26 Years of Award Winning Baking & Dessert Video Recipes

breakfast & brunch bars & squares cupcakes shortbreads breads youtube channel
about us
recipe index
substitutions
ingredients
glossary
conversions
weight vs volume
easter baking
apple recipes
pumpkin recipes
cranberry recipes
chocolate recipes
healthy baking
eggless recipes
comfort foods
blueberry recipes
biscotti recipes
pudding recipes
english tea party
trifle recipes
ice cream recipes
strawberry recipes
lemon recipes
thanksgiving baking
candy recipes
halloween baking
valentine's baking
christmas cookies
christmas baking
christmas candy
baking history
bibliography

 
Subscribe Now
 

Chocolate Heart Cake Recipe & Video

Printer Friendly Page

Chocolate is about pleasure and what could be more pleasurable than a heart shaped chocolate chiffon cake that is filled with a chocolate whipped cream and then covered with a layer of chocolate ganache. This would be the perfect Valentine's Day dessert and I like to use any leftover ganache to make chocolate truffles to decorate the top of the cake. 

For this dessert I've used a chocolate chiffon cake which is a cross between a butter and a sponge cake. It is similar to a butter cake in that it contains fat, but the fat is in liquid form (oil). A chiffon cake also uses more leavening than a regular butter cake and that is because oil is heavy and needs the extra leavening to ensure the cake will rise properly. The advantage of oil is that it makes for a moist and delicate cake that doesn't harden even when refrigerated. I have filled the chiffon cake with a chocolate whipped cream, made with unsweetened cocoa powder, which I think pairs very nicely with the lightness of the cake. A chocolate ganache is the finishing touch and if you have any leftover ganache you could make a few chocolate truffles. You can decorate the top of the cake with the truffles or even some fresh raspberries or strawberries. And I often serve this cake with either a Raspberry or Strawberry Sauce. The great thing is that you can assemble this dessert a day or even two before serving.  

Related Recipes You May Like

Simple Chocolate Cake

Chocolate Banana Cake

Chocolate Cheesecake

Chocolate Chiffon Cake

Chocolate Muffins

Chocolate Cake

Chocolate Chiffon Cake: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C) and place the oven rack in the center of the oven. Butter and flour an 9-inch heart-shaped cake pan with 2 1/4 inch (6 cm) sides.

Separate the eggs, placing the whites in one bowl and the yolks in another. To the whites, add the additional egg white and then cover both bowls with plastic wrap. Bring the eggs to room temperature (this takes about 30 minutes) before using.

Meanwhile whisk or sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. 

In a liquid measuring cup, whisk together the oil, coffee or water, and vanilla extract.

In the bowl of your electric mixer (or with a hand mixer or wire whisk) beat the egg yolks with 2/3 cup (135 grams) of the sugar. Turn the mixer on low speed and slowly pour the oil mixture into the egg yolks and beat until well combined. Gradually add the flour mixture and beat until well incorporated.

In a separate mixing bowl, fitted with the whisk attachment (or with a hand mixer), beat the egg whites and cream of tartar until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in the remaining 1/3 cup (65 grams) of sugar and beat until stiff peaks form. With a rubber spatula or wire whisk, gently fold the egg whites into the batter (in three stages) just until blended (being careful not to deflate the batter). 

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 35 - 40 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. (When lightly pressed the cake will spring back). Cool on a wire rack for about 15 minutes. To remove the cake from the pan, run a spatula around the inside of the pan to loosen the cake. Invert onto a wire rack. 

Chocolate Whipped Cream: In a large mixing bowl combine all the ingredients. Then beat the mixture until stiff peaks form.

To Assemble the Cake: Once the cake has cooled completely, place on a flat surface and, using a sharp knife, cut the cake, horizontally, into two layers. Turn over the top layer of the cake (so the top of the cake becomes the bottom) and spread with the chocolate whipped cream.  Place the second layer of cake, cut-side down, on top of the chocolate cream, gently pressing to compact. Cover with plastic wrap and place the cake in the refrigerator for several hours, or even overnight, before covering with the ganache.

Ganache: Place the finely chopped chocolate in a medium sized heatproof bowl. Heat the cream and butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring just to a boil. Then immediately pour the boiling cream over the chocolate and allow to stand for a few minutes so the chocolate melts.  Gently stir until smooth. Add the liqueur, if using, and let cool for about 10 minutes.

Remove the cake from the refrigerator, take off the plastic wrap, and place the cake on a wire rack. Put the wire rack onto a baking sheet to catch any drips. Pour the ganache over the top of the cake and, with a large spatula, push (spread) the ganache over the sides of the cake, to create an even coating of ganache. If there are any bare spots on sides of the cake, cover with some of the ganache that has accumulated on the baking sheet. (If there is leftover ganache you can use it to make chocolate truffles. Strain the ganache to remove any crumbs, chill until firm, form into small rounds, and roll in cocoa powder.)

Let the cake set a little on the wire rack and then gently transfer the cake to your serving platter and place the cake in the refrigerator until serving time. This cake can be made a day or two before serving. You can decorate the top of the cake with the chocolate truffles or fresh raspberries or strawberries, if desired.

Serves about 8-10 people.

View comments on this recipe on YouTube

Chocolate Chiffon Cake:

3 large eggs

1 large egg white (30 grams)

1 cup (200 grams) granulated white sugar, divided

2/3 cup (85 grams) all purpose flour

1/3 cup (35 grams) unsweetened cocoa powder (preferably Dutch processed)

1 1/4 teaspoons (5 grams) baking powder

1/2 teaspoon (3 grams) baking soda

1/4 teaspoon (1 gram) salt

1/2 cup (120 ml) safflower, canola, vegetable, or corn oil

1/3 cup (80 ml) water or coffee, at room temperature

1 1/2 teaspoons (6 grams) pure vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon (1 gram) cream of tartar

Chocolate Whipped Cream:

1/2 cup (120 ml) cold heavy whipping cream (cream with a 35-40% butterfat content)

1/4 teaspoon (1 gram) pure vanilla extract

2 tablespoons (25 grams) granulated white sugar

1 tablespoon (7 grams) unsweetened cocoa powder

Ganache:

8 ounces (230 grams) semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

3/4 cup (180 ml) heavy whipping cream (cream with a 35-40% butterfat content)

2 tablespoons (25 grams) unsalted butter, diced

1 tablespoon Grand Marnier, brandy, or rum (optional)

Subscribe Now
 
     
 

 

 

New Videos

   
   

 
 

Contact Us   Privacy Policy

Use of materials on all pages on the domains Joyofbaking.com, joyofbaking.mobi, the Joyofbaking.com Facebook Page, @joyofbaking on Twitter, the Joyofbaking.com RSS Feed, the Joyofbaking.com email list the Joyofbaking1 YouTube Channel and any emails sent from @joyofbaking.com are entirely at the risk of the user and their owner, iFood Media LLC will not be responsible for any damages directly or indirectly resulting from the use.

References cited may include a link to purchase the referenced book or item on Amazon.com. Joyofbaking.com receives a commission on any purchases resulting from these links.

This website and the contents are not endorsed or sponsored by the owner of the "Joy of Cooking" series of books or its publisher Simon & Schuster, Inc. and is not related to the  "Joy the Baker" books and website. Video icons by Asher.

Content in any form may not be copied or used without written permission of Stephanie Jaworski, Joyofbaking.com.  Students and non profit educators may use content without permission with proper credit. 

A baking resource on the Internet since 1997

Copyright  1997 to 2023 iFood Media LLC