Oh chocolate cake, let us count the ways we love thee.
Eating a slice of perfectly baked chocolate cake is up there in our top ten euphoric moments: there is quite simply, little better.
Striking the balance of rich, dark and indulgent while still being light, fluffy and moreish is an art form and when it's pulled off the resulting bake is sheer perfection.
The beauty of chocolate cakes is the sheer diversity in styles: you can have a dreamy chocolate fudge cake or a salted caramel and coffee chocolate cake or even a joyful mud pie. No one is better than the other but each is perfectly suited to a different occasion.
If you've yet to find your go-to chocolate cake recipe then scroll through the gallery above to find your new favourite baking treat.
Licking of the spoon essential...
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1
Chocolate fridge cake
Packed full of sweet dried fruits, nuts, and crunchy biscuits, this chocolate fridge cake is sure to go down well with the whole family. It’s delicious eaten chilled and will last for up to five days if kept well-wrapped in the fridge.
Try this chocolate fridge cake recipe
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2
Flourless chocolate cake from 'Mastering the Basics: Baking'
This flourless chocolate cake uses only a small amount of ground hazelnuts giving it a light mousse-like texture. The velvety rich dessert is great served with fresh summer berries.
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3
Faux sachertorte from 'Tante Hertha's Viennese Kitchen'
This indulgent Austrian-style chocolate cake makes an impressive centerpiece to any celebration or birthday. Rich and delicious, you’ll only want a small portion for dessert or as an accompaniment to an afternoon cuppa.
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4
Chocolate and banana cake
This delicious take on a plain banana cake recipe from Nigel Slater is made all the more delicious by the presence of chocolate and muscovado sugar for a sweet result.
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5
Intensely rich coconut and chocolate layer cake
This is the ultimate celebration cake. The extra effort to make it is well worth the delicious results - rich, moist and highly fragrant, it will go down a treat. Serve up at a birthday or party to turn some heads.
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6
Who can resist a slice of homemade chocolate cake, especially one generously filled with white chocolate cream and loads of fresh raspberries? Add candles for an easy birthday cake.
Try our raspberry and double chocolate cake recipe
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7
Sweet and Salt Chocolate Cake
Not as strange as it may sound, this indulgent and utterly delicious cake just has to be tried. Salted caramel is a classic flavour, and mixed into chocolate makes an amazing cake that is well worth the time spent in the kitchen.
Try this Hummingbird Bakery chocolate cake recipe
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8
Chocolate Crumble Marble Cake
Combining our two favourite puds, a cake and a classic British crumble, this chocolate marbled cake is the perfect afternoon tea or celebratory treat. The crumble topping adds a contrasting crunch as well as an extra hit of chocolate. Serve with a cup of tea or as a dessert with some softly whipped cream or crème fraiche.
Try Rachel Allen’s chocolate crumble cake recipe
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9
This delicious chocolate fudge cake has a light sponge and a relatively light filling and icing to match, a treat without being too heavy on the waistline.
Try Tana Ramsay’s chocolate fudge cake recipe
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10
Chocolate Fan Cake Recipe
This decadent cake will make an impressive centrepiece for a celebration cake or a beautiful birthday cake for a loved one.
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11
This gluten-free dessert will make a delicious dinner party option and if there's any leftovers will keep for a further 4-5 days.
Try Rachel Allen's chocolate, rum and almond cake recipe
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12
Salted caramel mud pie
If you like your sweet treats gooey and chocolatey, then this is the bake for you. A rich chocolate dessert oozing with a layer of salted caramel and a crunchy topping of peanut brittle. It’s perfect for entertaining dinner guests with and is a great alternative to a more spongy chocolate cake.
Try Donal Skehan’s salted caramel mud pie recipe
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13
Chocolate and raspberry gateau from 'Gluton Free Baking'
This indulgent dessert is heavenly. Rich and chocolatey with a hint of booziness and the sweet tang of raspberries, it’s the perfect dinner party dessert.
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14
Sweet and sour dark chocolate buttermilk cake recipe from 'Wholefood Baking'
This chocolate cake is moist, dark and not too sweet, with a definite grown up edge. Thanks to the buttermilk this is a light cake and rich flavour of dark muscovado sugar gives it a lovely toffee-ish flavour, but it’s the icing that seals the deal.
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15
Almost flourless chocolate cake
This ‘little-black-dress’ of a recipe is timeless, elegant and makes you feel good. It’s even more perfect with some good crème fraîche to bite through the sweetness.
Try Trish Deseine’s decadent, almost flourless, chocolate cake recipe
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16
Beetroot and Chocolate Cake
The combination or earthy beetroot and chocolate add a wonderfully soft and moist texture to a rich chocolate cake. Serve dusted with a little icing sugar and a crème fraiche on the side.
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17
Rich, moist and deliciously moreish, Mary Berry’s tasty chocolate cake can be frozen un-iced and iced on the day of serving.
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18
Ultimate chocolate cake
This indulgent chocolate cake is a real showstopper – perfect for a birthday cake or afternoon tea treat.
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19
Devil's Food Cake
Dark and wickedly delicious, this is a big cake for a big occasion, such as a special birthday or an engagement party.
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20
Chocolate raspberry cake
This is a wonderfully moist cake. Dust with icing sugar and serve with plenty of cream for the perfect indulgent treat.
