Of course, you wouldn't want to indulge all the time. But guess what? Valentine's Day comes just once a year.

Preparation time: 1 hour and 15 minutes

Baking time: 25 to 35 minutes

Cooling and setting: 2 to 3 hours

Cake:

2 cups sugar

134 cups cake flour

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 teaspoon baking soda

34 teaspoon salt

23 cup cocoa powder

1 cup coffee, cooled to room temperature

12 cup plain yogurt

4 egg whites

14 tablespoons butter, melted

23 cup strawberry preserves

Ganache:

8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips

34 cup heavy cream

1 tablespoon liqueur (like Kirsch or Grand Marnier)

Topping:

12 pint raspberries

12 pint blueberries or blackberries

1 pint strawberries, tops removed and quartered

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cut 3 pieces parchment paper to fit bottom of three 8-inch cake pans. Grease each pan and add parchment rounds.

Combine sugar, cake flour, cornstarch, baking soda and salt in large bowl. In separate bowl, combine cocoa powder and coffee. Add yogurt and combine well.

In another bowl, with hand mixer, whip egg whites into soft peaks. With same hand mixer, mix melted butter into dry mixture and then add cocoa mixture until batter is smooth. Fold in egg whites.

Pour batter evenly into prepared 8-inch cake pans. Bake 25 to 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in middle of each cake comes out clean. Remove cakes from oven and place on cooling rack 10 minutes. Remove cake from cake pans and place on cooling rack allowing them to continue cooling additional 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat strawberry preserves in microwave 30 seconds. Place first cake layer on small cooling rack on baking sheet lined with wax paper or foil to catch ganache drippings. Spread 13 cup strawberry preserves over first layer of cake, and then top with another cake layer and spread remaining preserves over it. Top with remaining cake layer.

For ganache, place chocolate chips in bowl. Heat cream and pour over chocolate chips. Add liqueur and allow to melt, about 2 minutes. Stir until all chocolate has melted and mixture is smooth.

Allow to sit about 10 minutes before liberally pouring over cake and allowing to run down sides. Allow ganache topped cake to sit several hours or at least 12 hour in refrigerator. Carefully transfer completed cake to serving plate using 2 spatulas.

Top with fruit when ready to serve.

Makes 12 servings.

Recipe from: Frigidaire/Family Features

More recipes:

Tasty tarts straight from the heart!

Heart Tarts

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Baking time: 7 to 10 minutes

Decorating time: 5 minutes

Crust:

1 9-ounce box thin chocolate wafers, finely ground

8 tablespoons butter, melted

4 tablespoons sugar

Filling:

1 bag rich dark chocolate candy (like Dove dark chocolate hearts)

2 3.9-ounce boxes instant chocolate pudding

112 cups heavy cream, whipped, or whipped topping

1 pint raspberries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine ground chocolate wafers with butter and sugar. Press mixture into sides and bottom of 12 small (412-inch each) greased tart pans.

Place tart pans on cookie sheet(s) and bake approximately 7 to 10 minutes. Remove and cool completely.

Melt chocolate hearts in microwave, stirring every 15 seconds until smooth. Prepare pudding according to instructions on package. Whisk melted chocolate into pudding and refrigerate until set.

Before serving, fold 34 cup whipped cream into chocolate pudding mixture and fill tart shells. Spoon remaining whipped cream into resealable bag with snipped corner and pipe heart design on top. Cover with raspberries.

Makes 12 servings.

Recipe from: www.BrightIdeas.com/Family Features

OK, so it's not chocolate, but what the heck! Whether it's Valentine's Day or "just another day," baking a Red Velvet Heart Cake for that special someone is the perfect way to show your love. One slice into the cake will reveal its velvety-rich red inside quite a contrast to the fluffy white exterior! For an extra touch, top with strawberries dipped in white chocolate and colored sugars.

Red Velvet Heart Cake

12 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine, softened

112 cups granulated sugar

2 eggs

1 tablespoon no-taste red icing color

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons cocoa

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup buttermilk

112 teaspoons baking soda

1 tablespoon white vinegar

2 14-ounce packages creamy white buttercream icing mix

Fresh strawberries with stems

White Candy Melts (from Wilton)

Pink or red colored sugars

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray heart-shaped cake pan (see note) with vegetable pan spray.

In medium bowl, cream butter and sugar with electric mixer until light and fluffy.

Add eggs, icing color and vanilla; mix well. Stir together flour, cocoa and salt; add alternately with buttermilk to batter mixture, beating until well blended. Stir baking soda into vinegar; fold carefully into batter.

Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pan to wire rack. Cool completely.

While cake cools, wash and dry strawberries. Melt candy according to package directions. Holding strawberries by stem, dip into melted candy and gently tap to remove any excess; sprinkle or dip into desired sugar.

Place on parchment or waxed paper covered cookie sheets; refrigerate until set, about 10 minutes. (May be made several hours in advance.)

To decorate: Spatula ice cake fluffy with buttercream icing. Add candy dipped strawberries just before serving.

Makes about 12 servings.

Note: Cake may be baked as a 9-inch round or square cake pan.

Recipe from: Wilton