I’m pretty smitten about this Chocolate Valentine Surprise Loaf Cake, which is a super cute recipe created especially for Valentine’s Day.
My friend Amanda Rettke wrote a cookbook a few years back: Surprise-Inside Cakes (Amazon affilitate link). She’s kinda the queen of cute shapes “hidden” inside of cakes, and her book is all about that. This Valentine Surprise Loaf Cake recipe was inspired by Amanda’s cakes. It’s much like a chocolate pound cake- dense and chocolatey and slightly fudgy in the middle. I’ve hidden a heart in the middle of the cake- so when you cut into it, you get the surprise of the heart in every slice.
How to make a Chocolate Valentine Surprise Loaf Cake:
The wet ingredients are combined with the dry ingredients to create your chocolatey batter.
You also need a frozen pound cake for this recipe (any brand, but I usually pick up the basic Sara Lee). You certainly could make your own homemade pound cake, but it’s totally not necessary. Plus, the sturdiness of a frozen pound cake is the kind of consistency you need. You’ll cut a bunch of heart shapes from slices of the pound cake. Those will end up being the “surprise” inside your cake!
About half of the batter is spread into the bottom of your loaf pan.
A snuggly row of evenly stacked hearts is placed on top of the batter.
Then the rest of the batter is spooned on top.
I sprinkle on chocolate chips to make sure everything was going to be extra-chocolatey!
Here is the loaf all baked- you’ll see that the hearts in the center of my cake pop out the top when the cake rose and cracked. At first, I was like… OH NO! But then I decided that I liked that the hearts peeked out the middle to tell everyone, “Hey, this is a Valentine’s Day cake!)
Go ahead and surprise your Valentine’s this year with this delicious Chocolate Valentine Surprise Loaf Cake. They’ll love ya for it!
Here are a few more Valentine’s Day recipes you might like to try:
- Red Velvet Cheesecake
- Pink Champagne Cupcakes
- Nutella Heart Ravioli
- Valentine S’Mores Trail Mix
- Red Velvet Pancakes
- Fantasy Fudge
- How to Make a Heart Shaped Cake
- Vanilla Apples with Sweetheart Croutes
Chocolate Valentine Surprise Loaf Cake
Ingredients
- 10 tablespoons (1 stick + 2 tablespoons) salted butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup granulated white sugar
- 1/2 cup 2% or whole plain Greek yogurt
- 3 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1¼ cups all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup miniature chocolate chips, divided
- 1 loaf frozen pound cake, (like Sara Lee), cut into ¾-inch slices
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray an 8x4-inch loaf pan with nonstick spray.
- In a medium bowl, use and electric mixer to combine the butter and the sugar. Then mix in the yogurt, eggs and vanilla.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder and baking powder. Add to the dry ingredients and mix to combine. Stir in ¼ cup chocolate chips.
- Using a small heart cookie cutter (1 to 2 inches), cut heart shapes from each slice of frozen pound cake. Cut enough of them so (when stacked) they'll fit across almost the entire length of the loaf pan.
- Spread about half of the batter onto the bottom of the loaf pan. Lay a row of the evenly stacked hearts on their side on top of the batter- spanning the length of the pan and leaving about an inch of space on each end (see photo or video in recipe post). Scoop remaining batter over the top to cover the pound cake hearts and create a smooth surface. Sprinkle the remaining chocolate chips on top.
- Bake 45 to 50 minutes, or until almost completely set (it will look a tiny bit like lava cake in the very center, and that's okay!) The hearts you put in the center of the cake may or may not pop up out of the cake as pictured- it depends on how deep the top layer of batter is. Let cool for 20 minutes or so in the pan, then loosen the edges of the pan with a knife and pop out onto a rack to cool completely. Keep well wrapped- this cake is best eaten within a day or two.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Can you use a box cake mix? And also can you do with mini loaf pans?
You can certainly try!
I actually saw the recipe when you first posted it but didnt get a chance to stop by. I love the little surprise! It looks so complicated but really it’s not. I can imagine all the possibilities with different cookie cutters.
Hi Lori!
What if instead of the frozen pound cake we substitute for cheese cake? Will that work as well as the pound cake?
That’s an interesting idea! I have no idea if it would work… or if the cheesecake would melt inside or what. Let me know if you try it!
I used to see these type of cakes and wonder how they did this Now we all know Awesome ..You honestly use any kind of shape not just a heart ..
this is so freaking cute!
super cute, Lori! I almost did something really similar, and I’m glad I changed m mind at the last minute because I’m pretty sure your’s would have blown mine out of the water. LOVE that heart peeking out the the top!
Mmmmmmm! How clever, too! :o)
Lori,
I’ve always wanted to make a cake like this but just haven’t had the chance. Pinned.
Annamaria
I maybe being thick here but whats a pound cake? is it just like a cake that looks like a loaf or something? would it matter what you put inside? I’m thinking Battenburg cake would be nice?
I just volunteered to make cakes for the works bake sale and i think this is a winner! it will look awesome!
in the US, a pound cake is a dense loaf cake. You can make it homemade or buy it frozen. A dense sponge cake would also work.
How cute! What a perfect Valentine’s Day treat!