Kates Winning Hearts And Minds Cake Recipes

KATE'S WINNING-HEARTS-AND-MINDS CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit, and butter an 8-inch round cake pan. Line the base of the pan with parchment, and butter the parchment too. I have also used a 10 inch tart pan with nice results.
• Finely chop the chocolate (a serrated bread knife does an outstanding job of this) and melt it gently with the butter in a double boiler or in the microwave, stirring regularly to combine. Add the sugar to the chocolate-butter mixture, stirring well, and set aside to cool for a few moments. Then add the eggs one by one, stirring well after each addition ( I use my immersion blender and it works very nicely. A hand mixer would work as well) and then add the flour. The batter should be smooth and creamy with no lumps.
• Pour batter into the buttered cake pan and bake for approximately 25 minutes, or until the center of the cake looks set and the top is shiny and starting to crack just a bit. Then center should not be jiggly. Check on it frequently during the last 10 minutes of cooking time. Let the cake cool in its pan on a rack for 10 minutes; then carefully turn the cake out of the pan and revert it, so that the crackly side is facing upward. Allow to cool completely. The cake will deflate slightly as it cools.
• Serve in wedges at room temperature with whipped cream or ice cream.

HIDDEN HEART CAKE

Steps:

• For the cake: Place a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 325 degrees F. Butter and flour a 9-by-4 1/2-inch loaf pan and a quarter sheet pan (13 by 9 inches).
• Sift the flour and salt into a medium bowl; set aside. Whisk the whole eggs, yolks, milk and vanilla together in a medium bowl; set aside. Beat the butter in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment at medium speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Gradually add the granulated sugar 1/4 cup at a time until well combined. Turn the machine off and scrape down the paddle and sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Continue to beat the butter mixture on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes.
• Turn the machine off and scrape the sides of the bowl again. Turn the mixer to its lowest setting and gradually add in the flour mixture 1/4 cup at a time until just combined. Slowly add the egg mixture. Remove the bowl from the mixer, scrape any batter off the paddle and make sure the batter is well combined. (Take care not to overmix.)
• Divide the batter in half. Fold the red food coloring into one half and the green into the other half with a rubber spatula until no streaks remain.
• Pour the red batter into the prepared quarter sheet pan and bake until set, but slightly under-baked, about 18 minutes.
• Turn the cake out onto a parchment-lined surface. Let cool slightly, then cut 12 hearts out of the sheet cake with a 2- or 3-inch heart cookie cutter.
• Pour enough green batter into the prepared loaf pan to just cover the bottom. Nestle the hearts point-end down in a row down the center of the batter, so that they snugly fit the length of the pan. Spoon the remaining batter on top and smooth the top with a rubber spatula. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and the top springs back when lightly pressed, 50 minutes to 1 hour.
• For the glaze: Meanwhile, whisk together the confectioners' sugar, milk and vanilla in a medium bowl to make a thick but pourable glaze.
• Cool the cake in the pan on a rack set into a rimmed baking sheet, 10 to 15 minutes. Invert the cake onto a plate. Re-invert the cake and set it right-side up on the rack. Pour the glaze over the cake while still warm, allowing excess glaze to drip into the pan below. Allow the cake to cool completely. Slice into the cake to reveal the heart inside.
• The cake will keep wrapped in plastic wrap at room temperature for 4 to 5 days, and freezes well for up to 1 month.
• Combine the beet juice, beet powder and cocoa powder in a small bowl and whisk until smooth. Combine the matcha powder with 3 tablespoons water in another small bowl and whisk until smooth. Use the beet coloring in place of red food coloring and the matcha coloring in place of green coloring in the Hidden Heart Cake.

HEART CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9-inch heart-shaped pan with butter and dust with some extra bread crumbs.
• Cream 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon butter in a bowl with an electric mixer; mix in 2/3 cup white sugar and vanilla sugar. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition, until light and foamy.
• Place 5 ounces chocolate in top of a double boiler over simmering water. Stir frequently, scraping down the sides with a rubber spatula to avoid scorching, until chocolate is melted, about 5 minutes. Cool for a few minutes, then blend into egg mixture. Mix almond meal with bread crumbs and fold into the chocolate batter. Pour batter into the prepared pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven on the lowest rack for 45 minutes. Remove from oven and cook completely, about 1 hour. Remove from pan.
• Place 5 ounces chocolate in top of a double boiler over simmering water. Stir frequently, scraping down the sides with a rubber spatula to avoid scorching, until chocolate is melted, about 5 minutes. Cool for a few minutes, then mix in confectioner's sugar.
• Cream 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons butter in a bowl with an electric mixer until creamy. Stir in chocolate-sugar mixture and almond extract until ganache is smooth.
• Cut heart cake horizontally into 2 layers. Cover the bottom layer with some chocolate ganache and place second layer on top. Cover heart on all sides with remaining chocolate ganache.
• Roll out marzipan into a thin layer on parchment paper. Cut out circles with a small glass to make petals; you need about 12 petals per rose. Roll one of the circles into a spiral shape for the center of the rose. Add the next marzipan circle and roll it around the center piece. The marzipan should just stick together. If you need extra "glue", use some water. Decorate cake with pink roses and other candy to your liking.

SWEET HEART CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pans). Grease or lightly spray bottoms only of one 8-inch round and one 8-inch square pan.
• In large bowl, beat cake mix, water, oil and egg whites with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds, then on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Pour batter into pans.
• Bake square pan 25 to 29 minutes, round pan 29 to 34 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
• Cut round cake in half. Put square cake on tray with one point toward you. Place cut side of each half against one of the top sides of square cake to make a heart as shown in diagram.
• Tint frosting with a few drops food color. Frost cake with frosting. Store loosely covered.

HEART CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Spray bottom only of 8-inch round cake pan and 8-inch square pan with cooking spray or grease with shortening. In large bowl, beat cake mix, water, oil and egg whites with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds, then on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Pour 2 cups batter into round pan and remaining batter into square pan.
• Bake 27 to 32 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes. Remove from pans; place on wire racks. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
• Cut round cake in half. On serving tray or large platter, arrange square cake and round cake halves into heart shape (see diagram); attach cakes with small amount of frosting. Spread frosting on sides and top of cake. Arrange chocolate candies around top edge of cake. About 2 inches inside chocolate candies, arrange cinnamon candies in heart shape.
• Place 3-inch heart-shaped open cookie cutter in center of cake. Pour candy decors evenly inside cookie cutter; remove cookie cutter from cake. Arrange conversation heart candies and chocolate candies around smaller heart.