A Valentine’s cake, made with a mother’s love

“I have three reasons to love, love, love this cake,” writes tea expert and Westfair contributor Ellen Easton. “This recipe ”“ given to me with love by my mother, Reva Paul ”“ is adaptable for any shape pan. It is very, very easy to make, and it is absolutely delicious, perfect for a Valentine”™s Day afternoon tea.”  

French Chocolate Cake©Ellen Easton

Ingredients:  

1/2 cup cocoa,  

3/4 cup boiling water  

1 cup unsalted butter, softened 

2 cups granulated”¯sugar 

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 

1/2 teaspoon baking soda 

1/8 teaspoon salt 

1/2 cup all-purpose”¯flour, sifted 

3 large egg whites 

2 round (8-inch) cake pans or heart-shape cake pans 

(For pans) Nonstick baking spray, Domino light-brown granulated or white-granulated sugar 

Directions: 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Coat the bottom and sides of the pans with the nonstick baking spray. Dust the bottom and sides with granulated sugar (or grease the bottom and sides of the pans with butter and dust them with flour). 

In a small bowl or pan, dissolve the cocoa in the boiling water. Set it aside to cool. In the large bowl of your mixer, cream the butter and sugar together. Add the cocoa mixture, vanilla extract, baking soda and salt. Slowly fold in the flour and mix all together well. Set this aside. 

In the large bowl of an electric mixer, beat the egg whites at high speed until the egg whites are stiff, but not dry.”¯ Do not beat the egg whites until you”™re ready to fold them into the cake, or overbeat them, as the air will go out of them.”¯Gently fold the beaten egg whites into the batter without breaking the air of the whites. 

Pour the batter into the prepared cake pans. Bake them for approximately 20 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cakes comes out clean. Remove the cake from the oven and place it on a wire rack to cool. 

Prepare the icing of your choice ”“ buttercream, ganache or whipped cream. (See the following recipes.) Cover the cooled cake layers with the prepared frosting. Options for easy decorations:  Scrape the top of your buttercream-frosted cake with a serrated knife in the pattern of your choice. Festoon the cake with sprinkles, dragées, organic edible flowers, ground nuts or shaved chocolate. 

Buttercream frosting 

Ingredients: 

½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature 

½ cup whole milk, room temperature 

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, or flavor of choice 

1 pound box of powdered (confectioners”™) sugar 

Pastel food coloring (vegetable shortening for pure white icing) 

Directions: 

In the large bowl of an electric mixer, combine all the ingredients at low speed until all are smooth in texture.  Do not overbeat. If stiffer icing is needed, add a little more sugar one teaspoon at a time. Create pastel colors, dividing the icing into separate bowls for each color desired.  Using a toothpick, add one drop of color at a time and mix until you reach the color of your choice. Yields 3 cups. 

Chocolate ganache icing 

Ingredients: 

1 cup confectionary sugar 

¼ cup Droste Dutch chocolate 

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract 

2 tablespoons water 

Directions: 

Mix all ingredients together until blended.  Add extra water one teaspoon at a time to thin the mixture, if needed.  Double the recipe for a two-layer cake. 

Whipped cream topping 

Ingredients: 

1 cup heavy cream,  

1 tablespoon granulated sugar 

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract, or flavor of choice 

(Optional) food coloring 

Directions: 

In a large bowl of an electric mixer, add the heavy cream, sugar, vanilla extract and, if using food coloring, one drop at a time for desired hue. Beat the cream until stiff peaks form.”¯Do not overbeat or it will turn to butter.