Ingredients
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1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
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1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, cut up and softened, plus more for greasing
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2/3 cup sugar
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1 tsp vanilla extract
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1/4 tsp salt
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3 large eggs
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1/2 cup Dutch-processed cocoa
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Cake decorating frosting pens
Steps
1
Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease sides and bottom of 9-inch baking pan. Line with enough parchment to have overhang on sides. Grease parchment.
2
In a medium microwave-safe bowl, combine the chocolate chips and butter. Microwave in 1-min. intervals, until chocolate is melted. Stir until smooth. Transfer to a mixing bowl along with sugar, vanilla, and salt. Stir to combine.
3
To bowl, add the eggs and beat until well combined. Beat in the cocoa. Transfer to prepared pan and spread in even layer. Bake 23–25 min., until top looks dry and toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.
4
Cool completely on wire rack. Using edges of parchment, remove from pan. Run edges of 2- to 3-inch heart cookie cutter under hot water and wipe dry. With cutter, cut out hearts from cake, rinsing under hot water and wiping dry occasionally to avoid sticking.
5
With the cake decorating pens, write messages on hearts.
Tips
To make arrows for hearts, cut a red or pink paper straw into 2-inch lengths. Cut triangles and frills from red construction paper and glue onto separate pieces of straw. Insert 1 triangle and 1 frill on opposite sides of each heart.
