- Make a recipe for a 2-layer cake (or use the recipe below.)
- Bake 1 layer in a 9-inch square pan and 1 layer in a 9-inch round pan.
- Cut the round cake in half.
- Turn the square cake point down so it looks like a diamond shape.
- Place the cake semi-circles on top edges of the diamond to form a heart.
- Spread icing between the cut edges and the diamond.
- Ice the cake.
2-Layer Chocolate Cake
A layer cake made with oil will be a lighter-textured cake than a cake made with butter, more like cake you'd buy from a commercial bakery. Don't substitute butter in this cake recipe.
- 2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1-1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2-1/4 cups white granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 2-1/4 tsp baking soda
- 3/4 tsp baking powder
- 3/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1-1/2 cups homogenized milk
- 3/4 cup canola oil
- 3 large eggs
- 1-1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1-1/4 cups boiling water
- Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Coat 9-inch square and 9-inch round pan with cooking spray.
- Line bottoms with parchment.
- Spray parchment with cooking spray.
- Dust sides of pan with flour.
- In large bowl, whisk together dry ingredients: flour, cocoa, white sugar, brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt.
- In medium bowl, whisk together: milk, oil, eggs, vanilla.
- Mix wet ingredients into dry ingredients.
- Mix in boiling water (batter will be thin).
- Pour half the batter into square pan, half into round.
- Bake 35-40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in centre of cake comes out clean.
- Let cool 10 minutes in pans.
- Remove cake from pans and transfer to wire rack to cool completely.
- On a large piece of cardboard covered with aluminum foil, or a large serving platter, place square cake so it is oriented like a diamond.
- Cut the circular cake layer in half.
- Put one semi-circle of cake on each of the two top sides of the diamond to form a heart shape.
Cream Cheese Frosting
All ingredients must be at room temperature
- 2 8-oz. packages cream cheese
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 2 cups icing (confectioner's) sugar
- sprinkles, candy hearts for decorating
- Beat cream cheese in a mixer.
- Add butter, beat until smooth.
- Beat in confectioners sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes more.
- Spread icing between the semi-circle edges and the diamond layer edge to "glue" together.
- Frost the top of the cake and sides if desired.
- Decorate cake with sprinkles and candy hearts.
This recipe is from the Jan/Feb. 2021 issue of Good Housekeeping magazine.
