Talking Heart Cake

Votes: 1

Time: 1 hour 30 min.
Complexity: easily
Servings: 12

Nutritional value per serving:

Calories 857, total fat 14 G., saturated fats 5 G., proteins 4 G., carbohydrates 182 G., fiber 1 G., cholesterol 10 mg, sodium 533 mg, sugar 111 G.

In the West, it's traditional to give "talking hearts"—edible valentines with a message or declaration of love—on Valentine's Day. This recipe suggests making a real cake in the shape of a giant heart with a message. Don't worry if you don't have a special heart-shaped cake pan: for a full-size heart-shaped cake, you'll need a round and a square cake pan of the same size. Bake two sponge cakes in these pans, then fold them into a heart shape, frost them, and cover them with smooth, colored fondant. For the message, stock up on red food coloring and some pretty words.

The recipes use measuring containers with the following volumes:
1 glass (st.) - 250 ml.
3/4 cup (st.) - 180 ml.
2/3 cup (st.) - 160 ml.
1/2 cup (st.) - 125 ml.
1/3 cup (st.) - 80 ml.
1/4 cup (st.) - 60 ml.
1 tablespoon (tbsp) - 15 ml.
1 teaspoon (tsp) - 5 ml.
1/5 teaspoon (tsp) - 1 ml.

Ingredients for the recipe:

2 packages of 420-450 g dry vanilla sponge cake mix (+ all necessary additional ingredients)
1 tube (450 g) of white glaze
1 package (280 g) of marshmallows
1/4 cup water
8 drops green liquid food coloring
2 packages of powdered sugar (450 g each)
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
Pink or red liquid food coloring, for writing

Ingredient Substitution Suggestions

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Recipes with similar ingredients: cake mix, cream, marshmallow

Cooking the dish according to the recipe:

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Spray a 9-inch round pan and a 9-inch square pan (2 inches deep) with cooking spray.
Mix the sponge cake dough according to package directions; divide the dough evenly among the pans. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean, 30-35 minutes.

Let the cakes cool, then remove them from the pans. Trim the domed tops of the cakes with a long serrated knife to flatten them. Cut the round cake in half.
Working on a cake board (you can cut a heart out of it to fit the cake) or cutting board, place 2 half-moon sponges on either side of the square sponge to form a heart.
Cover the cake with white icing, filling all the spaces between the layers.
Combine the marshmallows and water in a large microwave-safe bowl. Microwave, stirring with a rubber spatula, until the marshmallows are melted and smooth, 1-2 minutes. Add green food coloring and stir until smooth.
Transfer the marshmallow mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer. Mix, gradually adding almost all of the powdered sugar, setting aside 0.5 cups, and beat until smooth. Stir in the butter.
Transfer the fondant to a sheet of parchment paper and knead, incorporating powdered sugar, until the mixture is no longer sticky. Dust the parchment paper with additional powdered sugar; roll the fondant into a sheet large enough to cover the cake, at least 32 x 40 cm.
Carefully invert the parchment paper and fondant onto the cake; remove the parchment paper. Gently press the fondant onto the sides of the cake and smooth it out with your hands; trim off any excess. Shake off any excess sugar.
Use the wide end of a chopstick to write on the fondant (it's best to do this before the fondant dries). Use a small brush to paint the letters with red or pink food coloring.