National Chocolate Cake Day

National Chocolate Cake Day, observed January 27th, celebrates one of the most popular cake flavors worldwide. Chocolate itself wasn't widely available as a baking ingredient in Europe and America until the 18th and 19th centuries, since cacao had to be imported and processed, but once solid eating chocolate and cocoa powder became more accessible, especially after Dutch chemist Coenraad van Houten developed a cocoa-pressing process in 1828 that made cocoa powder easier to use in baking, chocolate cake recipes began appearing regularly in American and European cookbooks. The cake's popularity soared further in the 20th century with the mass availability of baking chocolate, cocoa powder, and, later, boxed cake mixes that made chocolate cake an accessible dessert for home bakers of all skill levels. Chocolate cake now comes in countless variations, from rich flourless chocolate cakes and molten lava cakes to classic layered cakes with chocolate buttercream or ganache. On National Chocolate Cake Day, people celebrate by baking a chocolate cake at home, buying one from a bakery, or trying a new recipe or variation, from simple sheet cakes to elaborate layered creations.