Date and Walnut Truffles: Valentine's Day inspired recipe

Yesterday evening I was fuming on Facebook, saying that the prize of the "romantic" of the century goes to my dear husband who planned to have a high table dinner in his college tonight. He's a typical Oxford don, who doesn't take any notice of the "important" dates.
But thankfully, he managed to cancel so we had our Valentine's meal at home after all.
I didn't bake a cake, but bought profiteroles at M&S, and made some delicious date and walnut truffles.

Heart shaped truffles are a perfect treat for Valentine's day. They are easy and quick to make, and are a healthy alternative to chocolate.

Date Truffles (recipe courtesy of Forest Feast)
Ingredients:
7 Forest Feast Medjool Dates, pitted
65g pecans (any nuts can be used)
85g ground almonds
30g cocoa powder + more for dusting
1/2tsp vanilla
pinch sea salt (add to taste)

Method:
- Soak the dates in hot water for a few minutes to soften. Drain and squeeze out excess water.
- Finely grind pecans (or walnuts), ground almonds and cocoa powder in food processor. Add dates, vanilla and sea salt. Pulse until a sticky ball forms.
- Taste & add more salt if necessary.
- Take small balls & place into silicone mould.

- Pop into the freezer overnight
- Once hard, pop out of the heart-shaped mould and roll in Cocoa powder.

I used walnuts rather than pecans, because I prefer their taste, and also couldn't find any pecans in M&S today, which was the only shop I managed to pop in today after taking my son on a playdate. I also used a little bit more cocoa.
These truffles don't really need an overnight stay in the freezer. I took mine out of the mould after and hour and a half in the freezer, and they were perfectly fine.
Very moreish snacks. I can easily eat the whole lot. My husband loved them too. Kids are not big fans of dates, so didn't fancy trying.

In this recipe I used Medjool Dates from Forest Feast. They come in sealed pouches, for freshness. These are aromatic, melt in the mouth dates, plump and sweet.

Medjool dates are a great healthy snack, and also a fantastic ingredient for baking and cooking. How about a sticky date pudding, with caramel or butterscotch sauce?!

Forest Fruit Smart and Hearty Dates, 100g (RRP £1.99) are a nutritional powerhouse of minerals, energy and fibre, and have been selected as they contain no added sugar, additives or preservatives.
Known for their caramel flavour and plump flesh, Forest Feast Medjool Dates, 180g (RRP £2.85) are a tasty snack or the perfect addition to cooking or baking.

"Now considered a superfood, dates were previously viewed as boring fruit that only featured at Christmas. Today however, dates have once again found the love they deserve.

And here are a few facts about dates:
- Dates are a rich source of amino acids, which are known to increase sexual stamina and libido. Therefore, dates are a popular aphrodisiac, especially in North African countries.
- Dates are also the symbol of the goddess Ishtar, the goddess of fertility, love, sex and power.
- Indeed, is is believed by some scholars that it was a date and not an apple used by Eve to lure Adam in the Bible's Garden of Eden - the ultimate temptation.
- The word "date" comes from the Greek word daktylos, meaning finger.
- There are hundreds of different varieties of dates but Medjool are the hardest to grow. This, coupled with their soft, sticky, caramel quality make them the most luxurious dates on the market.

Disclosure: I received three packs of Medjool dates and a silicone mould for the purposes of testing the recipe. All opinions are our own.

Raspberry ripple parfait with pistachios

And so Valentine's Day is upon us... We have no plans of going out. I'm not a Valentine's Day grinch, but apart from a festive meal at home, I don't bother with gifts or cards.
According to Olly Smith, "the key to winning the heart of the one you love this Valentine's Day lies in... a carefully chosen bottle of pink fizz". Well, I'm not sure about that. Personally I'd rather have a glass of prosecco or a good old Bellini.
My "Valentine" doesn't care much for pink fizzy drinks either. But he has a sweet tooth, so I will make an effort and cook a lovely dessert for tomorrow.
I haven't decided yet, whether it will be a chocolate cake or some berry ice cream concoction.
A while ago I have tried a delicious raspberry ripple parfait, and though it is a summer recipe, it is a great contender for Valentine's day. It is sweet, it has a red sauce and berries, so ticks off all the boxes.

