With Valentine’s Day coming, love is the topic of the moment. When we think about love, we generally think in terms of who loves us and whom we love, both of which refer to others. But what if Valentine’s Day were really about falling in love with ourselves, cherishing ourselves, and knowing ourselves as manifestations of the Divine. Self-love is not an act of effort but rather a way of being. It means living in a way, moment to moment, that makes room for our own heart’s experience, being with ourselves with kindness and without judgment.
Love is not a finite entity, quite the contrary. When we spend time lovingly paying attention to ourselves, attending to the nourishment of our spirit, we generate more love, and enrich ourselves to become greater vehicles of kindness. Self-love inspires love for others. This Valentine’s add yourself to to your own love list. Love and pamper yourself just the way i’m doing this season.
Have a go at baking this lovely romantic loaf cake, which has a surprise center when cut – perfect for a valentine’s gift to your self and your loved ones too.
Prep Time | 10 minutes |
Cook Time | 120 minutes |
Servings |
portion
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- 2 cups All purpose flour
- 4 Eggs
- 1 cup Unsalted butter cooking oil /
- 3/4 cup milk Whole fat
- 1 tbsp Baking powder
- 1 1/2 cups Sugar granulated
- 4 - 5 drops Red color
- 2 tbsp Cocoa powder
- 1 tsp Vanilla essence
- 1 tsp Chocolate essence
- 1 Heart cookie shaped cutter
Ingredients
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- Sift all purpose flour and baking powder together in a large bowl and keep aside.
- In a separate bowl take granulated sugar and unsalted butter. Blend them nicely till the sugar dissolves and the mixture acquires a creamy texture.
- Now add egg one at a time and keep beating the mixture.
- Once the eggs are added and the mixture is beaten well till it becomes creamy n fluffy, add whole milk and blend the mix again for few mins.
- Now take the liquid mixture and start pouring it gradually on the dry mixture. Keep folding both the mixtures in clockwise direction till it becomes a smooth batter.
- Separate the batter into two equal portions in different bowls.
- In the first bowl add few drops of red food color and vanilla essence and stir well till the color incorporates in the batter well. Keep aside.
- In the second bowl add cocoa powder and chocolate essence and blend all together till the cocoa powder incorporates well. Keep aside.
- Grease a 6"inch loaf baking tray and pour in the red batter completely.
- Bake the red cake in a pre heated oven at 180degree C for around 35 mins or till the skewer comes out clean.
- Once the cake is done, allow it to cool and then cut into medium slices (like bread slice)
- Now take a heart shape cookie cutter and press it on the center of slice so that u get a heart shape cake piece.
- Repeat the same process for rest of the slices too.
- Collect all the red hearts in a separate plate and keep aside.
- Note: The left over corners of the red sponge cake can be used in making pudding or mouse.
- Now again grease a 6"inch baking tray and pour one large spoon of cocoa batter on the base.
- Take the red sponge hearts and arrange them in a row in the center of the baking tray (from one end to the other)
- Make sure the red hearts don't have gap between each other.
- Now pour the rest of the cocoa batter all over red sponge heart row covering from all sides.
- Put the baking tray in the pre heated oven and bake the cake for around 35-40 mins. Or till the skewer/tooth pick comes out clean.
- Once the cake is done allow it to cool. Cut into slices and u will find a hidden heart in every slice.
Happy Valentine's To All