This chocolate Valentine’s Day heart cake was designed by my 9-year old son (who is now almost 22). He even instructed me on how I should put it together. His plan was to bake a sheet of cake and cut the layers with a heart shaped cookie cutter. Then stack them together with raspberry cream and pour a glossy chocolate ganache over the top. I know I’m biased, but I think he is brilliant. You can watch me make the cake in my Instagram video.
You can find many more cake recipes and all the tricks and techniques I’ve learned over my decades in professional kitchens in my new book, Zoë Bakes Cakes!
Happy Valentine’s to my two sons, Henri and Charlie, and my husband Graham. My 3 muses.
Here is Henri’s vision, I must say this Valentine’s Day chocolate cake is as delicious as it is pretty.
Chocolate Valentine’s Day Heart Cake Filled with Raspberry Cream
Allow your valentine’s day heart cake to set at room temperature for about 20 minutes. If you need to refrigerate them, they will lose their shine. Once you return them to room temperature the shine will come back.
Leave simple or add some red pearls.
Or sprinkle with Raspberry Dust!
Ingredients
Devil's Food Cake
- 1 ½ cups sugar (320g)
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour (215g)
- ½ cup cocoa powder (50g)
- 1 ¼ tsp baking soda
- ¾ tsp salt
- 1 egg
- 1 egg yolk
- ¾ cup buttermilk ¾ cup plus 1 tsp lemon if you don't have buttermilk
- ⅓ cup oil
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ cup coffee
- ⅛ cup rum use more coffee if you don't want the booze
Buttercream or 2 cups heavy whipping cream plus ⅓ cup raspberry preserves
Ganache
- 1 lb bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
- 2 cups heavy cream
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Grease and line a 11×16″ Baking Sheet with parchment.
- Whisk together all the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Sift the cocoa and baking soda if they are lumpy.
- Whisk in the liquid ingredients, until smooth. Pour into prepared pan and spread evenly with an offset spatula.
- Bake for about 20 minutes or until just set or a tester comes out with moist crumb.
- Cut the devil’s food cake with a Heart Cookie Cutter. Depending on the size of your cutter this will get you about 12 2-layer cakes per sheet.
To Make The Cream
- Whip the heavy cream until soft peaks, add the raspberry preserves and continue whipping until stiff peaks. Fill a Pastry Bag, fitted with a round pastry tip and pipe the cream on half of the heart shaped cakes.
- Top the cream with another layer of cake. Cover the cake with plastic wrap and refrigerate while you make the ganache.
Ganache
- Heat cream until just to simmer. Remove from heat. Dump in all of the chopped chocolate, swirl the pot to make sure the chocolate is completely covered by the cream. Let sit for about 3 minutes and then gently whisk until smooth. Allow to cool slightly to thicken enough to cling to the cakes.
- To pour the ganache on the cakes you will need to set them on a cooling rack that is over a sheet pan lined with parchment. You want to do this to catch all of the dripping chocolate.
- Slowly pour the ganache over the heart cake, starting in the middle and working outward. Be sure to check all the sides as you go. As you can see there will be a lot pooled up on the parchment, but you will scrape that up and be able to remelt and use again. See my instagram video to make sure it is the right consistency.
- If your ganache starts to get too thick, return the pot to the stove and heat on very low heat, just for a moment.
- Allow your valentine’s day heart cake to set at room temperature for about 20 minutes. If you need to refrigerate them, they will lose their shine. Once you return them to room temperature the shine will come back.
Henri, you are destined to become a most brilliant chef/dessert chef – this is a lovely dessert that melds so many wonderful flavors – chocolate, whipped cream, raspberry, blackberry. Here’s one dessert I’ll have to make !
I agree Zoe – your son is brilliant!
Henri…you are talented in so many ways…and this is just one of the many reasons you are my special, special friend! Happy Valentines to all the Francois…xoxo
The kid is a genius! How great that he likes to create recipes!
your son is indeed a genius and so meticulous as well 🙂 these cakes are beautiful zoe..just splendid. x
Those look amazing. I love chocolate and raspberry together.
that’s delightful 🙂
OMG – very decadent! Love it.
These are brilliantand so is your son- must come from his Mom.
Happy Valentine’s Day to you all!
I think Henri got some of his mom’s culinary genius! These look delicious.
Gorgeous, lady! Aaron came home talking about eating them at your house – I had to check in and see what all the stir was about! Lucky little devil!
Way to go Henri – you rock!!
Z – the pictures are awesome…you rock too! 😉
XO J
Thank you all for the fabulous comments. I will have Henri come and read them, he will be so proud that you liked his idea! 🙂
Happy Valentine’s Day to you all!
Zoë
ps Jen, I meant to send them home with A. Aaaargh!
hehehehe…do I have to take you to dinner if you send them over here?!
You’re right. He’s brilliant! It must be genetic!
STUNNING…what a vision!! Simply amazing.
I couldn’t agree more with your son….it’s fantastic!
Well done Henri!So beautiful and I’m sure it is so delicious (mmmm, raspberries with chocolate…)!
Beautiful cakes! Henri is going to break a lot of hearts when he’s older! 😉
Simply Amazing!
Henri, great idea!! maybe we can do something like this with pancakes next time you come over.
Oh, my lord! Henri has inherited his mother’s gifts. What a beautiful idea.