The original recipe appeared in Delicious magazine (July 2015), and since then it has become available on their website - see Raspberry ripple and pistachio parfait for the full recipe. As I followed the recipe close enough and haven't adapted it, I cannot reproduce it on my blog without permission. Please click on the link above to find the recipe.
I have also skipped the honeycomb crumbs, only because I forgot to add them. I actually made my own honeycomb, but only realised I didn't add it to the dessert after we ate it all. So, honeycomb was eaten separately later.
It is a delicious dessert, refreshing and flavourful. The pistachios add a lovely crunch, and the raspberry sauce gives a necessary tart note to a sweet creamy parfait.

In case you are thinking of cooking a Valentine's Day meal and are looking for ideas, I may suggest a scrumptious Austrian chocolate cake Sacher Torte.
I also have a Valentine's Day menu (non-vegetarian), if you fancy having a look. There is another chocolate cake suggested as a festive dessert, made with Nutella.

Are you cooking a meal for your Valentine? Or do you have other plans?

Sacher Torte

If you asked me what my favourite cake was, I'd reply "Sacher Torte". Yet I don't often eat it, in fact I don't even remember when it was the last time that I had it. Maybe when we visited Austria and Sasha was about Eddie's age, we spent a week in a small Austrian town which name now eludes me. We stayed in a hotel and ate in many different cafes and restaurants, trying to find one, where our fussy little eater would be happy to eat.
I also remember being totally obsessed by that cake, when I was pregnant with Sasha. My husband travelled a few times to Austria then, and every time brought back a few wooden boxes of that wonderful chocolate cake.
It is a luxurious cake, with intense dark chocolate flavour, sweetened by an aromatic apricot jam.
In search of a perfect recipe for Sacher Torte, I consulted a selection of my cook books. And the recipes were all quite different, the amount of eggs ranged from 4 to 10, depending on the author, and the amount of apricot jam was varied too - from a couple of tablespoons to a staggering 220g of jam.
Which books did I go through? Cakes from around the world by Julie Duff, Delia's Cakes, DK Everyday Easy Cakes & Cupcakes and an American edition of Kaffeehaus by Rick Rodgers.
The last one is a brilliant source of stories behind each scrumptious dessert, but a bit of a pain if you are used to a metric system. I do find cups and ounces very confusing, and converting a long list of ingredients online is a bit of a faffle, so I just read this book as a novel, but never actually use it as a cook book. But if you fancy reading the story behind the famous Sacher Torte, this is the right book.
It says "Sachertorte is the culinary symbol of Vienna, as recognisable as The Blue Danube". It was invented in 1832 in Vienna.
Because for many years the recipe for this wonderful cake was a top guarded secret, many Viennese bakers tried to come up with their own interpretation of the recipe. Some leave the cake as one layer, some cut it into two layers and spread the jam in between. There are also recipes suggesting cutting it into three layers, and even using the raspberry jam (sacrilege, if you ask me, lol).

Sacher Torte
Ingredients:
200g caster sugar
200g butter
5 eggs, separated
200g dark chocolate
vanilla pod (or vanilla essence)
200g self-raising flour
1tsp baking powder
4 heaped tbsp apricot jam
200g dark chocolate + 150g double cream for frosting

Preheat the oven to 180C. Beat together butter and caster sugar until fluffy. Melt the chocolate over the hot water basin, add to the cake batter and mix well. Add egg yolks, one by one, keeping mixing well. Add the vanilla seeds or vanilla essence, flour and baking flour. In a separate bowl whisk the egg whites until fluffy, but not stiff like for meringues. Fold carefully into the cake batter. Pour the cake mix into the oiled spring cake tin, lined with a parchment. Bake for 45 minutes or so, until the toothpick comes clean.
Leave the cake to cool in the tin. Take out and spread the apricot jam over the still warm cake.
Once completely cooled, make the frosting. Melt the dark chocolate and beat with the double cream. Spread over the top and sides.
I dare you not to lick the bowl where the frosting was made.
As I baked this cake for Valentine's day, I added a heart made with milk chocolate icing pen and some bronze sprinkles.

