Hidden heart cake

We love John Whaite's clever cake, which has special little pink hearts hidden inside. It seems tricky but is actually quit simple. No matter how many times you cut into this cake, each slice will always reveal a hidden heart! Perfect to surprise a loved one or make with the children and share the love with the whole family on Valentine's Day!

Ingredients:

For the pink hearts

225g unsalted butter, at room temperature225g caster sugar4 large eggs225g self raising flourPink food colouring (gel or paste is best)

For the rest of the cake

225g unsalted butter, at room temperature225g caster sugar4 large eggs225g self raising flour

For the icing

200g icing sugar1-2 tsp waterPink food colouring

Equipment

2lb/900g loaf tin, greased and linedTwo-inch heart shaped cookie cutter

Method

• Preheat the oven to 170C/150C fan.

• For the pink cake whisk together the butter and sugar until very pale and fluffy. Add the eggs and whisk in, then sift over the flour and gently fold in. Add the food colouring, a little at a time, until you get the desired shade of pink.

• Scoop into the cake tin and bake for 75-90 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely on a wire wrack. Once the loaf tin has cooled, re-grease and line it.

• Slice the cake into about 10 slices, then use the heart shaped cookie cutter to cut out hearts. (Tip: save the offcuts of cake and mix with some buttercream then roll into balls to create cake pops).

• For the plain cake, simply repeat the steps above, minus the pink food colouring. Place a third of the cake mixture into the greased and lined tin, then line the hearts up along the length of the tin. Top with the remaining cake mixture, then bake in the preheated oven for 75-90 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely on a wire rack.

• For the topping, beat together the icing sugar and a little water until the icing is like a thick honey, then add the food colouring, a little at a time, until you have the desired shade of pink. Pour over the cooled cake and allow to set before serving.

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