Chocolate Cake

For many of us, chocolate cake is the ultimate dessert indulgence.

* Nick and Stef’s Steakhouse: Double layers of moist devil’s-food cake with a light chocolate mousse filling and chocolate ganache frosting are served with raspberry coulis and vanilla sauce. (Double layer chocolate cake, $6.50.) Nick and Stef’s Steakhouse, 330 S. Hope St., Los Angeles, (213) 680-0330.

* Lucques: At first glance, this looks like a modest, single-layer chocolate cake, but it includes Valrhona chocolate and subtly crunchy ground almonds. At lunch it’s topped with fresh whipped cream and at dinner with homemade vanilla ice cream. (Bittersweet chocolate cake, $7.) Lucques, 8474 Melrose Ave., West Hollywood, (323) 655-6277.

* Mulberry Street: This chocolate double layer cake is the secret family recipe of the owner, actress Cathy Moriarty. It’s a fluffy milk chocolate cake with a thick, creamy milk chocolate frosting. (Chocolate double layer cake, $3.50.) Mulberry Street, 347 N. Canon Drive, Beverly Hills, (310) 247-8998; 240 S. Beverly Drive, Beverly Hills, (310) 247-8100; 17040 Ventura Blvd., Encino, (818) 906-8881.

* JiRaffe: Pastry chef Artemio Sanchez makes individual chocolate truffle cakes that gush with bittersweet chocolate. They’re iced with chocolate ganache, and the molten bittersweet chocolate center is spiked with a drop of Tia Maria liqueur. It comes with vanilla ice cream, chocolate sauce and raspberries, and it’s topped with a cookie shaped like the Eiffel Tower or a giraffe. (Warm chocolate truffle cake, $6 lunch/$7 dinner.) JiRaffe, 502 Santa Monica Blvd., Santa Monica, (310) 917-6671.

* 2087 An American Bistro: The three-layer chocolate cake is made with Valrhona chocolate and a touch of buttermilk, and filled with dark chocolate ganache. The plate is decorated with powdered cocoa, whipped cream and a bittersweet chocolate twig. (Chocolate cake, $6.50.) 2087 An American Bistro, 2087 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd., Thousand Oaks, (805) 374-2087.

* Border Grill: Chocolate Aztec cake is nearly flourless and so dense it’s almost a chocolate bar. It stands about 5 inches and comes with a dollop of whipped creme frai^che and a sprinkling of chopped almonds. (Chocolate Aztec cake, $6.50.) Border Grill, 1445 4th St., Santa Monica, (310) 451-1655.