Ingredients :
For the pink sponge:
175 g Butter or spread
175 g Caster sugar
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
175 g Self-rising flour
Pink food coloring
For the chocolate cookie:
175 g Butter or spread
175 g Caster sugar
3 large eggs
150 g Self-rising flour
35 g Cocoa powder
½ teaspoon baking powder
1 ½ tablespoons of milk
For the buttercream
100g Butter _
200g icing sugar
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
50 g melted dark chocolate
1 tablespoon of milk
For decoration:
Optional sprinkled heart
Instructions :
Preheat the oven to 160C Fan/180C/350F/Gas Mark 4 and grease and line a 2lb loaf tin
First prepare the pink sponge. Mix the butter and sugar until fluffy, ideally with an electric mixer, or you can mix in a bowl with a wooden or silicone spoon
Add eggs and vanilla extract and whisk
Whisk in self-rising flour and add enough pink food coloring to achieve a strong shade
Pour the mixture into the cake tin and bake for about 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean
Let cool completely, then cut the ends of the sponge, then score marks along the same thickness as your heart cookie cutter
Cut the sponge into slices following the marked lines, then use your heart cookie cutter to cut out hearts from each piece.
Make the chocolate sponge cake. Mix the butter and sugar until fluffy, ideally with an electric mixer, or you can mix in a bowl with a wooden or silicone spoon
Add the eggs and milk and whisk
Whisk together self-rising flour, baking powder and cocoa powder
Put some of the mixture in the bottom of the mold and carefully place the pink heart-shaped cake there.
Spread the rest of the mixture around and on the pink sponge hearts, or you can pipe the cake batter using a piping bag
Bake for about 50 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, let cool completely
To make the buttercream mix the icing sugar, vanilla extract, milk and butter. Then add the melted dark chocolate and mix until smooth. If the buttercream is too firm, you can add a little milk
Spread or pipe the buttercream onto the sponge and also sprinkle with heart sprinkles if desired
Slice to reveal the hidden heart pattern! Store leftovers in an airtight container in a cool place for up to 3 days
