Valentine's Chocolate Cake (4 servings) - photo 1
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Valentine's Chocolate Cake (4 servings)

Desserts Valentine's Day Dishes for Special Occasions 120 min Medium 44 wyświetleń ~42.14 PLN * - (0)
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Description

A small, elegant chocolate cake designed for Valentine's Day — an intense cocoa sponge layered with a velvety chocolate cream and covered with a shiny glaze. Inspiration: classic French chocolate cakes scaled down to serve 4 people and enriched with a delicate buttercream and optional raspberries for a tart contrast. The result: a rich cocoa flavor, creamy texture, and glossy icing create an elegant dessert that looks great on a small plate — garnishing with raspberries and almond flakes adds a romantic touch. Serve slightly chilled (about 12–15°C), with a cup of strong coffee or bergamot tea. Perfect for an intimate dinner or as a sweet surprise for someone special.

Ingredients Used

Ingredients (14)

Servings:
4
  • Chicken egg 3 szt. (~180 g)
  • Wheat flour 100 g
  • Sugar 150 g
  • Vanilla sugar 8 g
  • Cocoa 30 g
  • Baking powder 5 g
  • Butter 180 g
  • Milk 60 ml
  • Bitter chocolate 1 300 g
  • 30% heavy cream 250 g
  • Powdered sugar 60 g
  • 🌿 Przyprawy
  • Salt 1 g
  • ✨ Opcjonalne
  • Raspberry 200 g
  • Almond flakes 30 g
💰 Szacowany koszt dania: ~42.14 PLN (10.54 PLN/porcję)
* Brak cen dla niektórych składników

💡 Kliknij na składnik aby oznaczyć jako użyty

Preparation steps

Preparing the baking pan

1

Place the oven rack in the middle position and preheat the oven to 175°C (top-bottom) or 160°C with fan. Prepare an 18 cm round cake pan: line the bottom with a circle of parchment paper, lightly grease the sides with butter, and dust with flour or line with strips of paper. This will help the sponge cake easily release from the sides after baking.

Use an 18 cm springform pan or a small pan of similar diameter. Cut the parchment paper to fit the bottom; greasing the sides helps the sponge cake to release evenly.

Chocolate sponge cake

2

In a large bowl, beat the eggs with the sugar and vanilla sugar. Use a mixer on high speed for 6–8 minutes: the mixture should significantly increase in volume, become light, fluffy, and form thick ribbons when lifting the mixer beaters. This is the key to a light sponge cake.

Use a bowl and a whisk attachment for the mixer. If you don't have a mixer, whisk vigorously by hand for about 12–15 minutes to achieve a similar effect (a lot of work).
3

Sift the flour and cocoa powder along with the baking powder into a separate bowl. Add a teaspoon of salt. Sift the dry ingredient mixture in thirds into the whipped egg mixture, gently folding with a spatula from the bottom to the top to avoid deflating the air. When the ingredients are almost combined, pour in 60 ml of slightly warm milk and 60 g of melted, cooled butter, and very gently mix until the mixture is uniform.

Use a large metal or silicone spatula. Gently mix by 'folding' the batter until there are no dry streaks of flour. The dough should be thick but pourable — do not mix too vigorously.
4

Pour the batter into the prepared springform pan, smoothing the top with a silicone spatula. Place in the preheated oven and bake for 25–30 minutes. After 25 minutes, check with a toothpick — when the toothpick comes out dry or with a few dry crumbs, the sponge is ready. Do not bake longer, as it will dry out.

Bake on the middle rack. It's best to insert the toothpick in the center; if there's a lot of wet batter, bake for another 3–5 minutes and check again.
5

After baking, remove the springform pan and set it on a rack for 10 minutes. Then, run a knife along the inner edge of the pan, turn the sponge cake onto the rack, and let it cool completely. Once it is cold, cut it horizontally into two equal layers: you can use a long sharp knife, a cake leveler, or dental floss — guide it gently to ensure the edges are even.

Use a cooling rack to prevent the bottom from steaming. It's best to cut after it has completely cooled, so it won't crumble.

