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Hidden Heart Chocolate Loaf Cake

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This Hidden Heart Chocolate Loaf Cake is a delightful baked dessert featuring a surprise heart shape inside, combining rich chocolate flavor with a fun, romantic presentation perfect for special occasions.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup cocoa powder
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • ½ cup milk
  • ½ cup strawberry or raspberry jam (for the heart)
  • Red or pink food coloring (optional)
  • Powdered sugar for dusting (optional)

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line a loaf pan with parchment paper.
  2. Prepare the heart-shaped cake layer: In a medium bowl, mix ½ cup flour, ¼ cup sugar, ¼ cup softened butter, 1 egg, and a few drops of red food coloring to create a red batter.
  3. Bake the red batter in a separate small pan until firm (about 15 minutes). Let it cool, then use a heart-shaped cutter to cut out heart shapes from the cake.
  4. In a large bowl, sift together the remaining flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt.
  5. In another bowl, cream the softened butter and remaining sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, then stir in vanilla extract.
  6. Alternate adding the dry ingredients and milk to the creamed mixture, mixing until just combined to form the chocolate batter.
  7. Pour half of the chocolate batter into the prepared loaf pan. Line up the red heart shapes vertically in the center of the batter.
  8. Carefully pour the remaining chocolate batter over the hearts, ensuring they stay aligned and fully covered.
  9. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the batter (but not the heart) comes out clean.
  10. Allow the cake to cool completely before slicing to reveal the hidden hearts inside.
  11. Optionally dust with powdered sugar and serve with a dollop of whipped cream or berries.

Notes

For an extra moist cake, serve slices with a drizzle of warm chocolate sauce or spread a layer of whipped cream on top when serving.

Find it online: https://mommiesmore.com/hidden-heart-chocolate-loaf-cake/