'Chocoholism' is listed on Wikipedia as
"a portmanteau of chocolate and alcoholism, referring to an addiction to chocolate. Some claim to suffer from this "condition" and describe themselves as chocoholics."

Right. Now that we have established that chocolate addiction is an actual condition, we'd like to help you get your chocolate fix in Shanghai? Well, here is all you need to know.

A Guide to the Best Chocolate Cake

City Weekend's Best Chocolate Cake article gives a good selection of their dining editor's favorite spots, I agree with her choices completely so added them below:

Brix 12

Accented by a slice of crisp, baked orange, berries and a small glass of raspberry sauce, this chocolate cake's (YY35) dark, rich flavor and dense layers (near to brownie heaven) are held together by a layer of chocolate mousse. The raspberry combines perfectly with the dark chocolate, making this a bittersweet sin worth repeating.

Awfully Chocolate

It's not huge but it packs a chocolate punch. The secret to this cake's (YY138 for a full cake) success is in the icing. Thick and creamy, it drapes the entire cake. Moist layers set this cake apart from half-rate imitators and it can be made with layers of banana cream (YY168) or cherry (YY178) if you like, though personally we're fans of the original.

Whisk Choco Cafe

We're throughly addicted to the dreamy--and healthy--Coco Cabana (YY45). Take bananas, flambee with brandy, then layer them with dark chocolate ganache in a moist chocolate sponge. It's "chocolate cake with all the goodness and vitamins of bananas," according to Whisk proprieter Alex Maze. We'll take two, for health's sake.

Of the above picks from City Weekend, we have to say that Whisk Choco Cafe's chocolate upside down cake (with a side of ice cream, seen in the photo above), is our favorite (YY45).

Chocolate Cake Takeout

Chocolate Lava Cake @ Beard Papa's (10 RMB)

Drumroll! This is the best tip off you will ever get. So read on. Trista, the editor of City Weekend, told me about this over diner once. The fondant au chocolat (YY 10) from popular chain Beard Papa's . Next time you need to bring dessert to a dinner party this is the best thing to bring). Zap it in the microwave for 20 seconds. Serve with some vanilla ice cream. Ridiculous.

Here is what Trista has to say about it:

"The cake has that dense, brownie texture while the chocolate pudding on the inside (yes, did we mention this is a chocolate lava cake?) is fudgy and delicious. This little bite of heaven is so good I'm told that some chefs have dressed it up and served it as dessert at parties, though we like it with just a bit of ice cream."

Melting Middle Chocolate Pudding (Lava Cake),  Marks & Spencer's  (20 RMB)

I bought this last night at M&S. It gives Whisk's chocolate upside down cake a run for the money. The downside is you're supposed to bake it in the oven for 40 minutes and there is no microwave option (DUH, badly done marketing on M&S China, who the hell has an oven?), but we popped it in the microwave (from frozen) for a couple minutes and it turned out just fine. Well, it's so good that people are blogging about it. So you can read a review of it here. The good bits about this one is you can keep it in the freezer, it comes in a pack of two for 40 RMB, so you don't need to share, and it really is full of oozing Belgian chocolate. Sooooo gooooood. This is all you need in life.

Feel free to share your chocolate haunts in Shanghai with me. I would love to hear them.

Top photo: Chocolate Upside Down Cake @ Whisk Choco Cafe by Rebekah Pothaar.
Second photo: Chocolate Upside Down Cake @ Whisk by Facebook Addicted 2 Whisk.
Third photo: Fondant au Chocolate for 10 RMB @ Beard Papa's by City Weekend.
Bottom photo: Melting Middle Chocolate Pudding @ Marks & Spencer by Rebekah Pothaar.