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    Hidden Heart Chocolate Loaf Cake

    11/02/2015 by thebakingexplorer 19 Comments

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    This Hidden Heart Chocolate Loaf Cake is made using the hidden design technique, it looks so impressive and clever but is easier to make than you think! There are lots of different ideas out there of what image to hide inside, but this is a good one to start off with if you want to give hidden designs a go for the first time. Plus it's perfect for Valentine's Day! As well as it's pretty apperance, it's a delicious chocolate cake with a rich buttercream that's infused with dark chocolate - so yummy! The most exciting part is the moment of truth when you cut into it and see the design inside, it's such a fun surprise especially if you don't tell your friends and family about it! It will certainly provide a romantic surprise too if you bake this for your loved one.

    Hidden Heart Loaf Cake

    Ingredient Tips & Equipment Information

    • Make sure all your ingredients (particularly the butter and eggs) are at room temperature before you start baking.
    • For the best flavour, make sure to use a good quality vanilla extract and not an essence.
    • I used a baking spread for the cakes and unsalted butter for the buttercream.
    • You will need to use a professional grade food colouring to get the same shade of pink that you can see in my photos. Brands I recommend are Pro Gel and Sugarflair. Colour Mill and Americolor are also good quality brands.
    • You will need a 2lb loaf tin for this recipe (you can test the size of your loaf tin by seeing how much water the tin can hold, 2lb will hold about 2 pints/1100ml of water). If you have a 1lb loaf tin, simply halve the ingredient amounts.
    • For easy lining of the tin, use a loaf cake tin liner*.
    • Although I provide cup measurements, I highly recommend weighing your ingredients out using digital kitchen scales*. It is the most accurate way to measure ingredients and will ensure the best results. Digital scales are very low cost and can be purchased for around £12 ($16.50) .
    • For teaspoon (tsp) and tablespoon (tbsp) measurements, please use measuring spoons* and not the type of spoons you eat with. Again this will ensure accuracy and provide the best results.

    For the full recipe with measurements, head to the recipe card at the end of this post.

    How to make Hidden Heart Chocolate Loaf Cake

    To make the pink sponge mix together butter and sugar. Then added eggs and vanilla extract, and whisk them in. Finally mix in self raising flour and enough pink food colouring to get a strong shade.

    Pour it into a loaf tin and bake for 50 minutes, then leave it to cool completely.

    When it is fully cool, cut off the ends of the sponge, then scored marks along it the same thickness as your heart shaped cutter. Cut the sponge into pieces and then used your heart shaped cutter to cut out hearts from each piece.

    What can you do with the leftover cake cuttings?

    Make my easy no bake Three Ingredient Leftover Cake Truffles with the leftover cake! You could also make cake pops or cakesicles.

    To make the chocolate sponge, mix together butter and sugar. Then added eggs, milk and vanilla extract and whisk in. Finally fold in self raising flour, baking powder and cocoa powder. Put a little bit of the cake mixture into the bottom of the tin, and set the heart shaped pink cake into it as neatly as you can in a row.

    Then spoon the remaining mixture around and on top of the pink sponge and bake it for 50 minutes.

    To make the buttercream, mix together icing sugar, vanilla extract and butter. Then add in melted dark chocolate and mix until smooth, you may also need to add a little milk. Pipe the buttercream over the fully cooled sponge and sprinkle on some heart sprinkles.

    Hidden Heart Chocolate Loaf Cake

    How should this cake be stored and can it be frozen?

    The cake will keep in an airtight container for 3 days in a cool place. You can freeze the sponge either alone, or decorated. Once the sponge is fully cool, wrap well with cling film or put it in an airtight container. You can freeze the frosting on it’s own in a tub, or you can decorate the cake and freeze it fully assembled. To do this and avoid damage to the decoration, freeze it either in an airtight container. Or let it freeze solid on a cake board or plate, then wrap in cling film. Remove the cling film when you take it out to defrost it, if you don’t it could damage the decoration as it defrosts and softens. You can also freeze slices of the cake, again well wrapped in cling film or in airtight containers.

