It’s February and that can only mean one thing – love is in the air! While a box of chocolates and a bouquet of roses may be the ‘go-to’ gift for Valentine’s Day, why not show the one you love your baking skills with a chocolate CAKE? Yes, an entire cake! Plus, who doesn’t love homemade gifts that come filled with love and hard work?

Food & Wine’s Milk Chocolate Frosted Cake paired with Aurora Cellars’ 2020 Medium Sweet Gewürztraminer is sure to add that delicious touch to your Valentine’s Day dinner while satisfying your sweet tooth.

Milk Chocolate Frosted Cake

By: Food & Wine

Ingredients

• 1 ¼ cups cake flour
• ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• 2 sticks unsalted butter
• ½ cup whole milk
• 6 large eggs, separated
• 1 cup sugar
• Pinch of salt
• 1 ½ cups heavy cream
• 1 ½ pounds milk chocolate, finely chopped
• Shaved milk chocolate, for garnish (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 325°. Butter and flour two 9-inch-square cake pans.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk the cake flour, cocoa and baking powder. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter in the milk over low heat. Transfer to a large bowl and let cool slightly. Whisk in the egg yolks and 1/2 cup of the sugar. Add the dry ingredients and whisk until smooth.
3. In a clean bowl, beat the egg whites with the salt until soft peaks form. Gradually add the remaining 1/2 cup sugar and beat at medium-high speed until the whites are stiff and glossy. Fold the beaten whites into the batter until no streaks remain. Divide the batter between the pans and bake for 25 minutes, until the cakes are springy and a toothpick inserted in the centers comes out clean. Transfer the cakes to a rack and let cool completely.
4. Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, bring the cream to a simmer. Put the chocolate in a heatproof bowl and pour the hot cream on top. Let stand for 3 minutes, then whisk until smooth. Let the frosting stand at room temperature, stirring occasionally, until thick enough to spread, about 1 hour.
5. Turn the cakes out of the pans and put one layer on a plate. Top with 1 cup of the frosting, spreading it to the edge. Top with the second layer and spread the remaining frosting over the top and sides. Let the cake stand at room temperature for about 30 minutes before cutting into squares.

And if you don’t finish the whole thing, don’t worry! This Milk Chocolate Frosted Cake can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to three days because we all know we could use a little chocolate cake on a random Wednesday.

The perfect companion to the perfect Valentine’s dessert is Aurora Cellars’ 2020 Medium Sweet Gewürztraminer. This wine is an elegant style Gewürztraminer with subtle notes of rose petal on the nose. Your taste buds will be pleasantly surprised with lush lychee fruit followed by integrated spice on the finish.

Per Eataly, milk chocolate pairs well with Pinot Noir, Merlot and Gewürztraminer. Milk chocolate tends to be sweeter and creamier with flavors of brown sugar, vanilla, and cream. This palate requires a wine that is light to medium in body, with a ripe fruit character.