Valentine's Day cake: a sweet way to show your love
How about a small but delicious raspberry and chocolate tart for Valentine's Day? It doesn't always have to be a big cake. A small tartlet like this is simply perfect to give as a Valentine's Day gift together with a few flowers.
Ingredients
For the sponge cake:
- 2 eggs
- 50 g sugar
- 1 pinch of salt
- 50 g flour
- 15 g baking cocoa
- ½ tsp baking powder
For the filling & cream:
- 200 g whipped cream
- 250 g mascarpone
- 40 g icing sugar, sieved
- 1 tsp vanilla paste
- 3 tsp lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- Pink food colouring
- 50 g frozen raspberries
- Sugar sprinkles, chocolate letters
Also:
- 1 springform tin (24 cm)
- baking paper
- Circle cutter (9.5 cm)
- Cake spatula
- 2 piping bags
- small French star nozzle
Preparation time: approx. 1 1/2 hours
Baking time: approx. 8 minutes
Preparation of the mini Valentine's Day cake
Prepare the sponge:
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees (top/bottom heat).
Line a springform tin with baking paper. Beat the eggs, salt and sugar with the whisk of a food processor or hand mixer for approx. 5-7 minutes until thick and creamy. Mix the flour, cocoa and baking powder and sieve into the egg mixture. Carefully fold in, then smooth into the springform tins and bake in the preheated oven for approx. 8 mins.
Step 2
Remove the chocolate sponge cake from the tin, leave to cool and cut 4 circles out of the sponge cake.
Prepare the cream and layer on top of the cake:
Step 1
For the cream, whip the whipping cream, mascarpone, icing sugar and vanilla paste until thick and creamy. Stir in the lemon juice and colour pink.
Pour the cream into a piping bag and cut off a small corner.
Step 2
Place the first base on a cake plate and pipe the cream on top.
Step 3
Smooth the cream with a cake spatula.
Step 4
Crush the frozen raspberries and add to the cream.
Step 5
Spread some more cream on the raspberries.
Step 6
Smooth out the cream.
Step 7
Place the second base on top.
Step 8
Repeat the process twice with the cream and the raspberry pieces.
Step 9
Place the last base on top.
Decorate the cake:
Step 1
Pipe the cream around the tartlet.
Step 2
Smooth out the cream.
Step 3
Place the chocolate letters on the tartlet.
Step 4
Colour the remaining cream a little darker and fill into a piping bag with a small French nozzle. Line the cake with dots of cream.
Step 5
Decorate with sugar sprinkles and serve or chill until ready to eat.
Done!
Together with a beautiful bouquet of flowers, the combination makes a wonderful and lovingly made gift for Valentine's Day!
What to cook for Valentine's Day?
As we all know, pizza and pasta always work. How about a homemade heart-shaped pizza, for example? Or your partner's favourite pasta dish? Heart-shaped raviolis definitely make a big impression. If you like, you can also colour the dough with beetroot.
If you don't want to cook at all, conjure up a delicious cheese board with antipasti, dips and delicious baguette. Add a glass of wine and the evening is perfect.
For a snack or a cosy afternoon coffee break, our mini cake makes a solo appearance. If you want to spoil your sweetheart with a complete menu, serve several courses - all in the spirit of Valentine's Day, of course: how about a lovely antipasti platter garnished with edible flowers as a starter? The main course is a homemade heart-shaped pizza for two with your favourite toppings. As a dessert and sweet highlight, our Valentine's Day cake will of course be served.
Table decorations for Valentine's Day
On Valentine's Day, it can be a little bit more. Anything in the shape of a heart is welcome. So decorate with candles, heart-shaped sprinkles, pretty napkins and definitely flowers. Also make sure you have cosy lighting and romantic music.
Where can you go out to eat on Valentine's Day?
Ideally, you should reserve a table at your Valentine's date's favourite restaurant. However, restaurants with a fantastic view and cosy ambience are also nice.