    What is the best food colouring to use for the pink cake?

    To get a bright pink shade that remains strong after the cake is baked you need to use a professional grade gel food colouring. You can buy these easily from many online shops, including amazon. I used the brand Pro Gel, other brands include Americolour and Sugarflair.

    What size tin do you need for this recipe?

    You will need a 2lb loaf tin for this recipe (you can test the size of your loaf tin by seeing how much water the tin can hold, 2lb will hold about 2 pints/1100mls of water). I do not recommend using a 1lb loaf tin as the cake will not be deep enough to create the hidden heart effect.

    Hidden Heart Chocolate Loaf Cake

    Can you make this loaf cake with plain/all purpose flour?

    Self raising flour, which is very commonly used in the UK where I am based, already contains a raising agent and a little salt too. Therefore if you want to swap it for plain or all purpose flour, you will need to add some additional baking powder and also a little salt if you like. Some people like to add salt to cake recipes and some don't, so I'll leave that up to you as it won't affect the bake. The general advice is to add 2 teaspoons baking powder (a measuring teaspoon, not the kind you stir your coffee with) per every 200g plain or all purpose flour. Please note, I have not tested this recipe using plain or all purpose flour.

    Can this loaf cake be made gluten or dairy free?

    Yes! For gluten free you can replace the self raising flour with a gluten free self raising flour blend. If you only have a gluten free plain flour blend, you will need to add baking powder. The general advice is to add 2 tsp baking powder per 200g flour. You may also like to add ¼ tsp Xanthan Gum to each cake for better texture. For a dairy free version, use a dairy free baking spread for the cake and the buttercream, and a dairy free milk for the buttercream. You will also need to use a dairy free dark chocolate for the buttercream.

    More tips for making the Hidden Heart Chocolate Loaf Cake:

    • I used a Wilton 1M nozzle to pipe on the buttercream.
    • The heart shaped cutter I used measures 4.5cm wide and 4.5cm high.
    • I find it easier to put the chocolate cake batter into a piping bag and pipe it around the pink sponge, but you can spoon it in too.
    Hidden Heart Chocolate Loaf Cake

    Troubleshooting

    If you have any questions about this recipe, or if something went wrong and you need help, please use the comment form below and I will get back to you. You can also get in touch with me on my Twitter, Instagram or Facebook. I'd love to hear from you!

    Recommended equipment & ingredients*

    • Loaf cake tin
    • Mixing bowls
    • Cooling rack
    • Kitchen scales
    • Electric hand mixer
    • Loaf cake tin liners
    • Piping bags
    • Heart sprinkles
    • Pink food colouring
    • Heart cutters
    • Loaf cake storage box

    *I earn a small amount of money if you buy the products after clicking on the links. You will not be charged anything extra for this. Thank you for supporting The Baking Explorer!

    Hidden Heart Chocolate Loaf Cake

    More Valentine's Day recipes...

    • Red Velvet Cake
    • Chocolate & Raspberry Truffle Cupcakes
    • Chocolate Brownie Pots for Two
    • Red Velvet Cupcakes
    • White Chocolate & Cranberry Baked Donuts
    • Chocolate Fondants
    • Strawberry Fudge
    Hidden Heart Loaf Cake

    Hidden Heart Chocolate Loaf Cake

    Chocolate cake with a hidden pink heart inside, and chocolate buttercream
    5 from 5 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: British
    Keyword: Cake
    Prep Time: 40 minutes
    Cook Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
    Total Time: 2 hours 20 minutes
    Servings: 10
    Author: thebakingexplorer

    Ingredients

    For the pink sponge

    • 175 g Butter or baking spread
    • 175 g Caster sugar
    • 3 Eggs large
    • 1 tsp Vanilla extract
    • 175 g Self raising flour
    • Pink food colouring

    For the chocolate sponge

    • 175 g Butter or baking spread
    • 175 g Caster sugar
    • 3 Eggs large
    • 150 g Self raising flour
    • 35 g Cocoa powder
    • ½ tsp Baking powder
    • 1 ½ tbsp Milk

