Valentine's Day Dessert Ideas

Valentines’ Day is the right time to indulge your sweetheart – whether with bouquets of flowers, pretty gifts or tasty treats. So after you have spent a fun-filled or romantic evening and had an exotic dinner, here are a few Valentine’s Day dessert ideas to round off the day on a very sweet note.

Cupcakes for Cupid

This is a great one if you are new to the kitchen. Cupcakes are one of the easiest desserts to prepare and usually everyone has nice memories of them from childhood. Use pre-mixed cake batter or make the batter from scratch using an easy recipe. The main thing here is to get the heart shape. So get this place a small marble or a 1/2-inch ball of aluminum foil between each liner and one side of the tin. This will push the paper into the batter to form the notch in the heart. Once the cup cakes are ready, you can cover them with basic butter-cream frosting and add some sprinkles for a pretty look. Present them to your sweetheart after dinner or munch on these while watching DVDs of romantic classics. Cupid’s arrow is sure to hit the mark with these heart-shaped cupcakes.

A Hearty Dessert

However if you want to indulge your partner with something heartier, then you can prepare a dessert using the traditional red colors of Valentine’s Day. For this you need to bake two cakes one round and the other square. Add strawberry-flavored Jell-O to the cake mix, then prepare the mix as directed on the box. Fold half of a sixteen-ounce packet of strawberries into the batter. Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake according to the package directions. When done and cooled, cut the round cake in equal halves; place the square cake with one corner pointing up and assemble the two halves of the circular cake on either side to get a big heart shape. Make strawberry frosting by beating butter, sugar, and vanilla extract until light and fluffy and then add the remaining strawberries. Spread the frosting on the heart-shaped cake and decorate it with the red or pink candies. You are ready to have your partner eating out of your hand with this luscious Valentine’s Day dessert.

Lemony Love Potion

If your sweetheart has had enough to eat and cannot take another bite, you could pamper her with a dessert drink. For this you need 12-ounce can pink lemonade concentrate, one cup raspberry sherbet, 12-ounce can of lemon/lime soda like 7-Up. In a pitcher, mix the lemonade concentrate with the recommended amount of water. In another pitcher, combine the sherbet with one cup of the lemonade mixture. Add the soda, stir, and serve. This makes a perfect dessert idea when you are too stuffed up with candies and sweets. The zesty flavour of the lemon is sure to act as a refreshing change and the drink will ensure that both you and your Valentine are pepped up for a night of fireworks ahead.

Chocolate Chip Meringue Cookies

If you are planning to celebrate Valentine’s Day together as a family, here is a dessert idea that is sure to be a hit with everyone and what’s more you can get the kids to help you make it too. Make a meringue batter with 3 egg whites, 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1 cup sugar and 3 tablespoons baking cocoa. You can ask the kids to help beat eggs for the batter and fold in chocolate chips and nuts. However you might need to take over while dropping the meringue batter on baking sheets at a distance of about two inches apart in the form of one to one-and-a-half inch hearts. Then bake them at 300° for 20-25 minutes or until firm to the touch. After they have been cooled on wire racks, you can either pass them around as a Valentine’s Day dessert or store in an airtight container to serve as an after-school snack for the kids later on.

Caramel Fondue

If you truly want to impress your partner with your culinary skills, try out this exotic Valentine’s Day dessert idea. Make a caramel fondue by combine 1/2 cup cream, sugar, corn syrup, butter and salt in a heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat until a candy thermometer reads 234° or till you reach the soft-ball stage, all the while stirring constantly. Cool to 220° and then stir in remaining cream. Bring to a boil again and finally after removing from the heat, stir in vanilla. Transfer the contents in a classy fondue pot. Cut up a pound cake or assorted fruits into pieces to go with the fondue. Then settle down in front of a crackling fire and feed each other bits of cake or fruit dipped in golden, caramel fondue. You are all set for a sweet, romantic night ahead.

Decadent Chocolate Cake

What is Valentine’s Day without lots of chocolate? And to go still one up on the decadence quotient, settle for a flourless chocolate cake this year. Flourless chocolate cake usually figures on every "chocoholics" list of favorite desserts. It's a slice of pure chocolate goodness - dense, dark, and sinful. For this you need to make an egg mixture by whisking eggs and sugar together in a mixing bowl for 2 minutes, or until light and foamy. Prepare a chocolate mixture by melting chocolate bits and butter over a double boiler. Add the chocolate mixture to the egg mixture, along with the cocoa powder, salt, and vanilla. Whisk until everything is combined. Grease an 8-inch round cake pan, and dust well with cocoa powder. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake in preheated 300 degrees F. oven for 30 minutes. After cooling, refrigerate and then dust with additional cocoa or lather on chocolate syrup if your loved one likes it sticky. This moist, melt-in-the-mouth chocolate cake can make the perfect prop for an intimate foreplay if you have more ideas planned up for your Valentine’s Day.