I want some chocolate cake

I know there's no way to satisfy this craving at midnight on a Wednesday (especially from the South Loop, where it's almost as though businesses that stay open past 9 have been made illegal), but I have a sudden hankering for a piece of deliciously moist chocolate cake. Don't really care about the fancy fillings or frostings...I just want the honest to goodness best chocolate cake in the city.

Hit me.

Nobody doesn't like Sara Lee.

Dinkel's - Chocolate brownie cake - 'nuff said.

Dinkel's Bakery
3329 N. Lincoln Ave.
(773) 281-7300

These are chains - but their chocolate cake is top notch. Cheesecake Factory, Wildfire, Portillo's (where you can also get a chocolate cake shake)

I've been enamored with the chocolate raspberry cake at A Taste of Heaven in Andersonville. It's layers of moist chocolate cake with a thin smear of raspberry jam in between the layers, all covered with a skim of (what I think is) whipped cream/cream cheese frosting, then a coat of ganache. It's become my favorite slice of cake in the city (and scarily convenient to my apartment).

If you object to the raspberry jam and such as "fancy fillings", try the chocolate bundt cake. It's dense and rich and has no frostings or fillings of any sort.

They're not open until midnight, but they are open pretty late (10pm on weekdays and 11pm on weekends, I believe)

A Taste of Heaven
5401 N Clark St
Chicago, IL 60640-1209
(773) 989-0151

-Dan

I'll add:
Eleven City Diner
1112 S Wabash Ave
Chicago, IL 60605-2358
(312) 212-1112
www.elevencitydiner.com

Dave148 wrote:I'll add:
Eleven City Diner
1112 S Wabash Ave
Chicago, IL 60605-2358
(312) 212-1112
http://www.elevencitydiner.com

I don't know if she still does, but I think justjoan used to bake their cakes...

Not sure if Dinkels still makes the chocolate espresso bundt cake... but it was my coworker's favorite

I also like the chocolate magic cake made by Ivy Uppercrust... available at two farmer's markets; Prudential Plaza (tuesdays?) and Southport (Saturdays). Please be aware it has chocolate ganache but it is not overpoweringly sweet

PORTILLOS Chocolate Cake is the best! Really.

hikari wrote:PORTILLOS Chocolate Cake is the best! Really.

I, too, like Portillos Chocolate Cake for simple chocolate cake that's not too rich, but light and moist.

another vote for portillo's. accessible and delicious.

OK, this thread needs to die. Every time it pops up on my screen, I start eating randomly because I'm trying neither to keep chocolate cake in the house nor to admit I can microwave one up in 5 minutes.

Make it stop, my waistline begs you!

In the interest of full disclosure: I used to work there, but Sweet Mandy B's has huge slices of really delicious, moist, fudge-y chocolate cake in their case. Even though I could have eaten it every day, I still never got tired of it.

Sweet Mandy Bs
1208 W Webster
Chicago, IL

cccpr wrote:I know there's no way to satisfy this craving at midnight on a Wednesday (especially from the South Loop, where it's almost as though businesses that stay open past 9 have been made illegal), but I have a sudden hankering for a piece of deliciously moist chocolate cake. Don't really care about the fancy fillings or frostings...I just want the honest to goodness best chocolate cake in the city.

Hit me.

I'm wondering if you were looking for chocolate cake in general, or where to get chocolate cake late at night? (Hence the Sara Lee suggestion.)

Portillo's again !!!

Schwartzwalder* from Lutz. Nuff said.


*Black forest cake, the koenig of Chocolate cakes.

I dropped my Costco membership years ago, but their giant chocolate cake was fantastic. My husband got me one for my birthday one year. As he was walking through the store to checkout with just the cake, several people made comments like, "You can't eat that all by yourself" or "Where's the milk?" He wanted to know why everyone thought he was just going to grab a fork and go to town on that cake. I think they were just fishing for an invite.

I'm adding yet another endorsement of Portillo's. I've taken family members from out-of-town through the drive-thru off Ontario St., just for chocolate cake at 11 at night. There's even a fan page on Facebook for the cake. Okay, that does it... I'm hungry. Goin' to Portillo's.

