Food and Recipes Desserts Chocolate 25 Vintage-Inspired Chocolate Desserts By Sierra Guardiola Sierra Guardiola Sierra is a writer and editor with many interests. She comes from a newspaper background and has over four years experience writing for magazines. She enjoys learning about new topics and providing readers with helpful tips and ideas. She has covered everything from how to make the best apple pie to transforming your outdoor space with a few key decorations. Connect with her on LinkedIn and Twitter. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Updated on June 16, 2022 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Alison Miksch; Prop styling: Mary Clayton Carl; Food styling: Mary-Claire Britton 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 for bakers across the South. 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 finger-licking good and near impossible to resist! 01 of 25 Coca Cola Chocolate Cake Antonis Achilleos; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Kathleen Varner Recipe: Coca Cola Chocolate Cake The sweet flavor and carbonated bubbles of Coca-Cola are the magic ingredient that makes this sheet cake light and moist. 02 of 25 Chocolate Peanut-Butter Fudge Bars Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Christine Keely; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer Recipe: Chocolate Peanut-Butter Fudge Bars Chocolate and peanut butter are an age-old sweet and savory combination. These bars have three delicious layers topped off with crunchy peanuts. 03 of 25 Kentucky Bourbon Pie Antonis Achilleos Recipe: Kentucky Bourbon Pie Inspired by pecan pie, this twist has layers of pecan and chocolate chips, creamy bourbon filling, and whipped cream to make for an unexpected delight. 04 of 25 Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake Alison Miksch; Prop styling: Mary Clayton Carl; Food styling: Mary-Claire Britton Recipe: Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake Mayonnaise might be an unexpected ingredient, but hear us out... Replace oil with mayo in this layered cake and it's sure to shine on your dessert table. 05 of 25 Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies Jennifer Causey 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. 06 of 25 Classic Chocolate Pound Cake Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Heather Chadduck; Food Styling: Erin Merhar Recipe: Classic Chocolate Pound Cake An easy-to-make pound cake is already a crowd-pleaser. This decadent chocolate version will wow your lot even more. 07 of 25 Mississippi Mud Cake Photographer: Jennifer Causey Food Stylist: Ana Kelly Prop Stylist: Kay Clarke Recipe: Mississippi Mud Cake Like many iconic chocolate desserts, this one incorporates marshmallow and pecans for a balance of flavor and texture in every bite. 08 of 25 Over the Moon Chocolate Pie Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Over the Moon Chocolate Pie This pie—with its graham cracker crust, Tennessee whiskey-chocolate filling, and marshmallow-like meringue—is a take on the beloved MoonPie. 09 of 25 Buttermilk-Pecan Pralines Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Christine Keely; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer Recipe: Buttermilk-Pecan Pralines These pecan pralines are a prime example of a dessert rich in both flavor and history: These trace their roots back to the 1700s in New Orleans. 10 of 25 Chocolate Lasagna Southern Living Recipe: Chocolate Lasagna If you grew up often eating savory lasagna for Sunday supper, this sweet rendition may just be for you. This layered dessert is a cinch to make and the perfect after-dinner indulgence. 11 of 25 Mamie Eisenhower's Chocolate Fudge Southern Living Recipe: Mamie Eisenhower's Chocolate Fudge A go-to recipe for bakers in the 1950s and '60s, it's simple as can be thanks to the use of packaged products like chocolate chips, evaporated milk, and a jar of marshmallow cream. 12 of 25 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 impressive, gravity-defying height. 13 of 25 Chocolate Water Cake Micah Leal 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 that the flavor can flourish without any lumps. 14 of 25 Fudge Cake Alison Miksch; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Anna Hampton 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. 15 of 25 Lemon-and-Chocolate Doberge Cake Photo: Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Cindy Barr; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Lemon-and-Chocolate Doberge Cake Half lemon, half chocolate, all irresistible. This cake is not only a visual masterpiece primed for the dining room sideboard, but its flavor combination is unmatched as well. 16 of 25 German Chocolate Cake Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis Recipe: German Chocolate Cake German cakes are known for their richness, and this one's no exception. Finish it off with chocolate-pecan frosting and a bit of whipped cream. 17 of 25 Ice Cream Sandwich Cake Caitlin Bensel Recipe: Ice Cream Sandwich Cake Stack some ice cream sandwiches, whipped cream, and your topping of choice, and you'll have a dessert that transports you back to hot summer days spent eating the classic treats. 18 of 25 Wacky Cake Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Recipe: Wacky Cake No cake is easier to make than this one — you don't even need a bowl. Throw all your ingredients together in the baking pan and mix them together. 19 of 25 Milky Way Cake Alison Miksch Recipe: Milky Way Cake When 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. 20 of 25 Pecan Pie Brownies Micah A. Leal Recipe: Pecan Pie Brownies This confection takes everything we love about traditional pecan pie and combines it with everything we love about brownies. 21 of 25 Chocolate Pudding Pie Micah A. Leal Recipe: Chocolate Pudding Pie Add chopped dark chocolate to this homemade pudding base for richer flavor. The addition of instant coffee is the secret that enhances the flavors even more. 22 of 25 Grandma's Chocolate Drop Cookies Katie Strasberg Rousso Recipe: Grandma's Chocolate Drop Cookies We'll say it again, Grandma knows best. This recipe has double the chocolate goodness, with a soft chocolate dough and chocolate frosting. They're as easy to make as they are to eat! 23 of 25 Texas Skillet Cake Photo: Stephen DeVries, Prop Styling: Missie Neville Crawford; Food Styling: Torie Cox 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 cast iron skillet. Spoiler: It's even more delicious. 24 of 25 Rebecca's Black-Bottom Icebox Pie Photo: Beth Dreiling Hontzas Recipe: Rebecca's Black-Bottom Icebox Pie This chilled treat is a refreshing combination of creamy chocolate filling topped with thickly layered whipped cream and perched on top of a chocolate wafer crust. 25 of 25 Chocolate-Buttermilk Pudding Alison Miksch; Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller 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. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit