The Scandikitchen recipe: Love Cake for Valentine's Day

Everyone knows the quickest way to someone's heart is through the stomach. Show your love this Valentine's Day than with a deliciously indulgent Love Cake, topped off with a filter coffee and cocao spread and sprinkled with coconut flakes, created by author of the Scandikitchen cookbook Bronte Aurell.

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‘KARLEKSMUMS’ LOVE CAKE

This cake has many, many names across Scandinavia. I call it Love Cake (from the Swedish ‘kärlek’ meaning ‘love’ and ‘mums’ meaning ‘something delicious’). I changed the traditional chocolate sponge at the café to a darker chocolate cake as I feel it goes better with the mocha icing.

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INGREDIENTS

FOR THE CAKE, SERVES 8–10:

3 ½ tablespoons cacao or cocoa powder

100 ml whole milk

175 g butter

225 g granulated sugar

2 eggs

225 g plain flour or cake flour

1 teaspoon vanilla sugar or extract

1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

½ teaspoon salt

FOR THE TOPPING:

150 g icing sugar, sifted

50 g butter

1 generous tablespoon cacao or cocoa powder

½ teaspoon vanilla sugar

4 tablespoons strong filter coffee

50 g desiccated coconut, plus extra to decorate

coarse sea salt, to decorate a 20-cm deep round cake pan, greased and lined with baking parchment

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) Gas 4.

In a bowl, mix together the cacao or cocoa with 100 ml of boiling water to make a thick paste and leave to cool. Gradually pour in the milk and stir well until combined and smooth.

In a separate bowl, cream together the butter and caster sugar until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs one by one, mixing well between each addition and taking care that they are completely incorporated.

In a third bowl, sift together the flour, vanilla sugar or extract, bicarbonate of soda and salt.

Add the flour and the cacao or cocoa mixtures to the egg mixture, whisking continuously, taking care to ensure everything is well incorporated, but not over-beating or your cake will be heavy. Spoon the mixture into the prepared cake pan, spreading evenly. Bake in the middle of the preheated oven for 20–25 minutes, or until a skewer comes out just clean (take care not to over-bake).

Leave to cool slightly, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the topping, put all the ingredients except the salt in a saucepan. Melt together gently, stirring until well combined. Cool, then spoon the topping onto the cooled cake and spread evenly. Decorate with the extra coconut and sea salt, then leave to set before serving.

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Recipe extracted from The Scandikitchen (2015) by Bronte Aurell, available via Amazon for £11.55.