Heart Shaped Honey Cake

A delicate layered honey cake shaped like a heart, perfect for special occasions. Soft honey sponge layers are paired with a light creamy frosting and a bright mango fruit layer, finished with fresh berries for freshness and colour. The cake develops its best texture after resting in the fridge, allowing all the layers to fully soak and come together 

Before starting, prepare a heart-shaped template from cardboard (approx. 20 cm diameter) 

Ingredients

For the cake layers

• 1 egg

• 1/3 cup sugar (80 g)

• 30 g butter

• 1 tbsp honey

• 1/2 tsp baking soda (quenched with vinegar)

• 1+ cup flour (125 g+)

For the fruit layer

• 200 g mango (frozen or fresh, thawed if frozen)

• 1 tsp starch

For the cream

• 200 g cream cheese (Philadelphia)

• 1 cup powdered sugar (125 g)

• 1 cup heavy cream (35%) (240 ml)

For decoration

• berries and fruit

Steps

Cake layers

1. Whisk the egg and sugar in a saucepan using a whisk

2. Add honey and butter, place over heat, and bring to a boil while stirring

3. Remove from heat, add baking soda quenched in vinegar, and mix until the mixture increases in volume

4. Let cool slightly, then gradually add flour and knead into a soft, smooth dough

5. Divide the dough into 3 equal parts, keep covered in plastic wrap

6. Roll each piece on a floured surface

7. Place the heart template on top and cut out shapes

8. Prick each layer with a fork

9. Bake at 180°C (350°F) for about 5 minutes per layer

10. Cool completely

Fruit layer

11. Blend mango into a puree

12. Heat in a saucepan, add starch, and cook on low heat until thickened

13. Let cool

Cream

14. Beat cream cheese with powdered sugar

15. While mixing, add cold cream and whip until thick

Assembly

16. Pipe cream onto each layer in rows along the edges

17. Fill the centre of two layers with mango filling

18. Stack the layers

19. Decorate the top with berries and fruit

Refrigerate for at least 24 hours before serving