    For the buttercream

    • 100 g Butter
    • 200 g Icing sugar
    • 1 tsp Vanilla extract
    • 50 g Dark chocolate melted
    • 1 tbsp Milk

    For decoration

    • Heart sprinkles optional
    Metric - US Customary

    Instructions

    • Pre heat the oven to 160C Fan/180C/350F/Gas Mark 4 and grease and line a 2lb loaf tin
    • Make the pink sponge first. Mix the butter and sugar together until fluffy, ideally with an electric mixer, or you can mix in a bowl with a wooden or silicone spoon
    • Add eggs and vanilla extract and whisk in
    • Whisk in the self raising flour, and add enough pink food colouring to get a strong shade
    • Pour the mixture into the loaf tin and bake for around 50 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean
    • Leave it to cool completely, then cut off the ends of the sponge, then score marks along it the same thickness as your heart shaped cutter
    • Cut the sponge into slices following the scored lines and then use your heart shaped cutter to cut out hearts from each piece
    • Make the chocolate sponge. Mix the butter and sugar together until fluffy, ideally with an electric mixer, or you can mix in a bowl with a wooden or silicone spoon
    • Add the eggs and milk, and whisk in
    • Whisk in the self raising flour, baking powder and the cocoa powder
    • Put some of the mixture into the bottom of the tin, and set the heart shaped pink cake into it neatly in a row
    • Spoon the remaining mixture around and on top of the pink sponge hearts, or you can pipe the cake batter in using a piping bag
    • Bake for around 50 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean, allow to cool fully
    • To make the buttercream mix together the icing sugar, vanilla extract, milk and butter. Then add the melted dark chocolate and mix until smooth. If the buttercream is too stiff then you can add a little more milk
    • Spread or pipe the buttercream over the sponge and sprinkle on some heart sprinkles too if you like
    • Slice to reveal the hidden heart design! Store leftovers in an airtight container in a cool place for up to 3 days
    Made this recipe?Share on Instagram with me @TheBakingExplorer or tag #thebakingexplorer!

    Notes

    • Make sure all your ingredients (particularly the butter and eggs) are at room temperature before you start baking.
    • For the best flavour, make sure to use a good quality vanilla extract and not an essence.
    • I used a baking spread for the cakes and unsalted butter for the buttercream.
    • You will need to use a professional grade food colouring to get the same shade of pink that you can see in my photos. Brands I recommend are Pro Gel and Sugarflair. Colour Mill and Americolor are also good quality brands.
    • You will need a 2lb loaf tin for this recipe (you can test the size of your loaf tin by seeing how much water the tin can hold, 2lb will hold about 2 pints/1100ml of water). If you have a 1lb loaf tin, simply halve the ingredient amounts.
    • For easy lining of the tin, use a loaf cake tin liner*.
    • Although I provide cup measurements, I highly recommend weighing your ingredients out using digital kitchen scales*. It is the most accurate way to measure ingredients and will ensure the best results. Digital scales are very low cost and can be purchased for around £12 ($16.50) .
    • For teaspoon (tsp) and tablespoon (tbsp) measurements, please use measuring spoons* and not the type of spoons you eat with. Again this will ensure accuracy and provide the best results.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 734kcal | Carbohydrates: 83g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 42g | Saturated Fat: 26g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 195mg | Sodium: 385mg | Potassium: 176mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 56g | Vitamin A: 1276IU | Calcium: 55mg | Iron: 2mg

    If you like this, check out more of my Cake recipes!

    Or check out my Valentine's Day recipes!

    Hidden Heart Cake Recipe adapted from BakingMad.com. I was sent flour, sugar and vanilla extract to make this recipe with. All opinions are my own.

    « Things To Do With... Zested Lemons, Limes & Oranges
    Three Ingredient Leftover Cake Truffles »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Baking Addict

      February 11, 2015 at 10:45 pm

      I've always wanted to try baking this. It looks really good and you are right the effect is stunning. A great Valentine bake.

