Thursday, February 14, 2008

Heart-Shaped Chocolate Craving

Last year for Valentine’s Day, I made a heart-shaped chocolate cake. This year, I wanted to make something different but as we were talking about Valentine’s Day with the kids, my 4 year old son looked at me and said: “Mommy, you HAVE to make a heart-shaped cake for Valentine’s Day!”. Well, now I just HAD to, didn’t I? The tiny little man in my life gets what he wants on Valentine’s Day, though I must tell you, the little lady and the “taller” man in my life didn’t mind either.

Chocolate makes everyone in this family happy! And after all, isn’t that what this day is all about, making the ones we love happy? Plus, this chocolate cake makes ME happy, heart-shaped or not! It’s incredibly easy, I always have the ingredients on hand and the fact that it’s a one-bowl recipe means less dishes for me!

And even though it is the easiest chocolate cake I’ve ever made, it’s anything but plain, especially with a decadent chocolate icing! Even if you don’t make this cake for Valentine’s Day, keep the recipe in your files, it’s a great one to have on those days when you can’t say no to a chocolate craving. It’s not too late yet, go, make cake!


One Bowl Chocolate Cake
Allrecipes

2 cups white sugar
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour two nine inch round pans (or 2 heart-shaped pans).

In a large bowl, stir together the sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add the eggs, milk, oil and vanilla, mix for 2 minutes on medium speed of mixer. Stir in the boiling water last. Batter will be thin. Pour evenly into the prepared pans.

Bake 30 to 35 minutes in the preheated oven, until the cake tests done with a toothpick. Cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.

“Fluffy” Chocolate Icing
To make the icing “fluffy”, I put all the ingredients in my stand mixer, set it at high speed, started doing other things and forgot about the icing. When I checked on it, it was so fluffy and full of bubbles I thought I’d ruined it! It doesn’t make for a neat icing job but man is it ever good! If you want it thicker and less fluffy, add less milk and check the mixer once in a while!

4 cups sifted confectioner’s sugar
1 cup butter, at room temperature
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
4 to 6 tbsp milk, depending on the consistency you want
5 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder

Cream butter, sugar and vanilla. Add a small amount of milk to reach desired spreading consistency. Add cocoa powder and beat well. Spread on cooled cake.

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12 comments:

Anonymous said...

This looks like such a delicious cake! Love the easy frosting.

Nic said...

Oh you bad girl - that's another one I have to save!

Patricia Scarpin said...

It does look fluffy and delicious, LyB!
I'm with your little one: you HAD to make this. :)

LyB said...

Linda - It's the easiest cake ever but you'd never know it after tasting it!

Nic - LOL! Chocolate cake, best dessert ever!

Patricia - I made it fluffy by mistake but I'm always doing it like this from now on, it was delicious!

Anonymous said...

I make the same cake, but instead of boiling water, I use hot coffee. No coffee taste, it just brings out the chocolate flavor even more.

Deborah said...

I just want to dip my finger into that icing and lick it off. Yum!

LyB said...

anonymous - I thought of using coffee but I didn't have any at the ready and I was too lazy to make some :)

deborah - I had to put the cake out of reach of my kids for that very reason!

Ryley @ That's My Family! said...

OH Yumm... can i have a piece please??? I have been desperately craving a piece of rich and delicious chocoalte cake lately.
And this would definitly hit the spot!!! :)

Anonymous said...

Jeezus. That Tastespotting pictures of yours is killer. I think I just went to heaven. Please make me one :)

LyB said...

Ryles - I'll send you a piece if you send me some cinnamon rolls ;)

Hillary - LoL! Heavenly it was!

Alejandra Ramos said...

I love how simple and yet elegant it looks. Somehow you'd expect a heart-shaped cake to be cheesy, but yours is just really quite lovely. I love how you did it!

LyB said...

Alejandra - Thank you so much, though with three kids, most of the time my stuff turns out cheesy ;)