LDNGuide
The Best Chocolate Cakes in London
6 moist, rich, chocolatey cakes that would make Miss Trunchbull proud.
There are few things in this world more comforting than a fudgey, intense, chocolate cake. So we’ve spent weeks doing the hard work of tirelessly researching, tasting, comparing, and most of all, refusing to share even a bite of London’s richest chocolate cakes. And we’ve come to the conclusion that these six are the chosen ones. So the next time a chocolate craving kicks in, you know where to go.
THE SPOTS
Order: Old Fashioned Chocolate Cake
Despite our love for chocolate cake, finding one that doesn’t disappoint can be a challenge. So much so that since we came across L’eto and this particular slice on a late-night sugar search in Soho, we’ve struggled to find one better. It’s a four-tier cake with chocolate cream and raspberry between each chocolate cake layer, covered with chocolate glazing, raspberry crumble, and major Matilda energy. It’s moist, plus the fresh raspberry makes the richness less overwhelming and adds a nice fruity tang. Perfect for chocolate lovers, cake lovers, and Roald Dahl fans who have been dreaming of that cake since they were six years-old.
Order: Any Of Their Chocolate Cupcakes
We could confess how many Crumbs & Doilies cookies we ordered during the pandemic but our dentists might be reading this. This little bakery in Kingly Court not only produces some seriously sugary New York-style cookies, it also makes some colourful, OTT cupcakes. The smores cupcake is our favourite when we’re craving a chocolate hit—a light chocolate sponge, topped with soft gooey marshmallows and crushed Biscoff biscuits for crunch. It’s the kind of comforting dessert that you won’t want to share. Plus, they have a six-inch, whole cake version, with four hefty layers that you can order online.
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This is a chocolate cake with such a formidable reputation that it has its own merch and has been on The River Cafe’s menu since 1989. The star of the Hammersmith institution’s dessert menu, this is a slice of cake that will stick in your mind, and on your teeth, for a while after you’ve finished eating it. It’s a cake that turns into a mousse as you eat it, and it’s rich and delicious. Sure, it’s £14 for a slice—hello overdraft—but what else would you expect from London’s richest chocolate cake? Plus, you can order a seven-inch whole cake for £35.
Order: Chocolate Chocolate Cupcake
So nice they named it twice, the Chocolate Chocolate Cupcake from Hackney bakery Violet might not have the grandeur of a tiered slice but we couldn’t not include it. The sponge manages to be both moist and light and airy, with a dark chocolate edge. The slight bitterness balances out the mousse-like, creamy chocolate buttercream and sprinkling of crystallised violet petals. Just know it’s not always on the counter and for us, the chocolate cupcake with salted caramel buttercream is too sweet.
Order: Vegan Chocolate Raspberry Velvet Cake
Konditor is the kind of nostalgic cake shop that’s been around since 1993 and is still a go-to for homemade-tasting bakes. Their signature cake is the Curly Whirly—a dark chocolate sponge with vanilla frosting—but our favourite is the vegan chocolate raspberry velvet cake. An unbelievably moist chocolate sponge with layers of tangy raspberry compote to counteract the richness of the cake—this tastes like a Mini Roll for grown-ups. You can usually find it being sold by the slice in their shops, or you can get a whole cake delivered to your door.
Order: Chocolate Salted Caramel Truffle Cake Slice
Our go-to bakery for a red velvet cake, Flavourtown has got the chocolate X cream cheese collab all figured out. But something very important to note is that they also make an excellent chocolate salted caramel truffle cake, that you can get by the slice. It’s got perfectly moist sponge, it’s got layers of *actually salted* salted caramel, and it’s intimidatingly tall. And if you’re actually intimidated by a big slice (grow up), then you should know that their equally intimidating sounding ‘death by chocolate’ cupcake is gluten-free, vegan, and might be even better than the slice.
