By Sabah Karimi | Yahoo! Contributor Network – Mon, Feb 6, 2012 5:17 PM EST

  • Enlarge PhotoDuff Goldman, star of Food Network's "Ace of Cakes" and owner of Charm City Cakes.

Whether you want to impress your sweetheart or treat the kids this Valentine's Day, you can't go wrong with a sinfully-rich chocolate cake. With or without frosting, a homemade chocolate cake is usually hard to pass up. And, you don't have to slave away in the kitchen to make a bakery-quality dessert.
I talked to Duff Goldman, star of Food Network's "Ace of Cakes" and owner of Charm City Cakes to learn the tricks for making the perfect chocolate cake for Valentine's Day. I wanted to know how you prevent a cake from drying out, what type of chocolate to use, and how to turn any standard chocolate cake recipe into a rich, decadent treat.
Here's what Duff has to say about baking a chocolate cake the recipient will go gaga for: GET THE RECIPE HERE