Chocolate Cake Recipes You'll Want To Make Again And Again

There's nothing quite like a good chocolate cake, is there? Arguably the classiest, most decadent, and most luxurious of all the desserts, the not-so-humble chocolate cake ought to be a cinch to prepare for any baker worth their salt. Still, you can only get so much enjoyment out of the most basic of recipes, and the sad truth is that it's not always easy to bring a fresh new perspective to a dessert everyone has had a thousand times before. But that's all the more reason to try, don't you think?

Each of these chocolate cake recipes adds something new and exciting to the classic chocolate cake recipe. We've got the tastiest loaves, Nutella delights, not-so-German German treats, zesty orange dreams, molten wonders, and the finest copycat recipes around. Good stuff, basically. So forget that diet plan, throw on an apron, and get baking ... 'cause these cakes aren't going to make themselves.

The clue's in the name with our Everyday Chocolate Cake recipe. This is a simple, hugely tasty chocolate loaf that goes easy on the richness and the fancy decorations, meaning you won't feel guilty for pinching a slice at any point in the day. Need a post-lunch pick-me-up? You got it. Midnight snack? Not a problem. Guilty breakfast? Hey, we won't judge. All you need is a handful of ingredients (nothing too out of the ordinary; if you've made chocolate cake before, you can make this) and a little over an hour of your time, and you're good to go.

Recipe: Everyday Chocolate Cake

Everyone knows that Nutella goes with pretty much anything — from toast to ice cream to, uh, chicken — but nothing quite matches that rich, nutty taste quite like chocolate cake. And our 3-Ingredient Nutella Chocolate Cake recipe just happens to be so simple that quite literally anybody could make it. All you need is flour, eggs, and (obviously) Nutella. Beat the eggs and Nutella together, fold in the flour, bake it, frost it with a little more Nutella, and bam — you're done. When was the last time something so easy tasted so good?

Recipe: 3-Ingredient Nutella Chocolate Cake

Okay, so the funny thing about this German Chocolate Cake recipe is that it's not actually German at all. In fact, it's named after Sam German, whose recipe was first published in the Dallas Morning News in 1957. But what it may lack in Germanic authenticity it more than makes up for in sheer, unadulterated magnificence. It's not the easiest recipe out there, and you'll have to roll your sleeves up to get that frosting and filling made (not to mention that stunning topping decoration) — but the results will be more than worth the effort.

Recipe: German Chocolate Cake

Orange chocolate is a tragically underrated sweet treat. Still, anyone who knows their stuff will be able to tell you that it's also one of the tastiest — and nowhere is that more obvious than with this Orange Chocolate Loaf Cake recipe. It's more or less a simple chocolate loaf, like our Everyday Loaf, with the only real difference being the inclusion of orange zest and an orange-flavored glaze on top. The difference in taste, however, is palpable, making for a simple yet unique twist on a classic recipe.

Recipe: Orange Chocolate Loaf Cake

With their instantly recognizable icing and truly delectable taste, Nothing Bundt's cakes are nothing less than iconic. But if you don't have a location nearby — or just can't get out of the house — then you should try our Nothing Bundt Cakes Copycat recipe. The cake itself is simple enough for even amateur bakers, and aside from the odd curveball (such as the inclusion of a few dollops of mayo), nothing should really surprise you too much. And once you get that frosting on top, well — let's just say it's pretty much everything.

Recipe: Nothing Bundt Cake Copycat

Aside from being the most delectable, delicious, and utterly decadent dessert on the face of the planet, lava cakes have the added benefit of making you look like an expert baker. The thing is, though, they're not necessarily all that difficult to pull off. Just take our Molten Chocolate Lava Cakes recipe, for example. With just a few ingredients and a very short baking time (a little less than 10 minutes), you don't need to have graduated from Le Cordon Bleu to nail this recipe. Get it right, though, and it might just look like you did.

Recipe: Molten Chocolate Lava Cakes

"What," we hear you ask, "is actually the point of flourless cake?" Good question. After all, flour hardly seems like the most glamorous ingredient in the baking world — so can a cake really change that much for losing it?

As it turns out: yes. Flourless chocolate cake is far denser, fudgier, and (arguably) tastier than a normal chocolate cake. It's essentially the perfect middle ground between chocolate cake and a chocolate bar. And our flourless chocolate cake recipe is easy to pull off, too. In fact, it's more or less the same as baking a normal chocolate cake, only without ... well, you can probably guess. Just 45 minutes for prep and baking for 8 servings of pure bliss. And easy peasy, to boot.

