Is ‘chocolate cake’ the best in the world two-word combination? It’s certainly in the top 20! And so let me present a collection of my best ever chocolate cake recipes, just to cheer us up.
Because chocolate makes us happy, even if it’s just the sugar content that our brains relate to the feeling of pleasure. And anything that makes us happy is good for us, healthwise. Chocolate is good, in sensible quantities and preferably the dark kind. It contains flavonols, chemicals that act as antioxidants, aid the immune system and make us clever (seriously).
My collection includes easy-peasy weekend bakes and elegant celebrations confections. So let’s get to it!
Butter in a brownie is non-negotiable in my opinion, as is good quality dark chocolate. This recipe is a simple classic and those are always the best. With added chocolate chips: dark, milk, white or a mix.
Jot this recipe down because it’s the best and the easiest chocolate cake you’ll have ever made. It’s Samin Nosrat’s midnight cake and my version is topped with a dried fruit salad, but you can layer it with cream, frosting or ganache for future occasions.
Midnight cake with fruit salad topping
RECIPE
Yoghurt cakes are so satisfying, and this one is doubly so because of the chocolate content. And it’s dreamingly easy: dry ingredients into the wet ingredients (or the other way round as it doesn’t matter), and Bob’s your uncle.
Chocolate pound cake with crunchy crumble (aka streusel) as the base. The crumble goes into the bottom of the tin followed by the batter, but you can use it to sprinkle the top of the cake too. Not too sweet, this cake is actually perfectly fine to serve for breakfast.
Swedish kladdkaka means ‘sticky cake’ and all the stickiness is there thanks to the chocolate content. It’s fudgy and totally delicious. My recipe features white kladdkaka but it can be as easily made with milk or dark chocolate.
White chocolate kladdkaka
RECIPE
This is probably my favourite, and one of the oldest recipes here. It’s an easy chocolate sponge with tart apricot jam and chocolate ganache layers. It’s definitely one of those cakes that will make you happy!
Chocolate cake with apricot filling
RECIPE
This one is inspired by the American Silver Palate Cookbook, a cult classic from 1980s. I don’t know much about other recipes from the cookbook but this chocolate cake is amazing. I frost it with a gorgeous chocolate cream for a birthday or other celebration.
Silver Palate chocolate cake
RECIPE
Genoise might seem daunting but it’s the best, lightest sponge you can imagine. This one is chocolate flavoured, and with the whipped chocolate ganache frosting and a raspberry buttercream layer makes a wonderfully impressive gateau.
Chocolate genoise with raspberry buttercream
RECIPE
Ottolenghi’s recipe for devil’s food cake is one of the best chocolate gateau recipes I know. The sponge layers are a doddle, the malted cream is easy and the praline is surprisingly doable. Absolutely worth the effort!
Devil's food cake with hazelnut praline
RECIPE
And finally, the piece de resistance: lemon and chocolate Andalusia. I won’t lie to you: it’s not easy. It’s quite a challenge with all the different layers, but the outcome is a real coup de grace. The French expressions littering this paragraph are not random: it’s a replica of a confection from the Parisian La Maison Du Chocolat.
Lemon and chocolate torte, Andalusia
RECIPE