Vanilla Heart Cake with Chocolate Ganache

This delightful gluten-free Vanilla Heart Cake with Chocolate Ganache is perfect for Valentine’s Day. The moist heart-shaped cake is covered with the easiest-ever ganache, then topped with fresh raspberries. It looks sophisticated and tastes simply divine. This cake is bound to melt the hearts of your loved ones. Photo: Laurie Sadowski

Free of: gluten and all top allergens
Makes: 12 to 16 servings

Ingredients

Cake

  • 1 1/4 cups sorghum flour
  • 1 cup millet flour
  • 1/2 cup tapioca flour
  • 1/4 cup arrowroot starch
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 1/2 tsp xanthan gum
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
  • 2/3 cups coconut oil, melted
  • 1 3/4 cups sparkling water, divided (1/4 cup + 3/4 cup + 3/4 cup)
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tbsp cider vinegar

Ganache

  • 2 1/2 cups allergy-friendly, semi-sweet chocolate chips (such as Enjoy Life)
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened allergy-friendly milk alternative

Glaze & Finish

  • 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
  • 2 tbsp unsweetened allergy-friendly milk alternative, plus more as needed
  • Pinch salt
  • 2 cups fresh raspberries

Instructions

  1. For cake, preheat the oven to 350° F. Line an 8-inch square plus an 8-inch round baking pan with parchment paper.
  2. Place sorghum flour, millet flour, tapioca flour, arrowroot starch, baking powder, xanthan gum, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk to combine.
  3. Put sugar, coconut oil, 1/4 cup of the sparkling water, and vanilla extract in bowl of a stand mixer or large bowl. Beat until well-combined, using a stand mixer or hand mixer on medium-low speed.
  4. Turn mixer down to low speed. Add a third of the flour mixture and 3/4 cup of remaining sparkling water. Beat until well combined. Add another third of the flour mixture and rest of sparkling water. Beat until well combined. Add the remaining flour mixture. Beat until well combined. Stir in cider vinegar.
  5. Divide mixture into prepared pans, smoothing evenly. Bake square pan for 25 to 28 minutes, and round pan for 28 to 30 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then carefully invert onto a wire rack to cool completely.
  6. Once cakes are cool, cut the round cake in half. Place the square cake on a serving dish with a corner facing toward you, so it looks like a diamond shape. Put a cut-side of each half of the round cake on the top two sides of the diamond. This creates a heart shape. See example here.
  7. For ganache, place chocolate chips in a small bowl. Put allergy-friendly milk alternative in a saucepan, and heat on medium-high until steaming. Pour steaming milk alternative over chocolate chips. Let stand 5 minutes, then whisk until smooth. Let cool until lukewarm, then pour the mixture over the entire cake.
  8. Finishing Methods: Decorate the edges with raspberries. OR b. Drizzle the glaze over the ganache, then decorate with raspberries. Let stand about 10 minutes until ganache is firm and glaze is set. Serve and enjoy!
  9. Store leftovers in an airtight container in refrigerator for up to 3 days.

See Also:
Allergy-Friendly Chocolate Brownie Hearts
Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries

is the author of The Allergy-Free Cook series and specializes in baking recipe development. Visit https://www.lauriesadowski.com, and follow her on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/letsbakelaurie