Valentine’s Day Dessert – Pound Cake Hearts

Poundcake is easily one of my favorite desserts. It is incredibly versatile, doesn’t need anything in the way of frosting if you don’t feel like it and it pairs wonderfully with fruits of all kinds. When I stumbled across this super cute heart shaped cake pan, I knew it would be perfect for making a fantastic Poundcake desert for Valentine’s Day!

My favorite Poundcake recipe so far comes from Paula Deen – some things really are just better with a stick of butter and a couple of cups of sugar and Poundcake is one of them. This recipe is one I would label a a no-fail recipe — it is immensely easy to make with no fussy steps to stumble on. But as with any Poundcake, expect a long, slow bake time. This recipe will make about 18 hearts.

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened

1 1/2 cups sugar

3 eggs

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 cups fresh whipped cream

Pint of fresh raspberries

With an electric mixer, cream together butter and sugar until smooth and fluffy. Add the eggs in one at a time and beat the mixture well after each egg is added. In a small bowl, sift together flour, baking powder and salt. Alternately add flour mixture and heavy cream to butter/sugar mix beginning and ending with the flour. Stir in vanilla.

Pour the batter into greased mini heart shaped individual cake pan molds and place into a cold oven. Set the temperature to 325 degrees and bake for 25 minutes without opening the oven door. Remove from oven and cool in pan for 10 minutes.

After removing from the pan and letting the hearts thoroughly cool, cut the bottoms of the cakes so that they sit level.

Slice In half horizontally.

Spoon fresh whipped cream into a large pastry bag fitted with a large star shaped tip.

 

Pipe stars of whipped cream to the upper side of the bottom half of each cake.

 

Top each cake with raspberries…one, two three, go crazy! If you’re feeling particularly inspired, drizzle entire cake with white chocolate before serving like in our Puppy Love Party.