Could this be our happiest world trip ever?
We think it just might be.
Chocolate cake in all its glorious forms is guaranteed to put a smile on your cake-smeared dial.
Those chocolate feel-good endorphins are firing at their best when they double-down with the comfort of cake-baking.
Chocolate cake is basically everything that's right in the world. As a result, every culture has managed to put its own special spin on this favourite, so start at the top and bake your way down.
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Peppermint and chocolate have always been firm friends and never more so than in this chocolate chip peppermint roulade. It's an after-dinner mint in cake form and we are here for it.
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Staying in Australia for a moment, get a load of these meringue and mousse layers. This is the chocolate cake all gussied up for a party.
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The chocotorta is the birthday cake of choice in Argentina and it's not hard to see why. Chocolate milk-dipped biscuits are layered with dulce de leche and topped off with a dark chocolate ganache. That's right - no oven is needed to turn out this celebration sensation.
It's French cooking, so naturally, a sauce is involved. In this case, it's the oozy centre of a delectable chocolate pud.
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The rich and elegant Sacher torte is perhaps the most famous chocolate cake in the world (shh, quiet Black Forest cake, you'll get your turn soon).
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Rum and raisin is a combination that Australians have always embraced - rum and raisin ice cream, rum and raisin chocolate and, now... rum and raisin chocolate cake. Sweet chocolate gods, we are home.
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Kladdkaka is practically the emblem of Swedish cafes - everyone serves a version. The centre is deliberately undercooked to stay nice and gooey ('kladd' means 'sticky' in Swedish).
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Chocolate cream is layered with petit beurre biscuits make a special cake that can stand up to a strong cup of coffee. There's no baking involved, just plenty of time in the fridge.
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Anyone who loves chocolate cake knows it to be true: it can cure all manner of heartache. This rich, extra-chocolatey cake by Ruth Rieichl is literally called "the cake that cures everything" and we believe it.
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Back in the day, a chemical reaction between unprocessed cocoa and buttermilk gave the red velvet cake its distinctive hue. Nowadays it's more likely coloured by food dye or beetroot.
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Mix in some dates and almonds with your chocolate cake and you'll instantly add a hit of Morocco to your afternoon tea time.
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Does this much-adored layered chocolate, cherry and kirsch cake need an introduction? Didn't think so!
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The grillazs torta from Hungary showcases what sublime addition nuts are to chocolate cake. Who doesn't love some nutty crunch in their choco cake?
You'll find many variations on a chocolate torta theme across Italy. The torta gianduja hails from Piemonte and is an excellent jumping-off point.
Are you surprised to learn that in Mexico, chilli is added to both cake and icing? Neither were we!
SBS Food is a 24/7 foodie channel for all Australians, with a focus on simple, authentic and everyday food inspiration from cultures everywhere. NSW stream only. Read more about SBS Food
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