Recipe: Flourless Chocolate Cake

This next recipe is a twist on a classic, first served up by Food Network's Ina Garten — and repurposed by Kate Shungu. The chocolate cake recipe uses a whole host of ingredients, some weirder than others (hope you've got coffee and jam on hand!), combining them all into a rich, melt-in-your-mouth, slice of utter joy. Throw on a little Nutella frosting (Shungu's idea) and you've got yourself something truly special. Nobody could blame you for going back for that second slice.

Recipe: Ina Garten's Chocolate Cake With a Twist

The Black Forest cake — or gâteau, if you're trying to impress somebody — is probably one of the most famous chocolate cakes in the world. Traditionally a sponge cake sandwiched with whipped cream and cherries, our Black Forest cake recipe is about as straightforward and as simple as you could possibly want from a dessert like this. The whole thing will take less than an hour to prepare, and (aside from requiring a little panache when it comes to decorating) it's surprisingly easy, too. Just don't skimp on the maraschinos, yeah?

Recipe: Black Forest Cake

God bless the humble mug cake. If you ever have a hankering for a straight-up sugar hit but don't have the time to bake an actual cake — or get to a store — then this has got to be your best bet. Take our chocolate mug cake recipe, for example. You gather your ingredients (flour, cocoa powder, cane sugar, baking powder, milk, olive oil, and salt), whisk it all together, pour the mixture into a mug, then stick it in the microwave. It really is as simple as that — and the whole thing, start to finish, should take no longer than five minutes. Five. That's practically magic.

Recipe: Mug Cake

You can't always guarantee a cake recipe will be vegan, no matter how good it might look. In fact, you can probably bet it won't be. Luckily, our friends over at Health Digest have got you covered with this vegan chocolate cake recipe. It's basically a classic chocolate cake recipe, only with mashed banana in the place of the egg, and a milk alternative used in both the batter and the frosting. Aside from that, this is pretty easy stuff, and if you've made any kind of chocolate cake before you'll have no issue here. The final product should be more moist, flavorful, and totally indulgent than you could ever have expected from a vegan cake. So, y'know ... you're welcome.

Recipe: Vegan Chocolate Cake

For many kids, the ultimate treat is chocolate cake. Grabbing a slice and digging into a double delight of rich cake and frosting is what childhood is all about, and the messier it is the better. To experience the full nostalgia, pour yourself a glass of cold milk, too. 

The secret ingredient in this recipe is coffee, which enhance rather than overwhelms the taste. You can quickly mimic buttermilk by adding lemon juice to milk, and if you don't want to use heavy whipping cream, half-and-half is just fine. 

Recipe: Classic Chocolate Cake

Unless you adore frosting cakes, this sheet cake has to be your go-to. It's great to have at the ready during weekends or holidays. Once the sponge is baked, simply pour the frosting on top, scatter chopped pecans on that, and let the cake set. Then all you've got to do is cut it into slices and serve straight out of the pan. 

Not a fan of pecans? What about walnuts? Or leave the nuts out altogether and add whatever decorations you like without the fuss of frosting a round cake. 

Recipe: Chocolatey Texas Sheet Cake

An Instant Pot isn't the first kitchen appliance you might think of when you want to bake a cake. But you're about to discover one of the best chocolate cake recipes you'll want to make again and again. 

Don't overmix your batter or the increased gluten will make the cake tough. Use cacao powder in place of cocoa if you prefer an extra dose of antioxidants. Frost the top and sides when the sponge has cooled down and add strawberries for a colorful, fruity pop of color.

Recipe: Instant Pot Chocolate Cake

Imagine creamy white chocolate melting into batter to create a sweet sponge cake and also added to buttercream for the frosting. It's not only outrageously good but an elevated change from a classic milk chocolate dessert. 

Because white chocolate can easily burn, melt it in milk over a double boiler so that you have better control. Alternate adding this and flour to the batter to fully incorporate both ingredients. To add a vibrant, pretty decoration simply add a few fresh raspberries. 

Recipe: Moist White Chocolate Cake

Can't decide between cookies and cake? One of the best parts of being an adult is that you don't have to. Don't tell anyone, but you make this dramatic-looking cake with a boxed mix, too. By adding sour cream to the mix, the batter is less likely to dry out and will have a more complicated flavor.

Using whole Oreos as deocration is a creative touch, while you'll also crushed cookies to the frosting, with vanilla extract bringing out the taste of the well-known treats. 

