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13 Amazing Chocolate Cakes

Chocolate cake is like a little black dress: You always need at least one, and several is never too many. Here we prove that it’s impossible to get tired of chocolate cake, especially because it lends itself to so many variations and styles

Margo True
1 /13

Dark Chocolate Bundt Cake with Whiskey Caramel Sauce

Moist, dense, and foolproof, this cake includes a mix of cocoa and chocolate chips for fudgy flavor. You can vary the intensity by adjusting the amount of chocolate chips, but don’t pass up the silky caramel sauce.

Recipe: Dark Chocolate Bundt Cake with Whiskey Caramel Sauce

2 /13 Shelly Strazis

Mexican Chocolate Cakes

These rich, midnight-dark cakes were the grand finale to a Mexican Thanksgiving dinner on a beach in Los Angeles in 2010. After the chile-rubbed grilled turkey, they tasted just right.

Recipe: Mexican Chocolate Cakes

3 /13 Iain Bagwell

Chocolate Espresso Cakes

We developed these little cakes to give as gifts, but they are so good you just might want to whip up a batch for home. They get intense flavor from the espresso, of course, but also three kinds of chocolate.

Recipe: Chocolate Espresso Cakes

4 /13 Iain Bagwell

Glazed Chocolate Bundt Cake

Reader Karen Louie gave us this recipe for a moist, chocolate chip- and cocoa-enriched cake (with just a touch of bourbon!). It’s great for a potluck—or a family dinner.

Recipe: Glazed Chocolate Bundt Cake

5 /13 Annabelle Breakey

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake

We did our best to make this cake taste like a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup, and we have succeeded. The cake itself is flavored with peanut butter and graced with a layer of creamy peanut butter frosting; then we’ve frosted the whole cake with rich chocolate and topped it with peanuts…and chunks of the candy that inspired us in the first place. Recipe: Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake
6 /13 Leigh Beisch

Joe’s Molten Marshmallow-Chocolate Cakes

The brainchild of Joe Kozal, a talented 13-year-old baker, these ooey-gooey mini-cakes are great fun to make. You won’t believe how simple they are, too (8 ingredients!)

Recipe: Joe’s Molten Marshmallow-Chocolate Cakes

7 /13 Annabelle Breakey

No-Cook Pumpkin Chocolate Icebox Cake

In recent years, the world has discovered just how good chocolate is when combined with pumpkin. This delightful dessert updates a classic recipe from generations ago—and proves that icebox cakes are timeless.

Recipe: No-Cook Pumpkin Chocolate Icebox Cake

8 /13 Thomas J. Story

Single-Girl Melty Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake

Joy Wilson, the talented LA baker and creator of the blog joythebaker.com, gave us this crazy-rich little cake. The recipe makes one, but honestly it’s enough to share—making it a good dessert for a couple, too!

Recipe: Single-Girl Melty Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake

9 /13 Leo Gong

Chocolate Citrus Almond Torte

This lovely gluten-free dessert has a haunting orange flavor, and an unusual lightness of crumb for a flourless cake. It was created by reader Trisha Kruse of Eagle, Idaho.

Recipe: Chocolate Citrus Almond Torte

10 /13 Karen Steffens

Charlotte’s Cocoa Cake

A beloved family recipe, this old-fashioned cake was a sweet gift from a mother-in-law. And sweet it is—very! If you’ve ever had Texas Sheet Cake, you’ll recognize the charm of this version. Make sure you have milk handy. Or a cup of black coffee.

Recipe: Charlotte’s Cocoa Cake

11 /13 James Carrier

Chocolate-Pumpkin Marble Cake

Entirely perfect for Halloween, this homey bundt cake has dramatic swirls of pumpkin and chocolate, and is a breeze to make. It’s a reader favorite, too.

Recipe: Chocolate-Pumpkin Marble Cake

12 /13 Thomas J. Story

Flourless Chocolate-Pecan Cake

This cake will rise as it bakes, then sink dramatically in the center. Don’t worry—just trim the top and save the pieces for snacks.

Recipe: Flourless Chocolate-Pecan Cake

13 /13 Thomas J. Story

Dutch Oven Double Chocolate Cake

Use charcoal briquets instead of wood to more precisely control the fire’s heat.

Recipe: Dutch Oven Double Chocolate Cake