      Reply
      • Kat BakingExplorer

        February 17, 2015 at 11:52 pm

        Thanks Ros! I recommend giving it a go, it's so exciting when you cut the cake open!

        Reply
        • Sheetal Nayyar

          February 15, 2021 at 5:48 am

          Hi.. a great idea indeed! Quick query - won’t the already baked pink sponge be over baked when inside the chocolate cake batter? Do clarify pls.& a very Happy Valentine’s day to you!!

          Reply
          • thebakingexplorer

            February 15, 2021 at 8:49 am

            Hi Sheetal, as the middle of a cake is the last part to bake, the pink sponge does not over bake. In fact it's lovely and light with yummy vanilla flavour, and my favourite part of the sponge! I hope you'll try it out 🙂

            Reply
    2. Lisa Niblock

      February 12, 2015 at 9:47 pm

      I too have always wanted to attempt a hidden cake, but haven't taken the time to do so! This cake looks great! I bet anybody would be thrilled to find a heart in their cake this Saturday!! :0) I like the pink with the chocolate cake combo as well... yum!!

      Reply
      • Kat BakingExplorer

        February 17, 2015 at 11:53 pm

        Thanks Lisa! It did take two evenings to complete, but surely it will show someone how much you care for them 🙂

        Reply
    3. Kate Glutenfreealchemist

      February 13, 2015 at 11:12 pm

      Often wondered how to get a shape into a cake..... Now I know! Looks great!

      Reply
      • Kat BakingExplorer

        February 17, 2015 at 11:55 pm

        Thanks Kate! Ah the secret is revealed 😉

        Reply
    4. Ann

      February 16, 2015 at 9:25 pm

      So very cool!! Might just try to do a hidden shamrock for St. Patrick's Day!

      Reply
      • Kat BakingExplorer

        February 17, 2015 at 11:55 pm

        Fab idea! Let me know how it turns out!

        Reply
    5. Jibber JabberUK

      February 25, 2015 at 11:46 pm

      I showed this to my daughter and she thought it was 'awesome'! It's so effective and the pink really stands out from the chocolate cake.

      Reply
    6. Alicia’s Kitchen Bakes

      February 13, 2021 at 9:05 pm

      5 stars
      Just made this and love it! So easy to follow the recipe and well received by everyone! Love the hidden aspect and may try it with other shapes too!

      Reply
      • thebakingexplorer

        February 14, 2021 at 1:18 pm

        So pleased you liked it and found it easy to follow - thank you for your lovely feedback!

        Reply
    7. Kirsty

      February 16, 2021 at 9:41 am

      5 stars
      I made this at the weekend for my boyfriend for Valentine's! He loved it, I swapped the pink for red food colouring and cut the shape of a turtle instead of a heart as I like to be different and we like turtles.
      Very tasty cake. Thank you for the recipe! Will most definitely make again and probably use a different cutter!

      Reply
      • thebakingexplorer

        February 16, 2021 at 4:24 pm

        That sounds so cute Kirsty! Please tag me if you've shared it on social media - I'd love to see it!

        Reply
    8. Lynn

      February 02, 2022 at 5:33 pm

      5 stars
      Would love to try making this. I have a 400g tub of chocolate frosting at home. Would that cover the whole cake?

      Reply
    9. Dawn

      February 13, 2022 at 8:02 pm

      5 stars
      Lovely recipe and turned out perfectly! Super easy to follow and taste great too 🙂

      Reply
    10. Kirsty

      February 19, 2022 at 5:42 am

      5 stars
      Fantastic recipe, simple but effective, easy to follow and tastes delicious!

      Reply
    11. Jai

      February 22, 2022 at 10:34 pm

      5 stars
      Made this cute creative cake and with the excess sponge (from the love hearts), I made a plate full of cake-pops. The instructions were so easy to follow and my cake revealed perfect shaped hearts with every slice. Was a super yummy cake and fun to bake.

      Reply

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