My bio says, “I’ve never met a piece of chocolate I didn’t like,” and it’s true. I may not love them all, but it is one of my favorite indulgences.

Today is National Chocolate Cake Day; however, I don’t need a reminder to celebrate chocolate in any form. I do appreciate official food holidays as they remind me to take a look at the story behind the foods being celebrated.

According to the National Day Calendar, in America, chocolate was primarily served in beverage form until the early to mid 1800s. The Dover Post indicates that chocolate in cake form was established in the mid 1700s. But it took until the mid 1800s for the first chocolate-cake recipe to be published in The Lady’s Receipt Book. And, in case you’re wondering, Betty Crocker hit the scene with the first dry cake mixes in the mid 1900s.

In honor of National Chocolate Cake Day, here are a few variations to indulge your love for chocolate.

Fabulous Flourless Chocolate Cake

Fabulous Flourless Chocolate Cake. Photo: Lance Mellenbruch.

Here’s a recipe for the famous rich and decadent chocolate cake named for its missing ingredient. Dense, moist and super-chocolaty.

Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake

Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake. Photo: Lance Mellenbruch.

This recipe uses mayo in place of the eggs and oil. It results in a cake that is marvelously moist and delectable.

Mississippi Mud Pie Cake

Mississippi Mud Pie. Photo: TCHO Chocolate.

This recipe for a Mississippi Mud Pie Cake is adapted from Matt Lewis’ delightful cookbook Baked Exlorations. It features a chocolate-cookie crust, topped with a flourless chocolate cake,  filled with chocolate pudding and topped with whipped cream. It uses dark chocolate and cocoa powder from TCHO, a Berkley-based company that creates a variety of ethically produced chocolates. You can purchase that product here, or substitute your own.

Chocolate Lover’s Zucchini Cake

Chocolate Zucchini Cakes. Photo: St. Martin’s Griffin.

This recipe for Chocolate Lover’s Zucchini Cake is from Addie Gundry’s The Lighten Up Cookbook from St. Martin’s Griffin.

Chocolate Strawberry Wacky Cake

Chocolate Strawberry Wacky Cake. Photo: Shawn Bailey.

From Guest Chef Shawn Bailey, Wacky Cake gets its name from the substitution of traditional cake ingredients with those that are a little different. In this recipe, he uses mayonnaise instead of eggs!

Now get out there, have your cake and eat it, too!