18 Showstopper Chocolate Desserts for Dinner Parties

I have lost count of the dinner parties I have hosted over the years, but I have never lost count of the chocolate desserts that stole the show. This roundup is the greatest hits of my dinner party repertoire — every one of these is the kind of dessert that makes guests go quiet for a second when you set it down. Make one this weekend and prepare for the compliments.

What’s Inside

1. Chocolate Frosting for Brownies (Or Cake, or Cupcakes)
2. Mocha Melted Ice Cream Cake With Chocolate Marshmallow Frosting
3. Chocolate Cupcakes With Chocolate Frosting
4. Chocolate Angel Food Cake With Marshmallow Frosting
5. Romano’s Macaroni Grill Warm Chocolate Cake With Fudge Sauce
6. 10 Minute ..quick and Easy Chocolate Brownie Pudding Cake
7. Chocolate Truffle Cheesecake
8. Chocolate Truffle Cheesecake (Death by Chocolate!)
9. Boston Cream Cupcakes with Chocolate Ganache Frosting
10. Coconut Cupcakes With White Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
11. Hot Chocolate Cake With Marshmallows
12. Yogurt Vanilla Cupcakes W/ Chocolate Frosting
13. Chocolate Truffle Cheesecake
14. Mimi’s Whoopie Pie Filled Chocolate Cupcakes
15. Chocolate Cheesecake Muffins
16. Chocolate Mousse Cheesecake
17. Chocolate Cheesecake Ice Cream
18. Chocolate Cheesecake Brownies (Dairy-Free!) Recipe – Dairy-free.Food.com

The 18 Recipes

From fudgy classics to flourless wonders, every one of these has been tested, loved, and made again in my kitchen. Pick the one that calls to you most.

Chocolate Frosting for Brownies (Or Cake, or Cupcakes)

Recipe via Sharlene~W

If you want a chocolate frosting for brownies (or cake, or cupcakes) that delivers on every level — rich, deeply chocolatey, and somehow still lighter than you’d expect — this is the one. Sharlene~W’s version nails the technique.

---

Mocha Melted Ice Cream Cake With Chocolate Marshmallow Frosting

Recipe via MA HIKER

This mocha melted ice cream cake with chocolate marshmallow frosting from MA HIKER is the recipe I send to friends who say they can’t bake. It is genuinely foolproof, deeply chocolatey, and the kind of thing that disappears within an hour of coming out of the pan.

---

Chocolate Cupcakes With Chocolate Frosting

Recipe via Hey Jude

There are a thousand chocolate cupcakes with chocolate frosting recipes out there, but this one from Hey Jude is the one I keep coming back to. The flavor is layered, the method is forgiving, and the result is always a hit.

---

Chocolate Angel Food Cake With Marshmallow Frosting

Recipe via evelynathens

There are a thousand chocolate angel food cake with marshmallow frosting recipes out there, but this one from evelynathens is the one I keep coming back to. The flavor is layered, the method is forgiving, and the result is always a hit.

---

Romano’s Macaroni Grill Warm Chocolate Cake With Fudge Sauce

Recipe via canarygirl

This romano’s macaroni grill warm chocolate cake with fudge sauce from canarygirl is the recipe I send to friends who say they can’t bake. It is genuinely foolproof, deeply chocolatey, and the kind of thing that disappears within an hour of coming out of the pan.

---

10 Minute ..quick and Easy Chocolate Brownie Pudding Cake

Recipe via chef FIFI

Few recipes deliver chocolate satisfaction quite like 10 minute ..quick and easy chocolate brownie pudding cake does — and chef FIFI’s take is one of the best versions I’ve tried. Make it once and it becomes a permanent part of your rotation.

---

Chocolate Truffle Cheesecake

Recipe via LuuvBunny

This chocolate truffle cheesecake from LuuvBunny is the recipe I send to friends who say they can’t bake. It is genuinely foolproof, deeply chocolatey, and the kind of thing that disappears within an hour of coming out of the pan.

---

Chocolate Truffle Cheesecake (Death by Chocolate!)

Recipe via WJKing

Few recipes deliver chocolate satisfaction quite like chocolate truffle cheesecake (death by chocolate!) does — and WJKing’s take is one of the best versions I’ve tried. Make it once and it becomes a permanent part of your rotation.

---

Boston Cream Cupcakes with Chocolate Ganache Frosting

Recipe via JamesDeansGirl

If you want a boston cream cupcakes with chocolate ganache frosting that delivers on every level — rich, deeply chocolatey, and somehow still lighter than you’d expect — this is the one. JamesDeansGirl’s version nails the technique.

