Cupid Cakes

Just in time for Valentine’s Day

Ingredients:
1½ cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder, preferably Dutch-process
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup sour cream
1 large egg
1/3 cup canola oil
1/3 cup water
1½ teaspoon cider vinegar
1½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Bittersweet chocolate glaze
1 cup heavy whipping cream
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
8 oz bittersweet chocolate; chopped
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
You’ll also need:  5 (4 to 4½ inch) individual heart-shaped springform pans, baking spray
Garnish:  sugared pink rose petals (see note) and small raspberries (optional)

1.    Cakes:  Heat oven to 350F.  Coat pans with baking spray.  In bowl, whisk flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt until blended.  In 1-qt glass measure, whisk sour cream, egg, oil, water, vinegar and vanilla until blended; whisk into flour mixture until blended.  Pour into prepared pans, filling each with about 2/3 cup batter.  Place pans on a baking sheet.
2.    Bake 30 to 32 minutes, until centers puff and a wooden pick inserted in centers comes out clean.  Let cool in pans on wire rack 10 minutes.  Invert cakes onto rack and remove pans.  Cool completely.
3.    Glaze:  Heat cream, butter and corn syrup in a medium saucepan until simmering; remove from heat and add chocolate.  Let stand 5 minutes.  Whisk until smooth.  Whisk in vanilla.  Pour glaze into a glass measure.  Let stand at room temperature 20 minutes or until slightly thickened.
4.    With a serrated knife, trim rounded tops of cakes flat (reserve trimmings for snacking).  Arrange cakes, flat bottoms up, on wire rack set on a baking sheet with sides.  Spoon glaze over cakes, letting excess run down sides of cakes onto baking sheet (use a small spatula to cover any areas that the glaze missed).  Refrigerate to set glaze.  Garnish top with sugared rose petals and raspberries, if desired.

Note:  To sugar rose petals, lightly brush unsprayed organic rose petals with light corn syrup and toss with granulated sugar.  Let dry on a wire rack 1 hour.