You will need a good quality apricot jam for this cake, one which is soft and spreads easily. Some apricot preserves are too tough, you can almost cut them with a knife. I used Duerr's Apricot Jam, which has just the right balance of flavours and texture. The apricot jam might be not the main ingredient but it plays an important part, as it adds a distinct flavour to the chocolate cake.

Baked camembert

With just days left till Valentine's Day, some of you have already sorted the menu if you're the organised type, or are still unsure what you might be cooking if you're more spontaneous.
As my husband is going abroad on Sunday, we'll have our "Valentine's" dinner on Saturday. We don't do big gestures, no surprise meals out or weekends in Paris. What, with two kids, and one being special needs, anything extra has to be organised and planned in advance. We have agreed long time ago not to buy any themed gifts, as neither of us is particularly excited about the heart-shaped merchandise.
But to mark the occasion, I will cook a meal for my husband. I also got him a gift, won't say what it is, just in case he might read my blog. On a different topic, yesterday Eddie and I were browsing a party costumes' online shop and came across the so called bum shorts (literally shorts with a see-through plastic bum on them). Eddie thought they were hilarious and insisted that I should buy them for Papa. Needless to say, this is not my idea of a Valentine's gift (but I did have a chuckle, more at Eddie's uproarious laughter).

Years ago, when we lived in the States, I discovered a recipe for a camembert baked in pastry. If I'm not mistaken it was printed on a croissant pastry tube. I have tried baking cheese in a variety of pastries - short crust, puff and croissant, and they all work.
The recipe, or recipe suggestion, couldn't be simpler.

Get a round camembert, a good apricot jam, a handful of flaked apricots and ready-made pastry, like JusRol. Unroll the pastry, place the cheese on top and cut out a bigger circle.
Top up the cheese with 2tbsp of apricot jam and sprinkle the almonds. I have also added a bit of Parisian spice, but this is optional. Spice Parisienne from Seasoned Pioneers is also known as Epices-Fines - a mix of peppercorns, nutmeg, paprika, cloves, thyme, cinnamon, basil, savoury and bay leaves.

Cut out a smaller circle from the pastry and place over the cheese. Wrap it round the cheese, smooth the edges and smear a bit of butter over the pastry or brush with a beaten egg yolk, or even milk.
Place the wrapped cheese in a tray and then in an oven preheated to 180C.
Bake for about 20 minutes, until the pastry is golden.
Once cooked, don't cut it immediately, or the melted cheese will flow out, leaving the pastry shell (been there, done that). Let it sit under a clean towel for about 10 minutes before cutting and serving.
It will make a lovely starter for 4 people, or eat it as a main for 2, served with a salad.

In this recipe I used an apricot jam from Duerr's. It is a lush amber-coloured jam, sweet and aromatic. Made with ripe apricots, it is like an essence of summer. I do love a good apricot jam. It always reminds me of my aunt's orchard, and her pantry laden with jars upon jars of jam. She made a wonderful apricot jam.

So, if you're still looking for ideas of what to cook for Valentine's day, this recipe might just fit the bill.
Every time I serve it when we have guests, everybody loves it. And as I said, it couldn't be easier to make it.

Valentine's day menu

How do you woo your amour on Valentine's day? Do you keep things simple and sweet with a box of chocolates, or do you go for a full Monty and cook a 3-course dinner? Or do you fancy recreating that famous food scene from Nine and a Half Weeks? You know, I have just watched it again on Youtube and enjoyed it as much as I did the first time. Oldies are always goldies.
While I might be showing my age by reference to 9 and 1/2 weeks, I like to make an effort and cook a special meal on Valentine's day.