Recipe: Easy Oreo Cake

Battenberg is a classic cake with a checkerboard sponge, typically with jelly and wrapped in marzipan. This recipe creates a chocolatey glow-up by alternating white sponge with chocolate cake. 

In place of apricot jam or jelly, this version goes more cake-like with frosting. Spread it all over the marzipan, which shouldn't be too thick, as well as between the four long sections of sponge. Use a sharp knife to trim and cut the slices for a neat appearance. 

Recipe: Chocolate Battenberg Cake

What's wacky about this wacky cake recipe is that you don't need any eggs, milk, or butter. You don't need any chocolate, either. As with most chocolate sponges, you use cocoa, and instead of frosting dust some sparkling confectioners' sugar on top. It's baked in a loaf tin, too. 

If you want to add extra flavor, throw a few chocolate chips onto the batter before you put it in the oven. Whether white, milk, or dark they'll melt in and give the cake a gorgeous texture. 

Recipe: Old-Fashioned Wacky Cake

If you're the type who thinks less is more (or at least easier), here's one of those chocolate cake recipes you'll want to make again and again. Why? Because all you need is a boxed chocolate cake mix, eggs, and canned cherry pie filling for a delicious dessert.

Basically, you're elevating a box mix with a sweet and sour pairing that also keeps the sponge nice and soft. While good enough to eat as-is, you can add frosting, chocolate sauce, ice cream, or all three. 

Recipe: 3-Ingredient Chocolate Cherry Cake

An ice cream cake with a salted caramel swirl and topping and a cookie crust needs absolutely no introduction. It's as good as it sounds. It's a deliciously decadent reminder that not all cakes have to be sponges.

This recipe calls for chocolate brownie ice cream, but the possibilities are endless. If you're adding caramel to vanilla ice cream then a chocolate variety pairs perfectly. Choose whatever chocolate flavor and brand you like best. 

Recipe: Chocolate And Salted Caramel Ice Cream Cake

Bright green frosting on a chocolate cake looks as incredible as it tastes. You don't have to wait for St. Patrick's Day, though. You could make this Grinch-colored dessert over the holidays as well, or simply because your favorite color is green. 

With a chocolate cake and vanilla frosting, there's nothing stopping you from making this cake in a different shade. Add an extra treat with chocolate chips on top of the frosting and create real visual appeal by creating three layers. 

Recipe: St. Patrick's Day Cake

If you think making a dairy-free, flourless sponge cake is pretty much impossible, that's only because you haven't come across this recipe. You'll need plant-based butter and kosher-friendly semisweet chocolate that doesn't contain dairy.

What gives the cake its light texture are whipped egg whites. Be careful that you don't add the melted chocolate to the eggs while hot or you might cause the mixture to cook a little and ruin the taste and texture. Serve with raspberries.

Recipe: Passover-Friendly Chocolate Cake

You'll want to make this chocolate cake again and again in part because it looks so creative and kids will love to eat it up. Chocolate cookie "dirt" and candy gummy worms — what's not to adore?

Between layers of crushed Oreo cookies, add "mud" made from chocolate pudding, Cool Whip, butter, cream cheese, and powdered sugar. Even better, you don't even need an oven to make these. 

Recipe: Easy Dirt Cake

Going gluten-free doesn't make any difference as to how good this chocolate cake tastes. All the flavor comes from cocoa, which you add to both the batter and the frosting. To compensate for using a different type of flour you will need some extra ingredients not always in a cake mix, which comprise xanthan gum, baking powder, and baking soda.

For the icing, you might find it easier to use a blender or stand mixer to mix the cocoa powder and powdered sugar into the butter. For a thinner coating, add a little milk to get the right consistency. 

Recipe: Super Moist Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake

Simple as this flourless chocolate torte might be to make, it's rich enough to serve as a sumptuous dinner party dessert. The velvety texture and intense flavor mean that you only need a thin slice for each serving. If you're not a huge fan of dark chocolate, then you can easily change it up with a different variety.

To give the taste a gorgeously lavish touch you can also add a tot of brandy that can make this all the more perfect for Christmas. 

Recipe: 3-Ingredient Chocolate Sponge Cake

If you're looking for a winter warmer chocolate dessert, this hot fudge cake is beyond desirable. As your spoon breaks apart the soft chocolatey sponge, you'll finda gorgeous melt-in-the-mouth hot fudge. You create this by adding, but not mixing, cocoa powder and sugar on top of your batter and then pouring boiling water on top. That way, you'll get a fudge-sauce sensation.

