Sweet Love

Valentine’s Day is a holiday for lovers. Specifically, it’s for lovers of dessert and chocolate and things that are heart-shaped. 

These recipes lean into the instantly recognizable heart-shaped theme but bring with them a lightness and twist of flavor. These cookies and mini cakes are the sweet treat to cap off a Valentine’s Day dinner at home or to share with friends and neighbors.

Both recipes call for heart-shaped cookie cutters but will still be delicious if you’d prefer a circular shape.

Red Velvet Mini Cakes

Ingredients

• 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour 
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 Tbsp cocoa powder 
• 1 ¾ cups granulated sugar 
• 1 tsp salt 
• 1 ½ cups vegetable oil 
• 1 cup buttermilk 
• 2 large eggs
• 3 Tbsp red food coloring 
• 1 tsp vanilla extract 
• 1 tsp white vinegar 
• 16 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
• 4 cups powdered sugar 
• 2 sticks salted butter, room temperature
• 1 tsp vanilla extract 
• 4” heart-shaped cookie cutter

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350F. 

Sift together dry ingredients. Beat the wet ingredients in a separate bowl. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, beating as you go. 

Grease a 12×18 baking sheet and pour the batter evenly across the baking sheet. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until cooked through. Allow to cool for 10 minutes. 

While the cake is cooking, make the frosting by combining cream cheese, powdered sugar, butter, and vanilla. Beat until light and fluffy.

Use the cookie cutter to cut out mini cakes. Transfer to a cooling rack. When the cakes are cool use a baking spatula to spread icing evenly.

Raspberry Jam Cookies 

Ingredients

• 2 cups flour 
• 1 stick salted butter, room temperature
• ½ cup granulated sugar 
• 2 Tbsp honey 
• 1 egg 
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup raspberry jam 
• ½ cup powdered sugar 
• Two heart-shaped cookie cutters, one large (3”) and one small (½”)

Preparation

Preheat oven to 375F. 

Beat sugar, butter and honey until combined. Add egg and vanilla. Continue beating until totally combined. In a small bowl mix together flour and baking powder. Add dry ingredients, ½ cup at a time, beating until incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat for a few moments longer. 

Roll out the dough into a large rectangle, ¼” thick. Use the large cookie cutter to cut into hearts. Use the smaller cookie cutter to cut hearts out of the center of half of the hearts. 

Bake for 7-9 minutes, until they begin to brown around the edges. Transfer to a cooling rack. 

When they have cooled, spread an even layer of jam on the whole cookies and dust the cutouts with powdered sugar. 

Gently place the cutout cookies on top of the jam-covered cookies to create a sandwich.