Valentine's day menu

If you are looking for a menu which is easy and romantic, the Italian cuisine might be a source of inspiration. The Italians certainly know how to woo their loved ones with the most tantalising recipes. Take Caprese salad, what could be simpler than slicing tomatoes, mozzarella and tearing some basil leaves? Yet it's one of the most satisfying salads.
For my starter I prepared a light Caprese with a twist, as I also added a sliced blood orange to the classic ingredients. Don't knock it off before you tried it.

Caprese salad with blood orange

For a Caprese salad, slice the tomatoes and mozzarella cheese, as well as a blood orange. Arrange the slices so that overlap each other. Drizzle some olive oil, tear fresh basil leaves, season with a bit of pepper if you fancy.

Strawberry Spumante cocktail:

To put you in the romantic mood, how about a cocktail with fresh strawberries?

Whizz 4-5 big strawberries into a thick puree, pour 5tbsp of puree in each glass and top up with a sparkling wine. I used Rosamore Vino Spumante Rosato Brut, an Italian fresh pink sparkling wine. It is a lovely aperitif, fresh and fruity.

For a main course impress your love with a dish of duck breast served with a strawberry and blood orange salsa.
Duck with sweet and sour salsa is a winning combination.
Duck with strawberry and orange blood salsa
Ingredients:
2 duck breasts, skin remove
1tsp grated ginger
juice and zest of 1 lime
1 garlic clove
sea salt
2tbsp olive oil

For the salsa:
2tbsp balsamic vinegar
juice of 1 lime
1tbsp maple syrup
a small punnet of strawberries
1 blood orange
a handful of pomegranates
1tbsp fresh thyme

First marinade two duck breasts in a mix of grated ginger (1tsp), juice and zest of 1 lime and 1 garlic clove, grated or pressed through the garlic press. Leave them in the marinade for an hour and a half or more.
Cook the breasts in the frying pan with the olive oil. I like my meat well done, so I don't give any suggestions on the time, it depends on how you like your meat.

Mix the balsamic vinegar with the maple syrup, zest and lime juice. Chop the strawberries and put in the bowl with the marinade. Remove the skin from the blood orange, slice it and put together with the berries. Add the pomegranate seeds and chopped thyme. Ideally the salsa should be left to infuse for a couple of hours. Give it an occasional stir.
Serve the duck breasts with the salsa spooned over.

Chocolate for me is a final indulgence. This Nutella and whisky cake tastes divine and finishes the Valentine's day nicely.

Nutella cake

Nutella cake
Ingredients:
4 medium eggs
100g Nutella+ more for decorating
150g caster sugar
1tsp vanilla essence
3tbsp whisky
200g self-raising flour
1tsp baking powder
40g ground almonds
zest of 1 blood orange (optional)
100g butter, melted
Dr Oetker Shimmer spray gold and gold pearls (optional)
30+ minutes

Beat the eggs with Nutella and caster sugar. Add the vanilla essence, whisky, flour, baking powder, ground almonds, orange zest and melted butter, mix well. Pour in a heart-shaped cake tin. Bake at 180C for 30+ minutes.
Once cool to touch, spread some Nutella with a knife and smooth the surface. If you like, add a touch of glamour with Dr Oetker shimmer spray gold and gold pears, but this is optional.

If you are full, and feel a bit of slumber, perk up yourself with a nice cup of latte or cappuccino, sprinkled with cocoa.

To help me cook my Valentine's day dinner, OXO sent three kitchen gadgets of my choice to play with. I love OXO Good Grips, and use all my products from the range regularly. If you visit my kitchen, you'll see that I constantly use OXO Good Grips herb mincer, measuring cup and juicer to name but a few.

My first choice was an OXO Good Grips 3-piece Berry Bowl and Colander set. This jolly colourful set is just the right size for rinsing berries, beans and more. The set comes as a nest for compact storage, it has a non-slip bottom. The set is very easy to clean. The colander has an elevated ring along its bottom, so it also stays stable on the working surface or in the sink when you wash the berris. The holes are elongated for efficient draining. There is a lid with seals the bowl for storing the food in the fridge.

