Valentine’s Fudge Cakes for Two
Instead of a store-bought treat for your sweetheart this year, here’s an easy (but decadent) Valentine’s Fudge Cakes for Two dessert to share from your heart!
It’s almost February 14th, and all the stores are bursting with everything red and pink to buy for your valentine. Candy, flowers, stuffed animals, greeting cards — the sheer volume of choices is overwhelming!
Bob and I usually give each other some kind of little gifts, but this year I decided to bake a special treat from scratch. My sister told me about a dessert she traditionally made for her family on Valentine’s Day. While it bakes, it creates a hot fudge base and a crunchy, sugary crust. Since we love anything chocolate, this warm, fudgy, cake/brownie topped with vanilla ice cream seemed like a perfect recipe to try.
Believe me, “decadent” is the right word to describe these Valentine’s Fudge Cakes for Two!
They are so rich and indulgent, I will probably only serve them on (rare) special occasions. But they were easy to make, and chances are you already have most of the ingredients for the cakes on hand:
- All purpose flour
- Granulated sugar
- Cocoa powder
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Vegetable oil
- Half and Half (or whole milk)
- Vanilla
- Chocolate chips (optional)
The topping consists of a mixture of brown sugar and cocoa powder. You sprinkle that over the cake batter, then you pour hot water over the topping and bake. I know – it sounds weird. But trust me, your Valentine’s Fudge Cakes for Two will come out amazing!
I found some individually-sized (5″) heart shaped pans to make the presentation a bit more special. I’ve seen similar pans in a number of different places, but you can also order them from Amazon here.
If you don’t have heart pans, you can bake your Valentine’s Fudge Cakes for Two in a 9 x 5″ loaf pan. Scoop the dessert out into individual dishes after it cools slightly.
I placed the heart pans on a baking sheet to make it easier to move them and to protect the oven from spills. They are full to the brim after you add the topping and the hot water!
After your Valentine’s Fudge Cakes for Two have finished baking, you need to let them sit for a few minutes.
The fudgy center will be very hot right out of the oven. But once they have cooled a bit, add a big scoop of vanilla ice cream and dig in. If you love chocolate like we do, you will love this dessert!
What kind of treats are you surprising your sweetheart with this year? Do you have any special traditions you follow for Valentine’s Day? Tell us about them in the comments!
Valentine’s Fudge Cakes for Two
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder, divided
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup half & half (or whole milk)
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (optional)
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 2/3 cup very hot water
- Vanilla ice cream
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Place two 5" heart pans on a baking sheet, set aside.
- Whisk the flour, granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon of the cocoa powder, baking powder and salt together in a medium bowl.
- Add the half & half, vegetable oil, and vanilla, and stir until there are no lumps.
- Stir in the chocolate chips, if desired.
- Pour batter into the ungreased pans.
- In a small bowl, mix together the brown sugar and remaining 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder. Sprinkle over the batter, dividing evenly between the pans.
- Pour half the hot water (about 1/3 cup each) over the brown sugar topping in each heart pan. Carefully move the baking sheet holding the pans onto the middle rack of your preheated oven.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes. The top should be dry, but not browned.
- Let cool slightly, add a scoop of ice cream, and enjoy!