The Best Chocolate Cakes in Hong Kong
While everybody else is trying to slim down for junk season, we’re all about chocolate cake. Zoe Lai selflessly takes on the job of taste-testing Hong Kong’s best.
Forget detoxes and juice cleanses: these chocolate cakes are worth every calorie. From rich chocolate concoctions to mousse-based masterpieces, here are the best guilty pleasures in town. Warning: eat before reading.
Back to Black
Opened by esteemed chef Jeffrey Koo, the former executive chef at Vero, Black n White specializes in creative pastries, such as the Black Square ($48)—a cake aimed at gents, made with 72 percent dark chocolate, hazelnut, coffee sponge cake, and a layer of strong, black coffee mousse. It’s topped off with a quirky little gentleman figurine, just to drive the point home.
Unit B&D, 88-102 Ivy St., Tai Kok Tsui, 2789-1330.
Black n White, and so much chocolate
Coco Puffs
Coco at the Mira is home to an ultra-rich Or Noir chocolate cake ($310) that we can’t get enough of. One of the shop’s signatures, it’s made with white and dark chocolate mousse and comes in a fancy shmancy box. The cake’s glossy finish lures you in, and your taste buds aren’t disappointed: a 62 percent dark-and-white chocolate mousse sits atop a brownie biscuit with cointreau-flavored chocolate “lava” oozing out. Alcohol-infused chocolate? Bonus points!
G/F, The Mira, 118 Nathan Rd., Tsim Sha Tsui, 2315-5566.
Go Bananas
When it comes to Cova, you can’t go wrong with the chocolate banana cream cake ($330). This double-layer sponge cake has a delicious crust—think dark chocolate, fresh cream and banana. On top, there are fresh strawberries and crunchy banana chips, while the surprisingly light dark chocolate base pulls together all the flavors.
Shop 101-103, 1/F, Lee Gardens, 33 Hysan Avenue, Causeway Bay, 2907-3399.
Cova all the bases with this treat
German Gem
Not all cakes are created equal, and Corner Kitchen Café has some of the very best in town. The shop’s German chocolate cake ($55 per slice; $600 whole) may look plain-Jane at first glance, but it is hands-down one of the best around. This eggless chocolate cake comes with crunchy coconut and pecans, caramel and a rich layer of chocolate ganache. The options rotate regularly, so look for the peanut butter chocolate pie on your next visit.
226 Hollywood Rd., Sheung Wan, 2547-8008.
Continental Cake
The Mistral’s signature chocolate cake ($328) at the Intercontinental Grand Stanford is pure happiness. Don’t let the modest appearance deceive you: made with 80 percent Valrhona dark chocolate, this cake has a moist, milky, velvety texture with an ever-so-slightly bitter aftertaste that keeps it all balanced.
B2, Intercontinental Grand Stanford, 70 Mody Rd., Tsim Sha Tsui East, 2731-2870.
Declare a Mistral over this cake
So Delice
La Maison Du Chocolat ensures your indulgences are worth every single calorie. Try the signature Delice cake ($55 per slice; $270 whole), which features pure Caribbean chocolate mousse with a fine layer of crunchy chocolate sandwiched between moist sponge cake, topped off with toasted almonds. Fair warning: this beauty is highly addictive.
Landmark Prince’s Building, Shop 109, 10 Chater Rd., Central, 2801-4122.
La Maison du Chocolat’s most Delice cake
Coming up Roses
The signature rose petal cake ($460) at Patisserie Tony Wong single-handedly led to an Insta-foodie frenzy after its launch in 2012. This photogenic delight is made out of chocolate mousse and sponge cake, along with crunchy chocolate pearls and a sweet almond crust. Just remember to eat it after you’ve photographed the hell out of it.
G/F, Golden Jubilee House, 399 Lockhart Rd., Wan Chai, 2575-8993.
Honorable Mentions
Fine Foods
Earl Grey tea: chocolate’s new best friend. Get a taste of the trendy pairing at Fine Foods, in The Royal Garden hotel. The bakery’s Earl Grey tea chocolate mousse cake ($300) blends chocolate tea mousse between airy layers of chocolate sponge cake, which is finally coated with chocolate glaze. The decoration is impressive too—it’s covered in Earl Grey tea-flavored butter streusel.
G/F, The Royal Garden, 69 Mody Rd., Tsim Sha Tsui East, 2733-2045, theroyalgardenhotel.com.hk.
Jean-Paul Hévin
This well-known Parisian chocolatier knows dessert, and the Guayaquil cake ($60 a slice; $420 whole) is the go-to for those who love their cakes dark, rich and thick with just a hint of almond. This variety comes with a cocoa biscuit smothered in chocolate mousse and dark-chocolate frosting—and it’s delicious.
Shop 212, Ocean Centre, Harbour City, 3-27 Canton Rd., Tsim Sha Tsui, 2735-3268, www.jeanpaulhevin.com.hk.
L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon
Renowned three-Michelin-starred restaurant L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon never fails to impress. Try the chocolate almond cake, which is a long-time favorite among dessert connoisseurs, thanks to the flawless blend of almond cream and silky smooth chocolate.
Shop 315 & 401, The Landmark, 15 Queen’s Rd. Central, 2166-9000, www.robuchon.hk.
Mandarin Oriental Cake Shop
This esteemed cake shop is a safe bet for all things sweet. As far as chocolate cakes go, you have your pick of the litter—think caramel manjari chocolate cake, chocolate truffle cake and the signature Opera Cake ($328 each). For a rich, velvety dessert, try the double milk chocolate mousse cake: this has remained a classic despite the bakery’s famous innovative pastry creations—probably because it’s like eating the world’s best hot chocolate.
M/F, Mandarin Oriental, 5 Connaught Rd., Central, 2825-4008, www.mandarinoriental.com/hongkong.
Ms. B’s Cakery
Known for lavish designs and innovative flavors, Ms. B’s Cakery has spiced up the artisan cake biz with yet another extravagant creation—enter The Million Dollar Truffle Cake ($920, 500g). This baller cake comes wrapped in 24-carat gold and topped with dozens of hand-painted gold coins. It’s almost too lavish looking to eat, but assuming you can’t help yourself, expect a rich, nutty flavor, not unlike Ferrero Rocher choccies.
39 Gough St., Central, 2815-8303, www.msbscakery.hk.
Petite Amanda
Hong Kong model Amanda Strang’s patisserie always seems to have a line out the door. That’s in part thanks to the popular Caprice cake ($46), a minimalist dessert made with 70 percent Guanaja chocolate mousse, with a hint of passion fruit cremeux, which really spices up the flavor and brings out the dark chocolate aroma.
Shop 2096, 2/F, IFC Mall, 8 Finance St., Central, 2234-7222, www.petiteamanda.com.
The Peninsula Boutique
This one’s a no-brainer: The Peninsula Boutique’s Intense Chocolate Cake ($330 per 500g) is not to be missed by chocolate fanatics. This ultimate chocolate cake is layered with chocolate sacher sponge cake, crunchy feuillantine pastry sheets and chocolate mousse. Each bite is packed full of creamy, rich and crispy textures, combined for melt-in-your-mouth decadence.
B/F, The Peninsula Arcade, Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, 2696-6969, www.peninsulaboutique.com.