I used the set for washing the strawberries for both the salsa and cocktail and used the bowl for preparing the salsa.

OXO Good Grips Simple Mandoline Slicer is an easy-to-use kitchen gadget. I have fancied a mandoline for a long time. You choose a thickness you need for the food you selected: three slice thickness setting, julienne setting and storage setting. The stainless steel blade is angled and cuts the foods into slices with ease. You hold your piece of fruit or vegetable with a spring-loaded food holder which has a big rim to protect fingers. Textured runway prevents food from sticking.
A soft handle is comfy and soft, plus the mandoline comes with non-slip feet which keep it stable.
Once you finished the job and cleaned the mandoline, its leg folds for compact storage.
I used the mandoline for preparing the salad.

Tomatoes sliced with a mandoline

And finally OXO Good Grips Baker's Dusting Wand is a cute little kitchen gadget. It is useful for flouring the cake tin evenly, for sprinkling surfaces for rolling the dough, and of course, for adding icing sugar to your baked goodies or sprinkling cinnamon or cocoa over cappuccino. It is very light. Twist the wand open, scoop some icing sugar or cinnamon, twist to close and dust whatever you fancy.

Disclosure: I received a selection of OXO Good Grips to prepare a menu for Valentine's day.

Last minute Valentine's Day gift ideas

This month love is all around... or so they say. I'm not in the over-enthusiastic camp but not in the Valentine-bashers' community either. I appreciate little gifts and gestures all year round, but for some unfathomable reason my heart goes aflutter at the sight of a Valentine's card or a simple note in the morning on the big day.
Does it make me a hopeless romantic? It probably does.
I am partial to chocolate and will never say No to a box of chocolate, be it my favourite Belgian chocolates or a nice new All You Need is Love box from Thorntons (which I hasten to say I bought as a treat for myself, as I couldn't resist the chocolate batons with funny names like Totally Nuts and Fruity Nutcase).

If chocolates and flowers are too unimaginative and too old-fashioned to your taste, how about a quirky gift like a bunch of pink mushrooms as a statement of affection?

When I opened an email newsletter from Espresso Mushroom Company, I totally fell in love with this unique gift - Hot Pinks Kitchen Garden- which is as pretty as any bouquet of flowers. This amazing growing kit comes with green credentials, as it uses upcycled coffee grounds collected from the local cafes. Beautiful exotic coral mushrooms are a perfect gift for any foodie. Very tempted to order one for myself, I bet my kitchen would look more cheerful.

Photo courtesy of Espresso Mushroom company

I'm a tea lover, and love exploring new flavours. If your partner enjoys floral teas, All Things Nice from Bluebird Tea Co might be just the right gift for them. This blend of white tea with rose buds, cinnamon, liquorice and lemongrass  is very delicate, floral, aromatic and delicious. It is naturally sweet, a perfect tea for Valentine's day.

A beautiful heirloom cannot be beaten. I am a big fan of Sophie Bruen Ceramics. Her glorious pieces are inspired by wonders of the natural world. This stunning bowl with colourful moths will surely be much loved and cherished for years to come.

Photo courtesy of Sophie Bruen

Back to foodie gifts, L'Epicurien Rose Petal Confit looks splendid. This delicate jelly made of fresh rose petals could work wonderfully with soft ripe cheeses like brie or camembert, and I would imagine tastes heavenly in a hot croissant (breakfast in bed anyone?!). Or mixed with ricotta to fill in freshly baked choux pastries.

Photo courtesy of Sous Chef

I've seen Dell' Ugo Devilish Chocolate Fiorelli in Waitrose. As a foodie blogger, I am in two minds about it. On one hand, I am very curious to try it, on the other, I think it sounds plain wrong. As a novelty foodie gift for Valentine's Day it might be funky, and it will definitely develop an interesting talking point. I'm probably showing my age, but might it be one of the props for recreating a scene from "Nine 1/2 Weeks"? Was't Mickey Rourke gorgeous in his heyday?

