Raspberry Heart-Beet Valentine’s Cake
This layered, heart-shaped gluten-free cake will stun your loved ones with its deliciousness—it’s also incredibly beautiful, and fairly easy to make! It just takes a bit of patience and love.
If you enjoy making beautiful desserts, this cake is worth creating at home. It’s also a great opportunity to practice your gluten-free cake baking for special occasions--you can obviously decorate it however you like.
Get creative, and let us know what you think about the recipe!
Nutrition
per serving (≈140g)Instructions
14 stepsPrepare the Joconde Cake
While you gather your ingredients, preheat the oven to 200°C (390°F) and line a 40x30 cm (16x12 inch) baking dish with parchment paper.
In a mixing bowl, whip the whole eggs, almond flour, gluten-free flour, coconut sugar (125 g, reserving 2 Tbsp for the egg whites), salt, and beetroot puree until smooth and airy.
In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites with 2 Tbsp of coconut sugar until soft peaks form.
Gently fold the whipped egg whites into the egg & flour mixture.
Spread the batter evenly onto the prepared baking dish and bake for 10-15 minutes, or until set and lightly golden.
Once cooled, cut out 8 heart shapes (4 hearts for each cake) using a heart-shaped cutter.
Prepare the Cream
In a blender, puree the raspberries and strain the juice to remove seeds.
In a large bowl, whip the mascarpone, agave syrup, and cream until smooth and fluffy.
- Mix 2/3 of the mascarpone with the raspberry puree for a pink cream.
- Reserve the remaining 1/3 as white cream for frosting.
Assemble the Cake
Layer the heart-shaped cake layers with the raspberry mascarpone cream in between, alternating cake and cream. Use four hearts per cake for a four-layer design.
Frost the outside of the cakes with the white mascarpone cream.
Decorate the Cake
Use a piping bag to pipe the remaining raspberry mascarpone cream for decorative swirls or accents.
Garnish with fresh raspberries for an elegant finish.
Slice and serve.
Recipe Notes
The beet puree listed in the ingredients is simply made by cooking beets until they are completely tender, and then blending them into a smooth puree. If you pass this pureed mixture through a fine mesh strainer using a spoon, you will achieve an even finer final cake texture. It’s a bit more effort—but it’s worth it!
Store the cakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Let them sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes before serving for the best texture and flavor.
Enjoy creating and indulging in this elegant dessert!
