Honey-Chocolate Valentine Cake

Cooking Instructions

Heat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-inch heart-shaped cake pan (see Note). Line bottom with waxed paper. Grease paper and lightly dust pan and paper with flour.

Heat chocolate and water in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring often, until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth. (Or put chocolate and water in a medium bowl. Microwave on high, checking every 30 seconds, until chocolate is melted. Stir until smooth.)

Mix flour and baking soda on a sheet of waxed paper. Mix buttermilk, honey and vanilla in a small bowl until blended.

Beat butter and sugar in a large bowl with electric mixer until creamy. Beat in eggs one at a time. With mixer on low speed, add flour mixture in 3 additions alternately with buttermilk mixture until well blended. Beat in chocolate mixture. (Batter may look speckled, but chocolate will blend in when baked). Pour into prepared pan.

Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until cake comes away slightly from sides of pan and a pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack 10 minutes. Invert on rack and let cool completely.

Glaze: Heat chocolate and shortening in a saucepan over low heat, stirring often, until melted and smooth. (Or heat chocolate and shortening in microwave as directed in Step 2.) Let cool 10 to 15 minutes. Pour over top and sides of cake and, working quickly with a large spatula, spread until cake is coated.

Decoration: Put chocolate chips in a bottom corner of a gallon-size ziptop food-storage bag. Put filled corner of bag in a small bowl and add boiling water to cover. Let stand about 2 minutes until chocolate softens. Dry outside of bag. Knead chocolate through bag until completely melted and smooth. Snip off the tip of a corner. Pipe parallel lines about 3⁄4 inch apart on top of cake. Quickly draw a toothpick across the lines, alternating direction and wiping toothpick between each stroke.

To serve, scatter rose petals on cake. If petals are from pesticide-free homegrown roses, munch away. If from a florist, remove petals before eating cake.

NOTE: Heart-shaped cake pans are available in party-supply shops, large variety stores, and cookware stores.