Homemade Valentines

When I was a little girl, I would spend a considerable amount of time searching the Hallmark rack at the drugstore for the one card that was both a Valentine and birthday card for my Big Brother. And every year, my mother made a sticky chocolate cake in a heart-shaped pan. Seems she knew better: homemade is closer to the heart.

I now have a friend who's a Valentine baby. Since she's a dear friend, she gets a showy cake from me (with three kids, I know she's not going to do it herself). Last year she got a Persian love cake, decorated with edible flowers. This year I set about baking while still under the influence of the Theo confections consumed Sunday. I figured the combination of chocolate, cardamom, caramel and salt would work equally well in a cake. I started with a nutty flourless cake, dipping into my stash of Theo chocolate (nothing but the best!). I delivered it yesterday evening, after her kids were in bed, and she was generous enough to share a slice. Seems my hunches were right.