National Chocolate Cake Day

National Chocolate Cake Day is celebrated each year on January 27. The observance highlights chocolate cake as a long-standing dessert in American baking, with roots that reach back to the 19th century and many variations now ranging from simple loaf cakes to flourless tortes and molten chocolate desserts.

🍫 If you love chocolate, explore our national days calendar to discover all the chocolate-themed days celebrated throughout the year.

The Early Days of Chocolate: From Beverage to Baking Ingredient

Chocolate cake’s history begins in the 18th century, when chocolate was consumed almost entirely as a hot drink. In Europe and early America, it was treated as a luxury similar to coffee or tea, and rarely used in baking. Chocolate at the time was coarse, expensive, and difficult to work into doughs or batters.

This changed in 1828, when Dutch chemist Coenraad Van Houten developed a cocoa press that separated cocoa butter from cacao beans. The process created a smoother, less bitter cocoa powder that blended easily into batters. It also lowered costs, making chocolate more widely available and allowing bakers to use it as a baking ingredient rather than only a beverage.

In 1847, Fry’s introduced the first solid chocolate bar, further expanding how chocolate could be measured, grated, and used in recipes. Together, these advances created the conditions needed for chocolate cake to exist.

The Rise of Chocolate Cake in America

That same year, American cookbook author Eliza Leslie published what is widely recognized as the first American recipe for chocolate cake in The Lady’s Receipt-Book. Unlike earlier cakes that were served plain or paired with chocolate drinks, Leslie’s recipe mixed finely grated chocolate directly into the batter. The cake was dense and speckled, made with flour, sugar, spices such as cinnamon and nutmeg, and an unusually large number of ten eggs, reflecting 19th-century baking methods.

By the 1880s, chocolate cake recipes appeared more often in American cookbooks. Chocolate was used directly in the batter rather than only in icing or decoration. Continued improvements in cocoa processing later in the century produced cakes that were darker in color and lighter in texture, resembling modern chocolate cakes more closely.

In the early 20th century, chocolate cake became a common choice for birthdays and celebrations. By the mid-20th century, boxed cake mixes from Pillsbury and Duncan Hines made chocolate cake easier and faster to prepare at home.

When is National Chocolate Cake Day?

National Chocolate Cake Day is observed each year on January 27. Below are the upcoming dates so you can plan ahead and mark your calendar.

Did You Know? Facts About Chocolate Cake

Let’s have a look at some interesting facts about chocolate cake that you probably didn’t know!

• The first known chocolate cake recipe appeared in “The Lady’s Receipt Book” by Eliza Leslie in 1847. This early recipe paved the way for the countless chocolate cake variations we enjoy today.

• Chocolate cake became more accessible to home bakers with the invention of boxed cake mixes in the 1930s, thanks to companies like Pillsbury. These mixes revolutionized baking, making it quicker and easier for families to whip up a cake at home.

• There are many chocolate cake variations around the world, including the Austrian Sachertorte and the French opera cake. Each reflects regional baking traditions through distinct ingredients, textures, and flavor combinations.

• Devil’s food cake is one of the best-known chocolate cake styles, recognized for its dark color and rich flavor. It emerged in the early 20th century, with its name intentionally contrasting the lighter angel food cake, using the idea of indulgence to distinguish it from more delicate desserts.

How People Celebrate

Celebrating National Chocolate Cake Day can be as simple or elaborate as you choose.

• Enjoy a slice out: Many people celebrate by buying chocolate cake from a local bakery, café, or restaurant.

• Bake at home: Home bakers often use the day to try a new chocolate cake recipe or return to a family favorite, sometimes adding flavors like coffee, citrus, or spices for variation.

• Share the experience: Some celebrate with friends or family by baking together or hosting a small chocolate cake potluck.

• Choose alternative versions: Flourless, vegan, or gluten-free chocolate cakes are popular options for accommodating dietary preferences.

• Watch for deals and promotions: Bakeries and restaurants may offer specials on this day. People often keep an eye on national brands such as P.F. Chang’s (known for the Great Wall of Chocolate), Portillo’s, and Godiva.

• Join in on social media: Many people share photos and short videos of chocolate cakes using the hashtag #NationalChocolateCakeDay. Posts often highlight cake slices, frosting details, home baking results, or bakery displays.