Glazed Chocolate Sweet Cake for Valentine's Day

A couple of weeks ago my best friend was cleaning out her basement, getting rid of some stuff she had inherited from her mother-in-law.  Her mother-in-law was apparently quite the baker and she had a little side business making cakes for folks.

Anyway, my girlfriend pulled together about 5 boxes of cake pans and various other baking things that she was not going to use, so she asked if I wanted any of it.  Ah, let me think about that for a moment...

YES PLEASE!  After lunch we pawed through the boxes and I left her house feeling like a kid who had just left the candy store after a free shopping spree!  It was great.

And among the treasures were some cute little heart shaped cakelette pans (in the background of the above photo).  Adorable.  One look and I knew I had to incorporate those into my Valentine's Day baking plans.

Then, by chance I was flipping through my Best-Ever Cookies book and found this recipe for glazed chocolate sweet cakes.  PERFECT!

Glazed Chocolate Sweet Cakes

From: Best-Ever Cookies by Nestle

1 c Nestle toll house semi-sweet Morsels

1 1/2 c all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1/2 c granulated sugar

1/3 c vegetable oil

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup water

Microwave  the morsels on high for 1 minute in a microwave-safe bowl; stir.  Microwave additional 10 to 20 second intervals, stirring until smooth.  Cool to room temperature.  Combine flour, soda and salt in small bowl, set aside.

BEAT sugar, oil, egg and vanilla in large mixing bowl until blended.  Beat in melted chocolate.  Gradually beat in flour alternately with the water.  Spoon into greased muffin cups.

BAKE in preheat 350 degree F oven for 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick insert in the center comes out clean.  Let stand 20 minutes.  Remove from pan; inverting onto wire racks to cool completely.

Glaze

1 c Nestle toll house semi-sweet Morsels

2/3 c heavy whipping cream

2 T. butter

2 T/ light corn syrup

HEAT the morsels, cream, butter and corn syrup in medium, heavy duty saucepan over medium heat until mixture comes to a boil, stirring constantly.  Remove from heat; stir until smooth.  Cool to room temperature.  Spread over tops and sides of cakes or dip cakes in glaze. 

Except...That's not exactly what I ended up doing.  I tried White chocolate ganache (from Joyofbaking.com) but it wasn't nearly as dark white (does that make sense?) as I had hoped.  Basically, you can see right through it.  I was about to make dark chocolate ganache, but then discovered that I still had some cream cheese frosting hiding in the back of my refrigerator.  I gave it the sniff and taste test...I'm still here, not sick = must be still good.  So that's what you see here.

Yum.  I love, love, LOVE cream cheese frosting.  Even if it's been sitting around in the fridge for a while.

And let me also share with you a new kitchen toy.  

Maybe you've figured it out already, I make a LOT of pancakes.  It's my go to meal.  And I'm always dripping batter here and there.  Cupcakes, I make a HUGE mess with cupcakes.  Grace is not one of my attributes.  So this little gadget has come to my rescue.  Just pour your batter in and squeeze the handle to dispense just the right about of batter.  I LOVE it.