VALENTINES Day is just around the corner and Cupid is already sharpening his arrow as we prepare for the most romantic day of the year.

So this month I thought I would share with you a recipe that I have been meaning to try for ages! It's a real 'showstopper' in terms of how it looks but it's actually relatively simple to make and it will most definitely impress the loved one in your life!

The Hidden Heart Cake is a delicious chocolate loaf cake, with yes you guessed it, a hidden heart inside.

Once the cake is baked though it is a surprise as to what's inside!

Whoever slices into this delicious loaf cake will reveal the secret heart design running through the middle, a very romantic bake!

Each year on February 14 many people exchange cards, gifts or flowers with their special "valentine."

The day of romance we call Valentine's Day is named for a Christian martyr and dates back to the 5th century, allegedly.

Religious-wise in history, the Catholic Church recognizes at least three different saints named Valentine or Valentinus, all of whom were martyred.

One legend contends that Valentine was a priest who served during the third century in Rome. When Emperor Claudius II decided that single men made better soldiers than those with wives and families, he outlawed marriage for young men.

Valentine, realising the injustice of the decree, defied Claudius and continued to perform marriages for young lovers in secret. When Valentine's actions were discovered, Claudius ordered that he be put to death.

Other stories suggest that Valentine may have been killed for attempting to help Christians escape harsh Roman prisons, where they were often beaten and tortured.

According to one legend, an imprisoned Valentine actually sent the first "valentine" greeting himself after he fell in love with a young girl –possibly his jailor's daughter –who visited him during his confinement.

Before his death, it is alleged that he wrote her a letter signed 'From your Valentine' – an expression that is still in use today. Although the truth behind the Valentine legends is murky, the stories all emphasize his appeal as a sympathetic, heroic and –most importantly – romantic figure.

Regardless of the real truth or origin of Valentine's Day, it remains a popular pastime all over the world, and approximately one billion Valentine's Day cards are exchanged annually, making Valentine's Day the second most popular card-sending holiday after Christmas!

Valentine's Day has been celebrated for hundreds of years and it's the ideal occasion to show your partner or spouse just what they meant to you.

Whether you're a sentimental traditionalist who wants to give the ever-dependable flowers and chocolates this Valentine's day, or someone with more individual ideas, you'll find this cake a viable option as it keeps tradition, with an added home-made, personal twist.

So why not impress your friends and family with this delicious hidden heart loaf cake. It would be the perfect Valentine's Day gift.

Who knows? It could be love at first bite!