This spectacular cake, perfect for Valentine's Day or anytime you want to say "I Love You," has the flavors of a traditional Linzertorte. The rich hazelnuts are as perfect a contrast to the sweet-tart raspberry flavors as the creamy white icing is to the jewel toned raspberry jam on top. Each recipe makes two 8" - 9" cakes -- perfect if you have several Valentines. You can also make the cake in round or square pans for a different, but equally elegant look.

1 3/4 C finely chopped, toasted hazelnuts, divided
2 C flour
1 T baking powder
1 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 C butter
1 1/2 C sugar
3 large eggs, separated
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 tsp. almond extract
1 1/4 C milk
2 C raspberry preserves

Cream Cheese White Chocolate Icing

Stir white chocolate in the top of a double boiler set over simmering water until just melted. Cool to lukewarm. Using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy. Beat in cooled, melted white chocolate and vanilla, gradually beat in sugar and continue beating until smooth. Frosting should be light and spreadable. It is helpful to chill a bit before piping.

Preheat oven to 350° F and grease and flour cake pans. Finely chop toasted hazelnuts in a food processor and combine 1 cup chopped nuts with dry ingredients. Set aside. Reserve remaining nuts for decorating the side of the cake.

Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form, set aside. Beat butter and sugar with an electric mixer until well mixed. Beat in egg yolks and extracts. Alternate adding milk, with dry ingredients, beating until just combined. Fold in 1/3 egg whites to lighten batter, then fold in remaining egg white. Divide between the two prepared cake pans and bake for about 30-35 minutes or until tops are golden brown and a cake tester comes out clean. Cool pans on rack for 10 minutes, then turn out on wire rack to cool completely.

Frost and decorate with preserves and Cream Cheese/White Chocolate Icing as follows: Split each cake in half, lengthwise, making two layers out of each one. A long serrated knife makes quick work of this, or you can even use a piece of dental floss as a saw to split the cake in half. Follow link for icing recipe.

Place first layer, cut side down, on the cake plate and cover with a layer of icing. Top this with a layer of raspberry preserves and top that with the second cake layer. Frost tops and sides of cake. Press remaining nuts onto sides of cakes with fingers. Leaving a 1/4" border on all edges, top cake with a payer of raspberry preserves. Put remaining icing into a pastry bag and pipe a decorative icing around top edge of cake. The two photos show two decorating options. In the smaller photo, I used a small plain round tip and simply piped a row of dots around the edge of the cake. In the second photo I piped a shell border, then used a very small round tip to pipe a freeform lace pattern in the red heart. I love the final effect!

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