Strawberry Heart Upside Down Cake

Isn't this cake just the most darling yet sexy thing ever?  

When I bought this super heart shaped cake pan from Sur La Table last month, I knew exactly what I wanted to use it for.  I love an upside down cake but one with heart shaped strawberries really tugs at my, well, heart strings.  And adding the arrow to the cake was a sweet touch too. 

With so many amazing recipes out there, I am seriously considering staying at home for Valentine's Day this year to make a special menu for my hubby.  I am sure anyone would feel insanely loved after having a piece of this sexy cake (listening out there Shine Super Club?).

Strawberry Heart Upside Down Cake- Adapted from Aaron McCargo, Jr.

Ingredients 
Cooking spray
1/4 cup sugar
8 strawberries, tops removed and shaped into hearts

1 1/2 cups self-rising flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
4 tablespoons plain greek yogurt, room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup buttermilk (I used coconut milk)
1/2 cup strawberry nectar
Powdered sugar, to garnish
2 Coffee stirers
4 whole strawberries 

Directions 
For the strawberries 
I followed this amazing step-by-step tutorial here

For the cake

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Spray two heart shaped pans sized 6x2 with cooking spray. Using a 1/4 cup of sugar, coat the greased pan with a good sprinkle. Arrange heart shaped sliced strawberries in a spiral design on the bottom of the pan.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt.
In a large bowl with an electric mixer, cream together butter, greek yogurt and white and brown sugars. Add in the eggs one at a time.  Next add in vanilla extract. 

Mix in half of the flour mixture, followed by buttermilk. Stir in the remaining flour mixture, followed by the strawberry puree'. Stir well to remove any lumps. Pour the mixture into the greased heart pans over the strawberries and tap the pans on counter to release any air bubbles. 

Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean, about 25 to 28 minutes.

Let the cakes cool for 2 minutes, then run a knife along the outside edge of the pan and invert the pan onto a serving plate. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.

For the arrows
Remove leafs from and hull out four strawberries.  Push one coffee stirrer through the side of one of the cakes on an angle.  On the lower end of each stirrer, push one strawberry facing up into the stirrer.  On the higher end of the stirrer, place one strawberry facing down into the stirrer.  Repeat on other cake.