Heart-Healthy Chocolate Cake(s)

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 4 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped
• 2 T. refrigerated or frozen egg product, thawed, or 2 egg yolks, slightly beaten
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/4 cup ground flax seeds
• 1/4 tsp. baking powder
   

• 5 egg whites
   

• 1/4 cup apricot spreadable fruit (or other fruit spread)
   

• 2 T. toasted sliced almonds, coarsely chopped
   

• Powdered sugar (optional)
   

• Toasted sliced almonds (optional)
•  Fresh raspberries (optional)
•  Fresh mint leaves (optional)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°. Grease and flour a 9×9-inch baking pan; set aside. In medium saucepan, stir together granulated sugar and water. Cook and stir over medium heat until the sugar dissolves and mixture almost boils. Remove from heat. Add chocolate; stir until melted (mixture may appear slightly grainy). Place egg product in large bowl. Gradually stir chocolate mixture into egg product; stir in vanilla (mixture may appear slightly grainy). Set aside. In small bowl, stir together flour, cocoa powder, flax seeds, and baking powder. Add flour mixture to egg product mixture, whisking until smooth. In medium bowl, beat egg whites with an electric mixer on medium speed until stiff peaks form (tips stand straight). Stir a small amount of the beaten egg whites into chocolate mixture to lighten. Fold remaining egg whites into chocolate mixture. Spread in prepared pan.
Bake for 30 minutes. Cool cake in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove cake from pan. Cool completely on wire rack. Transfer cake to a cutting board. Using a 3 1/4-inch heart-shaped cutter, cut 6 heart-shaped pieces from cake. Stir together spreadable fruit and 2 tablespoons almonds in a small bowl. Spread mixture atop three of the heart-shaped cakes. Place remaining heart-shaped cakes atop the apricot filling on cakes. Sprinkle tops with powdered sugar, if desired. Top with toasted almonds, raspberries, and mint leaves, if desired. Cut cakes in half to serve.
Tip: If desired, omit spreadable fruit and 2 tablespoons sliced almonds. Cut cake into heart shapes as directed. Do not stack cakes. Serve cakes topped with raspberries, toasted sliced almonds, mint leaves and sprinkled with powdered sugar, if desired. Makes 6 servings (1/2 heart cake per serving).
This cake, perfect for a birthday or other special occasion, is filled with heart-healthy ingredients such as flaxseed, cocoa powder, and almonds, but is still packed with chocolaty flavor. Cutting the cake into heart shapes makes for an extra-special presentation.