Ding Dong Valentines Chocolate Hearts

Prep time:  30 mins

Cook time:  35 mins

Total time:  1 hour 5 mins

Serves: 8

Ingredients :

For the cake:

ü  1 egg

ü  ¼ cup vegetable oil

ü  ½ cup buttermilk

ü  ½ teaspoon vanilla

ü  1 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, chopped

ü  ½ cup hot, brewed coffee

ü  ¾ cup all-purpose flour

ü  ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

ü  1 cups sugar

ü  ¾ teaspoon baking soda

ü  ¼ teaspoon baking powder

ü  ¼ teaspoon salt

For 7 Minute Frosting:

ü  1 tablespoons water

ü  1 teaspoons vanilla extract

ü  Pinch of salt

ü  1 egg whites

ü  ¼ cup sugar

ü  ⅛ cup light corn syrup

For the Chocolate Ganache:

ü  6 oz semisweet chocolate, chopped

ü  ½ cup heavy cream

ü  1 tsp unsalted butter

Instructions :

To make the cake:

1.    Preheat the oven to 330 F. Spray with cooking spray 9-inch round cake pan (or square 8x8 inch pan), line with parchment paper, and spray the paper with cooking spray and set aside.

2.    Place chopped chocolate in a small bowl and pour brewed coffee over the chocolate and whisk to combine until the chocolate is melted. Set aside.

3.    In a large bowl, sift together dry ingredients: sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt and set aside.

4.    In a large bowl beat eggs with an electric mixer, until pale yellow, than add oil, buttermilk, vanilla and chocolate-coffee mixture. Continue beating to combine well.

5.    Add dry mixture into wet mixture and beat until evenly combined but don’t over-mix it. Spread batter in prepared pan and bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out (almost) clean.

6.    Cool cake in the pans 5-10mins and transfer it on the wire racks to cool completely.

7.    Using heart shaped cookie cutter, carefully cut hearts of the cake (I cut 8 hearts-number depends on size of your cookie cutter).

8.    Place hearts upside on a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

9.    Using a cupcake corer (or a sharp knife) carefully cut out a cone of cake from each heart.

To make the 7 minute frosting:

1.    Combine all ingredients in a metal bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water and beat with a handheld electric mixer at high speed until frosting is thick and fluffy(6 to 7 minutes).

2.    Remove bowl from heat and continue beating until slightly cooled.

To make the ganache:

1.    In a small saucepan heat heavy cream over medium high heat, bring to a boil.

2.    Place chopped semisweet chocolate in heatproof bowl and pour the boiling cream over, leave it for 5 minutes, then stir until its smooth.

Assemble the hearts:

1.    Carefully pipe a small amount of 7 minutes frosting in each heart. Notes: you will have a lot of frosting leftover, actually it’s enough to fill double measure of the cake!!!

2.    Spoon a small amount of ganache on to each heart and spread into a thin layer on the top of the cake. Place cakes into refrigerator for 20 minutes to firm the ganache so you can turn the hearts and cover the other side with the ganache. Pour the ganache over the each heart to covers it evenly and drip to cover the sides over all edges.( If the ganache is too thick to pour it over the heart you can rewarm it!!!)

3.    Return cakes to the refrigerator until the ganache is completely hardened.

4.    Transfer about 1 TBSP of 7 minute frosting in a small bag and cut the corner, pipe “LOVE” swirl on each cooled heart.