With such a rich treat, you need a cool contrast. Look no further than homemade whipped cream, a classic vanilla ice cream, or even both if you really want to indulge. 

Recipe: Hot Fudge Cake

Talk about a unique way to add nutritious produce to your diet! This deliciously soft chocolate loaf cake is made with grated zucchini. The zucchini adds moisture to the sponge but holds back on adding a savory taste, so it's perfect for chocolate lovers. Nobody will guess this fruit (yes, zucchini is botanically a fruit) is one of the ingredients.

Give the taste a boost by adding any variety of chocolate chips you like, while throwing in a few nuts brings tasty crunch, too. Add a dusting of powdered sugar to serve. 

Recipe: Chocolate Zucchini Loaf Cake

Love a soda with a slice of cake? What about changing this up and actually making a chocolate cake with Coca-Cola? Of course, if that's not your brand, you can use whatever cola you like. Not only will you taste the bubbly beverage in the sponge, but it will help to make the cake light and airy. 

If you can't get enough of the flavor, then you'll be effervescently excited to know that you also make the glaze with cola. You could enjoy it with a glass of Coca-Cola, but that might be a little too much. 

Recipe: Cocoa Coca-Cola Cake

As if chocolate sponge isn't good enough, this classic Mississippi mud cake elevated beyond all measure with rich frosting, whipped marshmallow fluff, and pecans. The soft sponge is absolutely delicious beneath that creamy, buttery, crunchy topping.

Since this is a tray-style dessert, it's not complicated to make either. Coffee helps to deepen the flavor, while sour cream lends tang and keeps the sponge from getting too dry.

Recipe: Classic Mississippi Mud Cake

Chocolate and nuts already taste good together, yet this unique cake takes these flavor profiles to another level. Make this for a special occasion or to serve as an elegant yet indulgent dessert after a dinner party. 

Aside from a delicious chocolate sponge, what stands out is the filling and topping made from whipped cream sweetened with powdered sugar, as opposed to classic buttercream frosting. Don't forget to include a layer of homemade pralines that promise sweet and salty crunch, as well as dark chocolate chips to finish. 

Recipe: Chocolate Praline Layer Cake

Chocolate lava cake is the ultimate dessert treat for many chocolate fans, who want to break open the sponge to let molten chocolate sauce pour out in a decadent, delicious, and downright satisfying experience.

To make this, first line a cake ring with parchment paper or grease a ramekin with butter and dust with flour. Don't overfill as the batter will rise. Once the cake is baked, let it rest so that the outside sets up and the inside isn't too hot. Serve with whipped cream, ice cream, or a dusting of powdered sugar.

Recipe: Copycat Domino's Chocolate Lava Crunch Cake

In any list of best chocolate cake recipes, you must include a no-bake cake. They don't get much butter than classic chocolate eclairs. Make it with a topping of vanilla pudding and whipped cream, as well as graham crackers and chocolate ganache. 

The only downside is that you won't be able to enjoy it straightaway as it needs to be chilled for at least four hours in the fridge. That way, the crunchy layer softens, becomes more pastry-like, and absorbs the flavors of all the other ingredients.

Recipe: No-Bake Chocolate Eclair Cake

If you're looking for a chocolate sponge that isn't caked in buttercream, then this tunnel of fudge cake is a must. To make the cocoa powder cake even more chocolatey, add chocolate chips to the batter. 

The shape of the cake is not just attractive, but also means that the chocolate icing can drip all over every part. Make the glaze with milk, powdered sugar, and cocoa powder so that it's thin enough to create a gooey sauce.

Recipe: Tunnel Of Fudge Cake

With its swirl of cream, a chocolate Swiss roll looks and tastes too amazing not to make. When you do, be sure to make the sponge nice and even so that it's simple to roll up. You won't be able to totally flatten it out when you add the Cool Whip filling. 

Once you've got your cocoa powder-coated roll, it's time for a chocolate chip and whipped cream ganache that you'll pour over top before chilling the whole thing.

Recipe: Easy Ho Ho Cake

Admit it: you can't beat a good icebox cake. The combination of chocolate and strawberry makes this version one to keep and repeat again and again. It also looks stunning, so it's definitely good enough to serve on a special occasion, although it's possibly more tempting with some al fresco dining in summer than after a hearty winter meal. 

Create the chocolate layer with Oreos or chocolate chip cookies. As well as adding crunch, this contrasts deliciously with the whipped cream layer and also the lime juice and basil-marinated fruit. 

Recipe: Chocolate Strawberry Icebox Cake