My True Love Cake Recipe

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons plus 1-1/2 teaspoons baking cocoa
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 
  FILLING:
• 2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 can (21 ounces) cherry pie filling, divided

Directions

• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Combine the flour, cocoa and baking soda; add to creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk. Beat in water and oil until smooth.
• Pour into two greased and floured 9-in. heart-shaped baking pans. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.
• In a bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until fluffy. Beat in cream and extract. Place one cake on a serving plate; spread with half of cream cheese mixture. Refrigerate for 10 minutes. Top with 1 cup pie filling and second cake; spread with remaining cream cheese mixture. Make a heart-shaped indentation in center of cake; fill with remaining pie filling. Refrigerate until serving. Yield: 12 servings.

My True Love Cake published in Taste of Home February/March 2005, p68