Chocolate cakes are quite possibly the most easy-to-find dessert in London, but what makes a chocolate cake, the best? It depends how you like your chocolate cake. Dense and fudgy or light and fluffy, on the sweeter side with banana or as pure and intense as can be, London offers every type of chocolate cake in the book. There’s even one with a Michelin star attached: the famous, ultra rich, mousse-like chocolate nemesis cake. Find your type and enjoy.
Chocolate espresso cake: Meringue Girls
Dense, super fudgy dark chocolate cake with chocolate ganache, the silkiest espresso Swiss meringue buttercream – featuring a shot of Climpsons & Sons – and a dusting of cocoa powder on top. The coffee flavour is very subtle, nothing too strong to overpower the cake.
Unit 1 Broadway Market, London E8 4TS
Flourless chocolate cake: Le Choux
Twice-baked flourless chocolate cake with a dense, brownie-like base, a delicately crisp upper layer and creamy, melt-in-your-mouth mousse in between. Different textures, but all with dark Valrhona Guanaja chocolate.
332 Ladbroke Grove, London W10 5AH
Chocolate checkers cake: Kova Patisserie
Chocolate and vanilla chiffon cake – made to look like a checkers board – with thin layers of whipped cream and decadent, cocoa-dusted dark chocolate ganache on top. It’s sweet and not too rich, with a super squidgy texture throughout.
16 Old Brompton Rd, London SW7 3DL or 20A Newport Ct, London WC2H 7JS
Chocolate tahini cake: Spice Deli
Two generous layers of chocolate cake with a little tahini and lots of creamy, milky-soft, chocolate buttercream on top.
11 Goldhurst Terrace, London NW6 3HY
Chocolate nemesis cake: The River Café at The Connaught
The River Café’s famous chocolate nemesis cake made with just four ingredients – chocolate, butter, eggs and sugar – plus some much-needed crème fraîche on the side. It’s super creamy from top to bottom, almost like mousse, with just enough density to stand like a slice of cake.
Carlos Pl, London W1K 2AL
Old-fashioned chocolate cake: L’ETO
Moist chocolate sponge with chocolate cream, oozing puddles of sweet raspberry jam and a shiny, mirror-like, dark chocolate glaze around the outside.
Multiple locations
Chocolate banana cake: WA Café
Chocolate sponge sandwiched with banana cream, chunks of fresh banana and a layer of light, velvety-soft, chocolate whipped cream on top. It’s tender but airy, not heavy with chocolate flavour but wonderfully sweet.
5 New Row, London WC2N 4LH or 32 Haven Green, London W5 2NX
Chocolate salted caramel truffle cake: Flavourtown Bakery
Black velvet sponge with chocolate chips, little dollops of sticky salted caramel sauce, layers of creamy chocolate buttercream and a chewy, cocoa-dusted dark chocolate truffle to finish. This is filthy and self-indulgent in the best possible way.
771 Fulham Rd, London SW6 5HA or 3 The Quadrant, London TW9 1BP
Chocolate Guinness cake: Jolene
Dark chocolate Guinness cake with a cool, thick, cream cheese frosting and a light dusting of cocoa, it’s deep and bitter with just the right amount of sweet.
67 Redchurch St, London E2 7DJ
Double chocolate salted caramel cake: Cutter & Squidge
Dark chocolate sponge with chocolate buttercream, a subtle amount of salted caramel and a bite-sized, salted caramel-drizzled brownie on top. Simple perhaps (compared to Cutter & Squidge’s other dream cakes), but as soft and creamy as can be.
20 Brewer St, London W1F 0SJ
Chocolate coffee cake: The Elder Press Café
Deep, dark chocolate cake with Ozone coffee icing, it’s fudgy and decadent and arguably, the best chocolate cake in the capital.
3 S Black Lion Ln, London W6 9TJ
Chocolate Guinness cake: Ramble Café (previously Tromsø)
Chocolate Guinness cake with a bitter, noticeably tangy flavour from the stout, plus a layer of super fluffy vanilla cream cheese on top.
Arch 432 Avenue Rd, London E7 0LB
Flourless chocolate cake: Ottolenghi
Flourless chocolate cake with mascarpone, a sticky popcorn brittle and a filling of sweet, chunky banana jam. The density of the cake makes this incredibly rich.
Multiple locations
Kladdkaka: Söderberg
Swedish sticky chocolate cake with a slightly crisp top and a dense, brownie-like interior, plus a dollop of whipped cream on the side. The Scandinavian classic is deliberately underbaked to achieve its signature ‘sticky’ texture.
36 Berwick St, London W1F 8RR
Double chocolate cake: The Lily Vanilli Bakery
Dense, fudgy dark chocolate cake with fine layers of chocolate Swiss meringue buttercream, it’s bitter and decidedly grown up in flavour, but never in an unpleasant way.
18 Ezra St, London E2 7RH
Chocolate fudge cake: Ben’s Bakery
Chocolate sponge with smooth, velvety, chocolate cream cheese, a filling of dulce leche and pieces of salted dark chocolate fudge on top. It’s soft and creamy, a little gooey and very intense.
London markets including Victoria Park every Sunday
Chocolate cake: SAID dal 1923
Chocolate sponge with a massive wedge of super thick chocolate ganache in the middle, plus Said Dal’s signature triple chocolate sauce poured on top. The warm, bittersweet sauce is the best part here.
Multiple locations
