25 Vintage-Inspired Chocolate Desserts
A good dessert stands the test of time, especially if it's a chocolate one. Passed down through word of mouth or placed in trusty cookbooks, vintage desserts continue to grace the table at Southern family functions, holiday celebrations, and weekly Sunday dinners. Adults and children alike swoon over their heavenly scents and decadent tastes. You'll be hard pressed to find someone who dare pass on a slice or bite of one of these classic chocolate recipes. Some of our favorites were developed as a twist on a sweet treat that was more cost-effective in trying times. Others started as a tribute to regional ingredients a baker might call home. From Mississippi Mud Cake to Chocolate Pudding Pie, these are bound to be crowd-pleasers for the chocolate enthusiasts in every bunch. These vintage chocolate recipes may just take you right back to your childhood or offer you a new twist on a beloved staple. Either way, we know they're near impossible to resist!
Coca Cola Chocolate Cake
Recipe: Coca Cola Chocolate Cake
The sweet flavor and carbonated bubbles of Coca-Cola are the magic ingredient that makes this sheet cake moist and tender.
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Chocolate Peanut-Butter Fudge Bars
Recipe: Chocolate Peanut-Butter Fudge Bars
Chocolate and peanut butter are an age-old sweet and savory combination. These bars have three delicious layers and crunchy peanuts on top.
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Kentucky Bourbon Pie
Recipe: Kentucky Bourbon Pie
Inspired by pecan pie, this twist has layers of pecan-chocolate chips, creamy bourbon filling, and whipped cream to make for an unexpected delight.
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Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake
Recipe: Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake
Replace oil with mayonnaise in this layered cake recipe that most certainly deserves a spot on your dessert table.
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Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
Recipe: Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
There are few desserts more universally loved than chocolate chip cookies. Browning the butter before adding it into the mix is what gives these favorites an extra chewy, crisp texture.
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Classic Chocolate Pound Cake
Recipe: Classic Chocolate Pound Cake
An easy-to-make pound cake is already a crowd-pleaser. This decadent chocolate version will wow your crowd even more.
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Mississippi Mud Cake
Recipe: Mississippi Mud Cake
Like many iconic chocolate desserts, this one incorporates marshmallow and pecans for a balance of flavor in every bite.
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Over the Moon Chocolate Pie
Recipe: Over the Moon Chocolate Pie
This pie — with it's graham cracker crust, Tennessee whiskey-chocolate filling, and marshmallow-like meringue — is a take on famous Southern MoonPies.Â
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Buttermilk-Pecan Pralines
Recipe: Buttermilk-Pecan Pralines
These pecan pralines trace their roots back to the 1700s in New Orleans and are a perfect example of a dessert rich in both flavor and history.
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Chocolate Lasagna
Recipe: Chocolate Lasagna
If your Sunday dinner memories are full of lasagnas, this sweet rendition may just be for you. Easy to make, this dessert lasagna is the perfect after-dinner indulgence.
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Mamie Eisenhower's Chocolate Fudge
Recipe: Mamie Eisenhower's Chocolate Fudge
A go-to recipe for bakers in the 1950s and '60s, it's easy as can be with the use of packaged products like chocolate chips, evaporated milk, and a jar of marshmallow cream.
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Little Layer Chocolate Cake
Recipe: Little Layer Chocolate Cake
While they may be thin, these 18-layers are perfectly baked and give this cake some serious gravity-defying height.
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Chocolate Water Cake
Recipe: Chocolate Water Cake
Water Cake gets its name from the incorporation of hot water in the ingredient list instead of milk. It's sometimes referred to as Depression Cake because of its basic pantry ingredients. The hot water helps loosen the batter when it mixes with the cocoa powder so the flavor can flourish without any lumps.
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Fudge Cake
Recipe: Fudge Cake
Simple instructions, few ingredients, and a square pan that's easy to transport make this one of the most appealing and hassle-free chocolate recipes we know.
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Lemon-and-Chocolate Doberge Cake
Recipe: Lemon-and-Chocolate Doberge Cake
Half lemon, half chocolate, all irresistible. This cake is not only a masterpiece, but it's flavor combination is unmatched as well.
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German Chocolate Cake
Recipe: German Chocolate Cake
German cakes are known for their richness, and this one's no exception. Top it with chocolate-pecan frosting and a bit of whipped cream.
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Ice Cream Sandwich Layer Cake
Recipe: Ice Cream Sandwich Layer Cake
Throw together some Neapolitan ice cream sandwiches, chocolate whipped cream, and fresh strawberries and you'll have a dessert that transports you back to hot summer days spent eating the classic treats.
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Wacky Cake
Recipe: Wacky Cake
No cake is easier to make than this one. Throw all your ingredients together in the baking pan and mix them together.Â
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Milky Way Cake
Recipe: Milky Way Cake
Once you taste the frosting on this candy bar cake, it'll remind you of all your days spent drinking chocolate Ovaltine malts as a kid.
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Pecan Pie Brownies
Recipe: Pecan Pie Brownies
These brownies take everything we love about traditional pecan pie and mix it with everything we love about chocolate.
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Chocolate Pudding Pie
Recipe: Chocolate Pudding Pie
Add chopped dark chocolate to this homemade pudding base for more chocolatey flavor. The addition of instant coffee enhances these flavors even more.
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Grandma's Chocolate Drop Cookies
Recipe: Grandma's Chocolate Drop Cookies
We'll say it again, Grandma knows best. This recipe is double the chocolate goodness, with a chocolate soft dough and chocolate frosting. It's as easy to make as it is to eat!
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Texas Skillet Cake
Recipe: Texas Skillet Cake
Texas Sheet Cake has been associated with the Lone Star State since the mid-20th century. We decided to try it out in a skillet.Â
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Rebecca's Black-Bottom Icebox Pie
Recipe: Rebecca's Black-Bottom Icebox Pie
Creamy chocolate filling topped with thickly layered whipped cream sits in a chocolate wafer crust.
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Chocolate-Buttermilk Pudding
Recipe: Chocolate-Buttermilk Pudding
Chocolate pudding most likely made an appearance at your table when you were growing up. This version adds a flair of sophistication with the addition of buttermilk and mint garnish.