JOHANNESBURG, July 23, 2025: July’s winding down – and so is our decadent Chocolate Cake and Hot Beverage special for just R65. Don’t miss your chance to treat yourself – swing by your nearest Courtyard Hotel, City Lodge Hotel, or Town Lodge and enjoy. Our chocolate cake is rich, indulgent, and downright dreamy – made even better with a steaming cup of tea, coffee, or hot chocolate. Because yes, chocolate on chocolate is absolutely a thing!

While you plan your visit to one of our hotels, here is a short history of chocolate cake to get you in the mood. Chocolate cake, now a beloved teatime treat and dessert we all know and love around the world, has a surprisingly recent history considering how long chocolate has been enjoyed. While chocolate originated in Mesoamerica thousands of years ago, it was primarily consumed as a bitter drink until sugar became widely available in the 16th century. *

The first cakes to incorporate chocolate appeared in the 18th century, not as the rich, fluffy confections we know today, but as more of a dense, spiced cake with chocolate added sparingly. It wasn’t until the 19th century with innovations such as Dutch-process cocoa (invented in 1828 by Coenraad van Houten) and baking powder (introduced in the mid-1800s) that the modern chocolate cake began to take shape. By the early 20th century, chocolate cake recipes became commonplace in American cookbooks, with layered and frosted varieties gaining popularity. *

One of the earliest mentions of a "chocolate cake" appeared in Eliza Leslie’s The Lady’s Receipt Book in 1847, and by the 20th century, recipes like the Devil’s Food Cake brought deeper, richer versions to the table. *

* Source: Smithsonian Magazine; The Oxford Companion to Sugar and Sweets (Oxford University Press, 2015); What’s Cooking America – History of Cakes; The New York Times – Chocolate Cake Timeline; National Confectioners Association

Culinary creations by our chefs

Devandra Narismulu is the masterful Executive Chef in charge of the extensive food and beverage operations at City Lodge Hotel at OR Tambo International Airport. He leads his team with care and precision, encourages them to join him in culinary competitions to push their skills and experience further, and helps train other chefs across the group.

He shares the hotel’s delectable Chocolate Cake recipe, made in bulk and a guaranteed crowd pleaser on the buffet.

Chocolate Cake

Ingredients:

• 15 eggs
• 1kg sugar
• 800g oil (can substitute with butter)
• 1 litre milk
• 55ml vanilla essence
• 10g salt
• 750g flour
• 200g cocoa powder
• 60g baking powder

Method:

1. Sabayon the eggs and sugar – in a stainless-steel bowl set over a pot of gently simmering water (double boiler), whisk the eggs and sugar constantly until the mixture is pale, thick, and warm to the touch. This creates a light, airy base and ensures the sugar is fully dissolved.
2. Take off the heat and add in the oil, milk, and vanilla essence, and mix to combine.
3. Finally, fold in the dry ingredients – flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt.
4. Pour into two 50cm x 30cm trays and bake at 180°C for 15-20 minutes.
5. Once cool, top with your favourite icing and decorate with toppings of your choice.

Cathrine Chetty is the very talented Sous Chef at City Lodge Hotel V&A Waterfront. Her all-time favourite chocolate cake recipe is for a Triple Chocolate Mousse Cake.

“I love this recipe because it’s simple to make, which is a lovely thing in a day of over-complicated recipes. Let’s not leave out the fact that it has a silky, luscious taste of chocolate, which literally melts in your mouth – this is absolutely delectable for any chocolate lover. You are also able to add coffee or any other flavouring to take this cake to the next level,” she enthuses.

Other choccie favourites at the hotel include the Cake of the Day, a Moist Chocolate Cake; Chocolate Volcano Cake, a special VIP guest room drop and soon to be added to the menu; and Chocolate Brownies, available upon guest request.

Triple Chocolate Mousse Cake

Ingredients:

Chocolate sponge:

• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tbsp cocoa powder
• ¼ tsp salt
• 3 large eggs
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 1 tbsp oil
• ½ tsp vanilla extract

Chocolate mousse:

• 200g dark chocolate
• 1 tbsp butter
• ¼ cup water (which can be substituted for any flavouring)
• 3 large eggs
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 cup cream

Chocolate ganache:

• 100g dark chocolate
• ⅓ cup whipping cream

Topping:

• Cocoa powder for dusting

Method:

Chocolate sponge:

1. Preheat oven to 180°C and line a 20cm (8-inch) cake tin with parchment paper.
2. Sift all dry ingredients together.
3. Whip eggs and sugar until pale; once done, mix flour into eggs. Do not over mix.
4. Combine oil and vanilla essence, and mix into the batter.
5. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Cool completely before using.

Chocolate mousse:

1. Combine chocolate and butter over a double boiler. Melt until smooth. Remove from heat.
2. Whip egg whites until foamy; add sugar and whip until whites form medium peaks. Set aside.
3. Whip the egg yolks until pale – about 3 minutes.
4. Fold the egg whites into the chocolate mixture in 3 additions.
5. Once done, pour the mousse over the cake sponge. Shimmy the pan to make sure the mousse settles flat in the pan. Set for several hours or overnight.

Ganache:

1. Heat cream in a pan; once hot, turn off the heat and add chocolate and gently stir until smooth.
2. Allow to sit for a couple of minutes before pouring mixture over the cake. Refrigerate for 10 minutes.

Presentation:

1. Finish off the cake by dusting cocoa powder on the top.
2. Feel free to add berries or any other toppings you desire.