Chocolate cream

6

Prepare the ganache: in a saucepan, heat 200 ml of cream almost to boiling — bubbles will form at the edges, do not boil vigorously. Remove from heat and pour into a bowl with 200 g of broken dark chocolate. Wait 1 minute, then stir gently in even, slow motions from the center to the outside until the chocolate melts and the mixture is smooth. Set aside to cool to room temperature (about 20–25°C).

Use a metal bowl and a whisk or spatula. If the chocolate does not melt completely, briefly heat it in a water bath, stirring constantly. The ganache should be thick but still pliable before you add the butter.
7

To the cooled ganache, add 120 g of soft butter (taken out of the fridge earlier, it should be pliable). Beat with a mixer on medium speed for 2–3 minutes until the mixture becomes creamy, smooth, and slightly lighter in color. Finally, add 60 g of sifted powdered sugar and mix briefly to evenly combine the sweetness and achieve a smooth consistency for the filling.

Use a mixer with flat attachments or a hand whisk. If the cream is too runny, place it in the fridge for 15–20 minutes and stir every 5 minutes until it reaches a spreadable consistency.

Glaze

8

Prepare the glossy glaze: heat 50 ml of cream almost to boiling, pour it over 100 g of chopped dark chocolate, wait 30 seconds and stir until smooth. Add 20 g of butter and stir until emulsification creates a shiny, thick coating. Let it cool slightly — it should be liquid but not hot when you pour it over the cake.

If the glaze is too thick after cooling, briefly heat it in a water bath and stir. Remember that the glaze should have the consistency of thick syrup — then it will flow evenly down the sides of the cake.

Assembly and decoration

9

On a serving plate, place the first layer of sponge cake with the cut side facing up (if it's uneven, you can level it). If you're using raspberries, gently mash 100 g of raspberries with a fork and spread a thin layer on the cake (or spread raspberry jam). Then, spread 1/2 of the chocolate cream in an even layer (use a spatula). Place the second layer on top, gently press down to level it. Chill in the refrigerator for 20–30 minutes to allow the cream to set slightly and not separate under the glaze.

Use a long spatula and a rotating base or plate for easy assembly. Additionally, you can add raspberries to enhance the flavor and color (optional ingredient).
10

Remove the chilled cake from the refrigerator and pour the prepared glaze in the center of the top layer. Allow the glaze to flow naturally to the edges; smooth the surface with a spatula only if necessary. The glaze should create a smooth, shiny coating. Optionally, sprinkle the edges with toasted almond flakes and arrange the remaining raspberries on top as decoration.

If you want an ultra-smooth surface, pour on one layer and scrape off the excess with a spatula. You can toast the almond flakes in a dry pan until golden (about 2–3 minutes), stirring to prevent burning.

Serving

11

Let the cake sit for 20–30 minutes at room temperature or until the glaze slightly thickens. Cutting: use a sharp knife with a long blade, dip it in hot water, and wipe it with a towel before each cut to achieve even, clean slices. Serve after 20–30 minutes from glazing, preferably slightly chilled.

A heated and cleaned knife between cuts gives aesthetic slices. Do not cut too early, as the cream may be too soft and spill out.

Fun Fact

💡

The combination of dark chocolate with a small amount of salt or sour raspberries is an old technique for enhancing the aroma of chocolate — the contrast of flavors makes the chocolate seem more intense.

Best for

Walentynki Romantyczna kolacja Małe przyjęcie dla 4 osób

Tips

🍽️ Serving

Serve against a light-colored dish to highlight the dark color of the chocolate. You can add a few fresh raspberries and mint leaves to the plate for contrast. For serving, I suggest a small portion (1 slice) with a cup of espresso or bergamot tea. Cutting with a knife warmed in water gives perfect slices.

🥡 Storage

Store in the refrigerator covered for up to 3 days. The chocolate cream and glaze maintain their structure, but it's best to take the cake out 20–30 minutes before serving so the cream isn't too hard. Do not freeze with the mirror glaze — it may lose its shine; if you freeze the layers separately, thaw slowly in the refrigerator.

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