If you're a fan of dessert, there’s a good chance you love a good chocolate cake. From layer cakes to chocolate mocha cakes, there seem to be endless baked delights that can satisfy a true chocolate craving.

Recipes for chocolate cake often boast of a "secret ingredient" that sets them apart from the rest. Some of these secret ingredients include mayonnaise, mashed potatoes, vinegar, beets, baby food, and applesauce, but the most surprising ingredient of all might also be the one with the best results.

According to the blog An Affair from the Heart, sauerkraut helps make your chocolate cake moist, rich, and fudgy. The sourness, saltiness, and wetness of sauerkraut all help balance the flavors, so the next time you want to mix up your chocolate cake routine, reach for a jar of sauerkraut.