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National Chocolate Cake Day

Food · January 27

A day for chocolate cake in all its forms, from sheet cakes at office parties to tall layered cakes with fudge frosting.

National Chocolate Cake Day falls on Wednesday, January 27, 2027. That is 92 days away.

Chocolate cake is the dessert many people picture when they hear the word cake. It is usually a sponge or butter cake flavored with cocoa powder or melted chocolate, then covered in frosting, ganache or simply a dusting of powdered sugar.

The range is wide. Some versions are light and springy, others dense and nearly fudgy. A flourless chocolate cake leans on eggs and chocolate for its structure and comes out rich and almost like a truffle. German chocolate cake, despite the name, is known for its coconut and pecan topping. Devil's food cake is dark, moist and tall, and it often turns up at birthdays.

Most people mark the day the obvious way, with a slice. Home bakers pull out a family recipe, and bakeries tend to have something chocolate in the case on any day of the year. A cake baked in a single sheet pan is the easy route, and frosting it while it is still in the pan saves anyone from worrying about crumbs or a lopsided stack.

Coffee shows up in a lot of chocolate cake recipes. A little brewed coffee or espresso powder does not make the cake taste like coffee. It mostly makes the chocolate taste deeper. Many bakers also add a pinch of salt for the same reason, and a glass of cold milk on the side remains a classic pairing.

Ways to celebrate

• Bake a simple one-bowl chocolate cake from a recipe you have never tried.
• Share slices with neighbors, coworkers or friends.
• Try a style new to you, like flourless or German chocolate.
• Ask a relative for their chocolate cake recipe and write it down.

Dates

All national days on January 27

Also on January 27

• National Geographic Day
• International Holocaust Remembrance Day

Categories: Food days