St. Valentine's Day Cake Recipe
Ingredients
2-2 1/2 cups flour
1 tablespoon active dry yeast
2/3 cup milk
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 egg
Unsalted butter, melted
Filling
1/2 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
1/3 cup ground almonds
3 tablespoons chopped maraschino cherries, well drained
3/4 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 cup flaked coconut, if desired
Frosting (optional)
1 cup confectioners' sugar
2-3 tablespoons milk
4-6 drops red food coloring
Directions
1 Combine 1 1/2 cups flour and yeast in large bowl. Mix.
2 Heat milk, sugar, salt, and butter to hot (120°-130°F).
3 Add the milk mixture to dry ingredients and mix until smooth. Add egg and enough remaining flour to make a soft dough.
4 Knead on lightly floured surface until smooth€”about 10 minutes. Place in greased bowl, turning to coat top.
5 Cover; let rise in warm place until double€”about 1 hour.
6 Punch down dough. Roll dough into a 15 x 22-inch rectangle.
7 Brush with melted butter. Combine brown sugar, ground almonds, cherries, almond extract, and coconut in small bowl. Sprinkle over dough.
8 Roll up jelly-roll style. Pinch seam to seal. Gently pull into a 26-inch roll. Place on greased baking sheet. Firmly seal ends together and shape into heart.
9 Along the outside edge of heart, make cuts 2/3 of the way into dough at 1 1/2-inch intervals. Turn each cut section toward its side.
10 Cover; let rise in warm place until double€”about 1 hour.
11 Bake in a preheated 350°F oven 25-30 minutes or until done. Cool on wire rack.
12 If icing is desired, mix confectioners' sugar and milk until smooth. Add coloring for a pink hue. Frost when cool.
2 Heat milk, sugar, salt, and butter to hot (120°-130°F).
3 Add the milk mixture to dry ingredients and mix until smooth. Add egg and enough remaining flour to make a soft dough.
4 Knead on lightly floured surface until smooth€”about 10 minutes. Place in greased bowl, turning to coat top.
5 Cover; let rise in warm place until double€”about 1 hour.
6 Punch down dough. Roll dough into a 15 x 22-inch rectangle.
7 Brush with melted butter. Combine brown sugar, ground almonds, cherries, almond extract, and coconut in small bowl. Sprinkle over dough.
8 Roll up jelly-roll style. Pinch seam to seal. Gently pull into a 26-inch roll. Place on greased baking sheet. Firmly seal ends together and shape into heart.
9 Along the outside edge of heart, make cuts 2/3 of the way into dough at 1 1/2-inch intervals. Turn each cut section toward its side.
10 Cover; let rise in warm place until double€”about 1 hour.
11 Bake in a preheated 350°F oven 25-30 minutes or until done. Cool on wire rack.
12 If icing is desired, mix confectioners' sugar and milk until smooth. Add coloring for a pink hue. Frost when cool.