Oh, and I'll second that Costco endorsement as well. Their apple pie is not to be missed either. Okay, really, that does it. Stoppin' off at Costco too.

Not at all a late-night option, and only carry out, but House of FIne Chocolates is what you're looking for; I used to bypass this place all the time, thinking it was, well, a place for chocolates only, but I got set right by the chocolate cake from a LTH holiday party several years ago.

3109 N Broadway St
Chicago, IL 60657-4591
(773) 525-5700
www.houseoffinechocolates.com

Just to get a bit off topic - I've always wanted to hate Portillo's ever since I first saw one (when they opened that ridiculous building on clark st.), but I have eaten at various locations recently and have to admit that everything I have tried was pretty good. Chocolate cake included.

Okay -- I will admit upfront that chocolate doesn't trip my trigger like some. I like it -- and occasionally crave it -- but I prefer more vanilla-y and fruity desserts when I'm craving sweetness. A good bread pudding makes me swoon.

With that said, I'm picky about chocolate when I do choose it -- maybe my preference for things custardy and vanilla-y stems from having far too many inadequate chocolate things. So, I can say that the best chocolate cake (on a simple chocolate cake, chocolate frosting basis) I've had in this city is a sheet cake that Pompeii Bakery serves. I don't even know if you can get it in the restaurants -- I've only had it catered in. It is the lightest, yet most chocolately cake I've ever tasted and the milky fudgy frosting is absolutely delicious. Once I cater from Pompeii at any workplace I've been in, I've been strong armed to continue doing so for "that incredible cake". I always over order the cake -- and it's always gone within an hour.

Take my word for it -- giving people this cake will make you a hero. Or heroine if you prefer. God knows the cake has heroin like properties....

s

earthlydesire wrote:I don't even know if you can get it in the restaurants -- I've only had it catered in. It is the lightest, yet most chocolately cake I've ever tasted and the milky fudgy frosting is absolutely delicious.

Yes, you can get it in the restaurants (at least at the Taylor Street flagship) and it is surprisingly good for a simple restaurant chocolate sheet cake.

MamaCupcake wrote:In the interest of full disclosure: I used to work there, but Sweet Mandy B's has huge slices of really delicious, moist, fudge-y chocolate cake in their case. Even though I could have eaten it every day, I still never got tired of it.

Mandy B's chocolate cake with raspberry filling at a b-day party Friday was the culinary highlight of the evening. Swiftly moving thunder clouds viewed from the 44th floor outdoor patio attached to the party room amazing.

I fall victim to the Chicago Diner slices of cake at my local Whole Foods. I rarely leave without a slice while doing groceries

I never would have guessed but Mixteco Grill has a fabulous chocolate cake.
Mixteco Grille
1601 West Montrose Avenue
Chicago, IL 60613
(773) 868-1601

Tried the chocolate cake at Nightwood this weekend and I am not big cake lover. It was delicious served with almonds and almond gelato. They are open until 11 I believe.

Nightwood
2119 South Halsted Street
Chicago, IL 60608-4551
(312) 526-3385

The chocolate cupcakes at Sugar Bliss are pretty tasty! Not open late though.

I have a giant wedge of chocolate stout cake with chocolate Swiss buttercream frosting sitting in my fridge from the bf's birthday late last week. It's homemade, but you can always make one and keep slices in the freezer for craving time

Had a nice date night with thte Chow Poodle recently and ended up at a Taste of Heaven for dessert. The atmosphere was very nice and they had at least two different varieties of chocolate cake on offer that day.

A Taste of Heaven
5401 North Clark Street
Chicago, IL 60640
(773) 989-0151

I love chocolate cake. A good old-fashioned layer cake is sometimes the perfect thing. But I just don't understand all the love of the Portillo's chocolate cake.

The In-Laws and Mr. Pie and I got together last weekend for a multipurpose birthday/father's day BBQ and the cake was the pièce de résistance. "Italian sausages? Paella? Who cares, what do I have to eat in order to get to this cake" was the vibe. But when Mr. Pie and I admitted our indifference we were looked at like we just spat in Mother Teresa's eye. It's a decent cake I guess, but it tastes like it was made in a factory, it's too sweet, and it's not the least bit interesting. I don't think it's any better than a box cake. Am I the only one who feels this way?