Hallmark holidays often fill the air with some degree of spirit, whether it be spooky, gleeful, or spring-seeking, like the imminent Easter weekend. When it comes to the ever-pink, love-filled holiday, businesses often utilize the opportunity to release themed merchandise or limited-time sets. While exclusivity piques intrigue, the proposals put forth aren't necessarily the most interesting of concepts.
My personal approach to any holiday is the construction of themed creations. Valentine's Day is quite restrictive in this regard, with a palette centred about red and varying amounts of white pigment mixed within and characterized by gaudy-looking hearts, arrows, Cupids, and everything in between. Desserts often receive the spotlight on this day, frequently adopting the forms of chocolate cake, rose petal-topped mousses, or bouquet-able candy hearts.
- Odd-shaped scraps that can't really be repurposed (without significant alterations)
- A shape-specific cutter or pan that will hardly see usage except during seasonal periods
- Extra labour without noticeable payoff in complexity or flavour.
These factors were not to be excluded in my iteration of a Hidden Heart Pound Cake.
Although griping incessantly about the peculiar-shaped leftovers from crafting theme-specific shapes, I proceeded to do just that - since, technically, the process, albeit tedious, wasn't a tremendous challenge.
Used to form the heart-shaped interior was Sunday's Chocolate Pound Cake recipe, which dates back to 2016. She has since released a handful of new chocolate pound cakes (gluten-free, almond crunch-coated, and more), but this version was exceptionally straightforward in nature, and involved the same roster of ingredients as the basic brownie.