An iconic pantry staple is the key ingredient in this rich, delicious dessert.

I don’t make cupcakes that often, so when I do I want them to be stellar. The thing with cake is … even at its worst it’s still cake, you know? Which can lead one to excuse less-than-perfect recipes ...

We tested four chocolate cakes with natural and Dutch-process cocoa to see how each type affects flavor, color, texture, and rise—and when swapping actually matters.