Zoë, do you do your own food styling for your pictures. The cake with the petals and then the bud atop is just stunning to me. Your talents have no end. (And I hope you don’t think me impertinent for asking!)
-Bubbles
I love that your precious Henri had a Valentine vision; what a man after my own heart :)I think he is just brillant as well!
Thanks Bubbles!
Yes, I do my own styling and photography. It turns out that you can buy bags of rose petals at your local florist!
Cheers! Zoë
Someone is following in Mama’s footsteps! I love that he even had an opinion about Valentine’s Day! You’ve got to teach those boys early! (I have two of my own.)
Biased or not, I think you’re right on this one- he is brilliant! Those make me want to OM NOM NOM NOM…[face covered in chocolate] 🙂
Dear Henri,
Would you be my Valentine?
hehehehe! I should have mentioned that Henri still thinks that girls have cooties!
🙂 Zoë
Your son is in fact brilliant. Those look amazing. Do you deliver? Or better yet, just come on over and make those for me.
What a talented son you have! Mouthwatering little chocolate and raspberry cakes!
This is one of most beautiful things I have seen for Valentine. Your son is so gifted !! I will try to make them for my family. Thanks for sharing it !!
Those are amazing, I showed my 10 year old daughter the pictures and she wants to make them over the weekend to share with friends. Please tell Henri I said thank you for the wonderful idea!
Jane
Henri, you’re brilliant!this is a perfect Valentine’s cake, you can be proud of you 😉
I have a 9-year old girl but she never had a Valentine’s vision.. although she dreams alot of chocolate cakes!!
My 9yro is my creative muse as well! He makes my heart smile. I’m going to make these with soy, if you have any tips for using soymilk before doing this please let me know! Happy Valentines Day to you and yours.
You certainly do have a smart son on your hands, these little cakes look wonderful!
WOW – I guess the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree! Your son has a real talent – hope he enjoyed these beautiful cakes!
Your son is awesome…I hope my little boy grows up to have thoughts like that!
these look amazing, and I think Henri rocks! How long do these take to make. Looks de-lish, but definitely a labor of love!
Hi Glaucia,
He mentioned it at dinner. It took me about 45 minutes to make the cake (baking included and you can do ahead!), 15 to make the ganache and another 5 to whip the cream. Depending on how quickly your ganache sets up it will take about an hour to assemble and let them set up. I give yourself a couple of hours, but there is plenty of down time to do other things during that time!
Have fun! Zoë
This looks fantastic!
It’s very cool that Henri already has ideas about how to create dishes.
These little heart cakes are simply precious! I think I would be happy just dragging a spoon through the ganache that dripped onto the parchment.
😉
Zoe, you have a real foodie on your hands! Henri has the right idea! I love how petite and cute these little bits of chocolate heaven are!
Happy Vday to your lovely family and you.
I love this idea! So cute and kind of like a grown up ding dong, or ho ho…or whatever that cake was 🙂
Yes, Esi you are exactly right! I used to have something on the menu like it when I worked with Andrew Zimmern and he called them “Kick A– Ho Hos!” I had forgotten about that! LOL.
Zoë
The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree! I want Henri to teach ME how to bake!
yum! it’s like a little sacher torte!
Wow, beautiful cakes,your son is a genius:-)
so you have another pastry chef in the making! gorgeous job!
Hi Aran,
I actually think he will be the food critic and Charlie will be the chef! I live with men that have very strong opinions about food. But, they’ll try just about anything and I love it!!! 😉
Zoë
Zoe- your son is brilliant 🙂 He actually sounds like my son- who gives similar advice about recipes as well as photo set-up ideas. They’re so sweet, aren’t they?
These look delicious. I did choc. dipped brownies and cookies (both heart shaped) for Val. Day this year. Never thought to do cakes. Next year will be cakes!
How wonderful that Henri is so in tune with food and chocolate! He’ll have no problem get a nice Valentine when the time comes, if it did not happen already with this creation! A family of food critics and chef …yeah!
Your son is quite the culinary genius, this is an ideal treat for any day! The cake looks moist and rich, perfect.
I’ll have to try those as well, for my loved ones….
Wonderful idea!
OMG! that looks like something out of a high-end restaurant menu! beautiful pic, and lovely recipe:)
This would be perfect for the Valentine special giveaway I’m hosting on my blog, if you’d be kind enough to participate!:)
http://www.funandfoodcafe.com/2010/02/valentine-super-bowl-recipe-carnival.html
je veux la recette en français SVP
Hi Farah,
I married into the name and don’t actually speak French, so sorry!
Zoë
What a delicious idea for Valentine’s day! Looks so good ♥
Hi Natalie,
Thank you, it is so delicious. Happy Valentine’s Day!
Zoë
Why does your events site only go to 2013? Are you no longer travelling? I just found your wonderful site. Thank you
Hi Jay,
I rarely do public events other than for my books, so I was just updating the bread site event page. I will do both from now on, thanks for the reminder.
Zoë
This was so much fun, easy to follow, and a beautiful and elegant result. Wowed everyone!
The heart cakes were absolutely delicious and beautiful! However only need 1 cup heavy cream for filling. Also can cut ganache in half. I want to know how Zoe was able to use cookie cutter without cake sticking to it. Thank you!