Hidden heart loaf cake

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4 and grease and line a 900g/2lb loaf tin with non-stick baking paper.

Step 2

To make the pink sponge, cream together the butter and caster sugar until light and fluffy in a large mixing bowl using an electric hand mixer. Gradually add the eggs and vanilla extract while whisking. Mix until well combined.

Step 3

Mix in the gluten-free self-raising flour, xanthan gum and gluten-free baking powder, followed by enough pink food colouring gel to make a bright pink batter.

Step 4

Spoon the mixture into the loaf tin ensuring it's even.

Step 5

Bake for around 45–50 minutes until golden and cooked through. To check it's ready, slide a skewer into the sponge – if it comes out clean then it's done.

Step 6

Leave to cool in the tin briefly before turning it out onto a cooling rack.

Step 7

Once fully cool, cut a thin slice off each of the two ends of the cake to reveal the bright pink sponge.

Step 8

Use a heart shaped cookie cutter to measure and cut the cake into slices the same thickness as the cutter. Then use the cutter on each slice to make pink heart shaped sponges (keep the offcuts as they can be used for decoration later). Put to one side while making the chocolate sponge.

Step 9

To make the chocolate sponge, ensure the oven is preheated once more to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4 and grease and line a 900g/2lb loaf tin with non-stick baking paper again.

Step 10

Cream together the butter and caster sugar until light and fluffy in a large mixing bowl, using an electric hand mixer. Gradually add the eggs, mixing until combined.

Step 11

Mix in the gluten-free self-raising flour, xanthan gum, gluten-free baking powder and cocoa powder.

Step 12

Spoon 2–3 tablespoons of the cake mixture into the prepared tin and spread to cover the base. Then place the pink sponge hearts standing up in a line down the centre of the tin and carefully spoon the rest of the chocolate mixture around the hearts so they are covered.

Step 13

Bake for around 45–50 minutes until cooked through. Insert a skewer again to check that it's ready.

Step 14

Leave to cool in the tin briefly before turning it out onto a cooling rack.

Step 15

While it cools, make the icing. Melt the dark chocolate carefully in the microwave or in a bowl set over a pan of gently simmering water. Once it's melted, let it cool a little.

Step 16

Beat the butter until light and fluffy in a medium-sized bowl with an electric whisk or in a stand mixer, then add the icing sugar gradually followed by the cocoa powder. Once fully combined, mix through the melted dark chocolate.

Step 17

Spread the chocolate icing all over the top of the cake and finish with some of the offcuts of pink sponge crumbled up and extra chocolate sprinkles.