Is Chocolate Cake Acidic or Alkaline?
Chocolate cake (baked) is acid-forming: Positive PRAL: acid-forming after digestion.
Classification
Acidic despite the cocoa: chocolate cake comes in at +6.2 because flour, eggs and butter supply protein and phosphorus. The potassium and magnesium from the cocoa offset part of that, which is why it sits below pound cake (+8.1). At 402 kcal per 100 g it is very energy-dense, and the PRAL says nothing about sugar and fat.
In the Sweets & Snacks category, chocolate cake (baked) ranks #80 of 91, sorted from alkaline to acid-forming. More alkaline options include Spekulatius cookies (+5.9), Butter biscuits (+5.8), Pretzel sticks (+5.4). More acid-forming are Cheesecake (+6.2), Rusk / Twice-baked bread (+6.3), Cream puff (+6.6).
Acidic or alkaline: PRAL, not pH
On this site, acidic and alkaline refer to the PRAL (potential renal acid load). It estimates what a food leaves behind once it has been digested: a positive value is acid-forming, a negative value is alkalizing. That is different from the pH of the food itself: a lemon tastes sour, yet its PRAL is −4.0, so it is alkalizing. Your diet does not change your blood pH. It does change how much acid your kidneys have to deal with.
What balances chocolate cake
A small serving (40 g) of chocolate cake adds +2.5 to your daily balance. These three bring it back; the grams shown offset exactly this serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is chocolate cake acidic?
It depends on what you mean by acidic. The pH describes the food itself, for example how sour it tastes. The PRAL describes what it leaves behind after digestion: Chocolate cake (baked) has a PRAL of +6.2 per 100 g, so it counts as acid-forming in your daily acid-base balance.
How much kale offsets a small serving (40 g) of chocolate cake?
A small serving (40 g) of chocolate cake adds +2.5 to your daily balance. Kale (fresh) has −11.7 per 100 g, so about 20 g of kale offset this serving.
Do I have to avoid chocolate cake on an alkaline diet?
No. What counts is the balance of the whole day, not a single food. Chocolate cake is acid-forming; with enough vegetables, potatoes and fruit on the same plate, the meal stays balanced.
Chocolate Cake logged, balance checked.
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Compare all Sweets & Snacks: Sweets & Snacks table. Common questions are answered in Acidic or Alkaline?, and the PRAL calculator adds up a whole meal.
Source: Basentracker food database (PRAL according to Remer & Manz, calculated from protein, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium and calcium per 100 g). This information does not replace medical advice.