Back from dreams of young Mickey Rourke to reality. If romancing your sweetheart with desserts doesn't rock your boat, spice it up with Wild Rose el Hanout spice mix from Forage Fine Foods. It is a brilliant blend of spices with rose petals, I have used it and recommend highly. It is believed to be an aphrodisiac (cannot say I noticed my passion levels grow higher but it definitely a spice mix to fall in love with).

You might have seen a variety of heart-shaped cheeses in the shops nowadays. Just the other day I saw some super-cute mini-Neufchatel cheese hearts. I got one big heart-shaped brie to make a starter of brie in shortcrust pastry on Valentine's day, always a big hit in our house. Abel & Cole has a selection of heart-shaped cheeses as well including a Godminster Heart Shaped Cheddar which is a lovely crumbly vintage cheddar with a personality.

And even if you don't care for Valentine's Day, just treat yourself!

Valentine's Day giveaway (c/d 17 January NOW CLOSED)

I have enjoyed running my Playful Advent giveaway so much, that once it was over, I have started planning a new one for Valentine's Day.
It will run for seven days, with a prize being revealed every day and a question asked.
I have managed to get hold of another white cup and saucer and the winner will have a name of their choice written on the cup.

personalised cup (this image is the sample)

Question no.1 (starting on 10 January at midnight) :
Are you a romantic at heart and plan to do something special on Valentine's day, or you cannot be bothered at all?
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Day 2:
Today's little prize is Beauticology Vanilla Frosting body lotion.

Beauticology Vanilla Frosting body lotion

Question 2:
If you would like to win the body lotion, please answer the following question:
Do you make new year's resolutions? Would you like to share what your resolution is for this year? (Mine is to cut down on the caffeine)

If you missed day 1, you are not too late. Just answer the question for day 1 in a separate comment.
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Day 3:
Today's little prize is no.7 Lipgloss.

If you like today's prize, please answer Question no.3: What was the best book you read in 2013?
For me it was The Reason I Jump (One boy's voice from the silence of autism) by Naoki Higashida

If you missed Days 1 and 2, you can still enter the giveaway by answering the questions (in separate comments please so that it would be easier for me to count when the time comes to pick the winner)

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Prize for Day 4 is L'Oreal nail polish/Rouge Pin Up.

Question 4:
What did you most enjoy watching at Christmas?
Downton Abbey is my guilty pleasure.

If you missed Days 1, 2 and 3, you can still enter the giveaway by answering the questions (in separate comments please so that it would be easier for me to count when the time comes to pick the winner)

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Day 5:
Today's little prize is Burt's Bees Coconut foot cream.

Question 5:
Have you ever tried 5:2 diet (or any other diet) and did you get a result you wanted? If you haven't been on a diet, do you know anyone who has been successful?
I confess I am struggling a bit with it, as I feel hungry on fasting days.

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Day 6:
Today's additon to the prize pool is L'Oreal Color Riche lipstick - no.461 in Scarlett Creme, a bold statement colour for a confident lady.

Question 6:
Are you planning to travel abroad this year or have a staycation?
We have already booked our favourite cottage in Cornwall for a week in summer, and I can't wait to get there and enjoy the beach walks and playing with my boys.


If you missed Days 1-5, you can still enter the giveaway by answering the questions (in separate comments please so that it would be easier for me to count when the time comes to pick the winner).
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Day 7:
The last addition to the prize is this cute Angel Bookmark from Lakeland. I always lose my bookmarks and then use whatever piece of paper is at hand.

Question no.7:
If you enjoy entering competitions and giveaways, what is on your wish list for 2014?
As my younger son is obsessed with Wow toys, I hope to win some to add to his collection.


