Brownie Heart Cake

Instructions

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 5-cup heart-shaped pan and dust it with unsweetened cocoa powder, tapping out the excess.

2. 2

   In a large bowl, blend together the brown sugar, 3/4 cup softened butter, and vanilla. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well with a wooden spoon after each addition.

3. 3

   Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, and salt, then add all at once to the creamed mixture, stirring just until blended. Fold in the chopped nuts and spread the batter in the prepared pan.

4. 4

   Loosely cover the pointed tip of the heart with foil to prevent it from over-drying. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the center is just barely firm to the touch.

5. 5

   Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn it out onto a wire rack and cool completely.

6. 6

   For the frosting, melt the white chocolate with the remaining 3/4 cup butter in the top of a double boiler over hot (not boiling) water, stirring until smooth. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly, then stir in the sour cream until smooth and blended.

7. 7

   Refrigerate the frosting for about 10 minutes to firm up, then spread it smoothly over the sides and top of the cooled cake. Dust with cocoa in a decorative pattern and arrange nuts around the top edge to garnish.