake - aka You Have My Heart Through and Through

• 3oz milk chocolate
• 3 tbps cocoa powder
• 1 tbsp instant coffee
• 1 1/2 cups hot water
• 3/4 cup sour cream
• 3 cups plain flour
• 2 tsps baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup butter
• 2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup caster sugar
• 3 eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla extract

Filling

• 1 Cup raspberry jam
• 2 packs of Birds Dream Topping/12 oz frozen whipped topping, defrosted
• 1/2 pint milk

White Chocolate Buttercream Icing

• 1 cup butter
• 4oz white chocolate
• 1tsp vanilla extract
• 5 cups icing sugar
• 1/2 cup milk

1. Preheat oven to 180c/350f
2. Melt chocolate and set aside to cool
3. Dissolve cocoa powder and coffee in the hot water, stir well.  Stir in the sour cream and set aside
4. Combine flour, salt and baking powder, set aside
5. Beat butter and sugars until light and fluffy.  Add eggs one at a time, mixing each well
6. Add vanilla, mix well. Add melted chocolate, again, mix well
7. Add flour mixture, alternating with the sour cream mix, until all is combined
8. Divide between the two prepared tins
9. Cook for 38 - 42 minutes.  Leave in tin for 10 minutes before removing from pan to wire rack to cool completely
10. Whisk up the dream topping, then fold in the jam
11. When cake is cold, place this in the cavities.  Carefully sandwich the two cakes together, then chill (the cake, not you, you've not finished yet!)
12. Cream butter in a mixer, add chocolate and vanilla, blend well.
13. Gradually add the icing sugar, a cup at a time.  Add milk and beat until light and fluffy
14. Ice the cake and decorate as desired, then chill - you and the cake!