If you missed Days 1-6, you can still enter the giveaway by answering the questions (in separate comments please so that it would be easier for me to count when the time comes to pick the winner).
You can enter until tomorrow 12pm, as I will be picking the winner in the afternoon, after collating all the data. Good luck!
Hope you enjoyed my Valentine's giveaway.
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T&Cs:
The giveaway is open to the UK residents.

It will slightly differ from the December giveaway. You are invited to answer the questions and leave a comment for the day/ prize you really want, so let's say if you don't fancy a lipstick or cream, don't comment on that day.
The 1st prize winner will get all the prizes for the days they have commented. If they answered all 7 questions for all 7 days, they get 7 prizes. If they commented on 5 days or less, that will be the amount of prizes they will receive, and if there are prizes left, the next winner will be picked for the remaining prizes.
Hope it's not too confusing.

There will be a different question every day (a new question and photo of the gift will appear some time around 9am).

The giveaway will end on the 17th of January (last prize/question will be posted on the 16th). The winner will be chosen from all entries and contacted at once. If the winner doesn't respond in 3 days, I will redraw another winner as I want to make sure everything arrives well before Valentine's day.

I will do my best to wrap the gift in the bubble wrap etc, but if it arrives in pieces thanks to the Royal Mail, I won't be sending a replacement, as I don't have any spare cups (this will truly be my last cup).

This giveaway is not sponsored, I have bought most of the prizes or received as freebies.

If you are commenting as Anonymous, please leave your name in the comment and some means of contacting you, like your Twitter name.

That's it, folks!

Good luck!
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Many thanks to you all! I enjoyed reading all your comments. It's time to announce the winner as picked by my little man from the hat (as he cannot yet read, he's the most unbiased judge in our family):

Annmarie Burns

As the original winner didn't get in touch with me, and I couldn't contact her as she left no contact details, I had to redraw the winner (see the new winner announcement above).
You can email me at sasha1703@yahoo.com or get in touch on Facebook or twitter (@maximka25)
s you have left seven comments, you will receive all prizes. 

Valentine's Day cake

Valentine's Day, love it or hate it. For me it's just another excuse to bake a cake. I have recently bought a heart-shaped baking tin and wanted to try it. My guys love the yogurt cake, and I have been baking this recipe with different yogurts to make it a bit different. This time I used a Chobani blood orange yogurt with a bit of a plain Greek style yogurt.

Valentine's day cake
Ingredients:

200g granulated sugar
200ml of Greek style yogurt (Chobani in this recipe)
2 medium eggs
250g  self-raising flour
1 heaped tsp of baking powder
1/3 mug vegetable oil
1 tsp of vanilla paste
grated zest of 1 orange

icing sugar
a few drops of red colour food gel
juice of a blood orange
Queens icing pens

Grate the zest of an orange, add the sugar and vanilla paste. Add the eggs and using the hand blender, mix well. Add the yogurt, oil, flour and the baking powder and mix together.
Butter the cake tin and pour the cake mix in.
As this heart-shaped tin is not very deep, I have also made 3 cupcakes with the remaining cake mix.
Put it in the oven preheated to 180C.
Bake for about 45-50 minutes, check with a wooden skewer if it is done. Once the skewer comes out clean, the cake is ready. Let it cool completely before decorating.
Mix the icing sugar with the juice of the orange juice and a few drops of red colour food gel until you reach the right consistency, not too runny, not too thick. Spread on top of the cake.
Tip: for the smooth surface don't do as I did by trying to transfer the cake from one plate to another, as the surface acquired some wrinkles. I guess the best way would be to decorate the cake by using a cake stand and leaving it there. Once set, write your message with the Queens icing pens.

Was it a success? Taste-wise it was lush, moist and sweet, but my autie refused to eat it because it looked different, so next time I bake the yogurt cake, it will be back to an old familiar round cake tin.

If you are curious to know what the other bloggers are cooking this week, have a look at a recipe-laden blog A Mummy Too and join in with your own recipes.

This week's CookItBlogIt recipe linky is hosted by another inspiring blog, The Diary of a Frugal Family.