Win Over Your Valentine’s Day Crush With These 3 Desserts

If there’s one thing I learned in life, it’s that desserts make everyone happy. Use one (or all) of these recipes help your Valentine fall in love with you this V-Day.

Mini Vanilla Cake

• Prep Time:1 hour
• Cook Time:30 minutes
• Total Time:1 hour 30 minutes
• Servings:2 mini cakes
• Advanced

Ingredients

• 1 boxed cake mix, plus ingredients
• 1/2 cup butter
• 3 cup powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoon heavy cream
• 2 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 drops red food coloring
• 4 oz chocolate almond bark
• 1 tablespoon red sprinkles

• Step 1

  Using the instructions on the box, bake a vanilla cake in a 9×9″ pan.

  

• Step 2

  Trim the top of the cake so there’s an even layer.

  #SpoonTip: Use a serrated knife for the easiest cutting.

  

• Step 3

  Using a glass or cookie cutter, cut out 4 small circles of cake.

  

• Step 4

  To make the frosting, cream the butter in with a beater.

  

• Step 5

  Add the powdered sugar, heavy cream and red food coloring until the buttercream is light and thick.

  

• Step 6

  Pile frosting on top of the first cut-out cake and even out the layer of frosting.

  

• Step 7

  Put the other cake cut-out on top of the frosting, and spread a light layer of frosting around the entire cake. Put the cake in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.

  

• Step 8

  While the cake is in the fridge, melt the almond bark in the microwave in 30-second intervals.

  

• Step 9

  Fill a piping bag with a very small tip with the melted almond bark.

  

• Step 10

  Draw out designs with a permanent marker on wax paper.

  

• Step 11

  Flip the wax paper over, and begin tracing the outline with the almond bark.

  

• Step 12

  Once the chocolate has cooled, peel the chocolate design off the paper.

  #SpoonTip: Use the edge of the table to do this without breaking the chocolate, as shown in the photo. Do this 3 more times.

  

• Step 13

  Take the cake out of the fridge and add another layer of frosting.

  

• Step 14

  Gently place every chocolate design on each side of the cake.

  

• Step 15

  Add red sprinkles on top, and then add the final chocolate design on the cake.

  

Chocolate Strawberry Mousse

• Prep Time:15 minutes
• Cook Time:0 minutes
• Total Time:15 minutes
• Servings:8 6-oz portions
• Easy

Ingredients

• 1 package vanilla pudding mix
• 1 package chocolate pudding mix
• 2 quart heavy whipping cream
• 1 cup diced strawberries
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 8 Strawberries, sliced
• Whipped cream, for garnish

• Step 1

  Combine the vanilla pudding mix and 1-quart heavy cream in a mixing bowl.

  

• Step 2

  Whip with a wire beater until thick.

  

• Step 3

  While the pudding is mixing, combine the diced strawberries and sugar in a small bowl. Let sit until the mixture is liquid and some syrup is formed. Then, add to the pudding mixture.

  

• Step 4

  Combine the chocolate pudding and other quart of heavy cream. Mix until the same consistency as the vanilla mousse.

  

• Step 5

  Layer the chocolate mousse in a small glass bowl.

  #SpoonTip: Layer it at an angle to make it extra fancy.

  

• Step 6

  Layer one sliced strawberry over the chocolate mousse.

  

• Step 7

  Layer the strawberry mousse until the mousse is even with the edge of the glass.

  

• Step 8

  Add whipped cream on top.

  

Red Velvet Lava Cake with Cream Cheese Glaze

• Prep Time:20 minutes
• Cook Time:20 minutes
• Total Time:40 minutes
• Servings:4 cakes
• Medium

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter
• 4 oz white chocolate
• 2 cup powdered sugar, divided
• 2 eggs
• 2 egg yolks
• 1 tablespoon red food coloring
• 2 tablespoon cocoa powder
• 6 tablespoon flour
• 4 oz cream cheese
• 3 tablespoon milk

• Step 1

  Grease 4 6-oz. ramekins.

  

• Step 2

  Melt the butter and white chocolate together in the microwave in 30-second intervals.

  

• Step 3

  Add 1 cup of the powdered sugar.

  

• Step 4

  Add the eggs and egg yolks.

  

• Step 5

  Stir in the food coloring.

  

• Step 6

  Add the flour and cocoa powder and stir until just combined.

  

• Step 7

  Pour the batter evenly into the ramekins. Bake until the outer edges are done, about 15-20 minutes.

  #SpoonTip: If you don’t have ramekins, you can use muffin tins. They will bake for less time, about 7-10 minutes.

  

• Step 8

  In the meantime, microwave the cream cheese until it’s soft.

  

• Step 9

  Add in 1 cup of powdered sugar and the milk until the glaze can be poured.

  

• Step 10

  Drizzle the icing onto a plate. Then use that same plate to turn the ramekins over, so the cakes are upside down. Sprinkle powdered sugar on top.