---

Coconut Cupcakes With White Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

Recipe via Bev I Am

If you want a coconut cupcakes with white chocolate cream cheese frosting that delivers on every level — rich, deeply chocolatey, and somehow still lighter than you’d expect — this is the one. Bev I Am’s version nails the technique.

---

Hot Chocolate Cake With Marshmallows

Recipe via Ms B.

This hot chocolate cake with marshmallows from Ms B. is the recipe I send to friends who say they can’t bake. It is genuinely foolproof, deeply chocolatey, and the kind of thing that disappears within an hour of coming out of the pan.

---

Yogurt Vanilla Cupcakes W/ Chocolate Frosting

Recipe via GingerPeach

Few recipes deliver chocolate satisfaction quite like yogurt vanilla cupcakes w/ chocolate frosting does — and GingerPeach’s take is one of the best versions I’ve tried. Make it once and it becomes a permanent part of your rotation.

---

Chocolate Truffle Cheesecake

Recipe via Nancy G.

This chocolate truffle cheesecake from Nancy G. is the recipe I send to friends who say they can’t bake. It is genuinely foolproof, deeply chocolatey, and the kind of thing that disappears within an hour of coming out of the pan.

---

Mimi’s Whoopie Pie Filled Chocolate Cupcakes

Recipe via Mimi in Maine

Few recipes deliver chocolate satisfaction quite like mimi’s whoopie pie filled chocolate cupcakes does — and Mimi in Maine’s take is one of the best versions I’ve tried. Make it once and it becomes a permanent part of your rotation.

---

Chocolate Cheesecake Muffins

Recipe via ltdsaloon16r

This chocolate cheesecake muffins from ltdsaloon16r is the recipe I send to friends who say they can’t bake. It is genuinely foolproof, deeply chocolatey, and the kind of thing that disappears within an hour of coming out of the pan.

---

Chocolate Mousse Cheesecake

Recipe via Courtly

There are a thousand chocolate mousse cheesecake recipes out there, but this one from Courtly is the one I keep coming back to. The flavor is layered, the method is forgiving, and the result is always a hit.

---

Chocolate Cheesecake Ice Cream

Recipe via TishT

This chocolate cheesecake ice cream from TishT is the recipe I send to friends who say they can’t bake. It is genuinely foolproof, deeply chocolatey, and the kind of thing that disappears within an hour of coming out of the pan.

---

Chocolate Cheesecake Brownies (Dairy-Free!) Recipe – Dairy-free.Food.com

Recipe via Kree

This is the kind of chocolate cheesecake brownies (dairy-free!) recipe – dairy-free.food.com I make when I need a guaranteed win at the dinner table. Kree has figured out the ratio that makes the texture exactly right.

---

That’s a Lot of Chocolate

Honestly, putting this list together made me want to clear my schedule for a week and just bake through the whole thing. If I had to pick one favorite, it would be the first one on the list — it is the recipe that got me through a long, chocolate-craving winter a few years back, and it has been a permanent fixture on my counter ever since. Pick yours, make it this weekend, and let me know how it turns out.

—Marina Caldwell

---

Sources & Credits

Every recipe in this roundup is the work of the home cooks and food bloggers listed below. I am so grateful for the work they put into testing and photographing each dish — please visit their sites, leave a comment, and support their work.

1. Chocolate Frosting for Brownies (Or Cake, or Cupcakes) — via Sharlene~W
2. Mocha Melted Ice Cream Cake With Chocolate Marshmallow Frosting — via MA HIKER
3. Chocolate Cupcakes With Chocolate Frosting — via Hey Jude
4. Chocolate Angel Food Cake With Marshmallow Frosting — via evelynathens
5. Romano’s Macaroni Grill Warm Chocolate Cake With Fudge Sauce — via canarygirl
6. 10 Minute ..quick and Easy Chocolate Brownie Pudding Cake — via chef FIFI
7. Chocolate Truffle Cheesecake — via LuuvBunny
8. Chocolate Truffle Cheesecake (Death by Chocolate!) — via WJKing
9. Boston Cream Cupcakes with Chocolate Ganache Frosting — via JamesDeansGirl
10. Coconut Cupcakes With White Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting — via Bev I Am
11. Hot Chocolate Cake With Marshmallows — via Ms B.
12. Yogurt Vanilla Cupcakes W/ Chocolate Frosting — via GingerPeach
13. Chocolate Truffle Cheesecake — via Nancy G.
14. Mimi’s Whoopie Pie Filled Chocolate Cupcakes — via Mimi in Maine
15. Chocolate Cheesecake Muffins — via ltdsaloon16r
16. Chocolate Mousse Cheesecake — via Courtly
17. Chocolate Cheesecake Ice Cream — via TishT
18. Chocolate Cheesecake Brownies (Dairy-Free!) Recipe – Dairy-free.Food.com — via Kree