If you’ve already tried our Carrot Cake or our Red Velvet Cake, you’d trust us when we say – we KNOW how to make a perfectly, moist cake.
Naturally, we decided to create our own Chocolate Cake Recipe with all of the things you love about a good chocolate cake. You’ll only need one bowl and minimal ingredients to bake this decadent chocolate cake. Rich in chocolate with a tender-moist crumb, fluffy with the perfect amount of sweetness, this delightfully Moist Chocolate Cake is what dreams are made of.
Why You’ll Love This Chocolate Cake
If you’ve been craving the Famous Chocolate Cake from Matilda since you were a kid, you’re not alone and BOY OH BOY, do we have the cake for you!
Like our Fudgy Chocolate Cake and our Hot Fudge Chocolate Pudding Cake, this Classic Chocolate Cake is baked with cocoa powder rather than real chocolate and is just as moist as it looks. Whether you eat it plain, dust it with powdered sugar or serve it with dollops of of Coconut Whipped Cream, it truly is perfectly perfect!
Of course, smothering it with a buttercream frosting makes it even better. With a gooey, chocolate icing and sticky crumb, this cake will practically dissolve in your mouth.
What’s In A Chocolate Cake?
- All-Purpose Flour (or Plain Flour) For the best results, consider adding a bit of cake flour to lighten the texture. If you want a more tender crumb, you can substitute some of the all-purpose flour with cake flour, which is lower in protein.
- Unsweetened Cocoa Powder Cocoa powder provides the rich chocolate flavor that is the signature of this cake. Unsweetened cocoa, such as regular Hershey’s, ensures that your cake isn’t overly sweet, allowing the cocoa’s natural bitterness to enhance the flavor. For a more robust chocolate taste, you can experiment with a blend of Dutch-processed and natural cocoa powders. Dutch-processed cocoa has a smoother flavor profile and darker color, while natural cocoa has a brighter flavor. If you have left over cocoa powder try making my Special Ingredient Hot Chocolate.
- Baking Powder & Baking Soda (Bi-Carb Soda) Be careful not to confuse baking soda with baking powder. They’re not interchangeable, as baking soda is much stronger; if you use too much, it can impart a bitter taste.
- Eggs Ensure your eggs are at room temperature for better incorporation into the batter, leading to a smoother consistency.
- Milk, Whole milk is ideal, but if you’re looking to cut down on fat, you can use low-fat or plant-based alternatives. Just keep in mind that each milk type may slightly alter the cake’s texture.
- Hersheys Cocoa Powder or Unsweetened Cocoa Powder For an extra depth of flavor, consider using a combination of unsweetened cocoa and Dutch-processed cocoa powder. Dutch-processed cocoa has a more mellow flavor and can contribute to a darker final color
- Unsalted Butter is the main ingredient and base for buttercream frosting. Use room temperature butter for the best results. It should be soft but not melted—this allows you to easily whip it into a light, airy frosting. I have a variation of this frosting which can be found in my Butter Cake With Kahlua Chocolate Cream Frosting recipe
*NOTE see the recipe card at the bottom for full list of ingredients and measurements
The ONLY thing you can add to this already Perfect Chocolate Cake Recipe is a couple of teaspoons of instant coffee or espresso for an even deeper chocolate flavour. Of course, this is totally and COMPLETELY optional. You cannot taste the coffee flavour.
How to Make Chocolate Cake?
Hershey’s world famous “Perfectly Chocolate” Cake recipe was created especially for chocolate lovers and ticks all of our boxes: EASY, QUICK with AMAZING results.
- Preheat and Prepare: Set Your Oven Temperature: Start by preheating your oven to 350°F (180°C) (320°F – 160°C fan forced. Prepare the Cake Pans: Lightly grease two 9-inch round cake pans using butter or a non-stick cooking spray. After greasing, line the bottoms of the pans with parchment paper. Cut two circles of parchment paper, place them in the pans, and then grease the top of the paper lightly. This double layer ensures that your cakes don’t stick.
- Mix the Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, sift together the flour, Hershey’s Cocoa Powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Sifting is vital as it aerates the ingredients, which helps to create a lighter texture in the cake. After sifting, whisk in the white granulated sugar until well combined. This ensures that the sugar is evenly distributed throughout the dry ingredients.
- Add the Wet Ingredients: Create a well in the center of the dry mixture and add the two large eggs, milk, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract. Using a whisk or an electric mixer, beat the mixture until smooth. Aim for about 30 seconds of mixing. Ensure there are no lumps but be careful not to over-mix; a few small lumps are fine. The batter should have a cohesive and slightly thick texture at this point.
- Add Boiling Water: Carefully measure out 1 cup of boiling water. Gradually pour it into the batter while stirring. The heat from the water will help to bloom the Hershey’s Cocoa Powder, enhancing the chocolate flavor. Stir the batter well until it’s fully combined. It will be thin; that’s perfectly okay! This thin batter contributes to the cake’s moistness.
- Bake the Cake! Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cake pans. Use a spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl and ensure no batter is wasted. Place the pans in your oven, ensuring they’re positioned in the center for even baking. Bake for 30-35 minutes. To test if they’re done, insert a wooden skewer into the center of each cake. It should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs (not wet batter). Set aside and let cool
- Melt Butter: In a medium-sized bowl, melt the unsalted butter until smooth. You can use the microwave in short bursts, stirring in between, or a stovetop for more control, Then, stir in Hershey’s cocoa powder into the melted butter. Mix well until you achieve a glossy, thick consistency. This creates the base for the frosting’s rich chocolate flavor.
- Finish the Frosting: Alternate adding powdered sugar and milk, beginning and ending with the sugar. Beat the mixture after each addition until smooth and creamy. Add the powdered sugar gradually to avoid clumping, Then stir in vanilla extract. Continue mixing until fluffy and spreadable. If the consistency is too thick, add milk one tablespoon at a time; if it’s too thin, add more powdered sugar.
- Frost the Cake: Once the cakes are completely cool, cut the tops off of the cakes to even them out, spread a generous layer of frosting over top of one cake. Stack the second cake on top and cover the entire surface with frosting. Use a spatula to smooth out the sides and top or add decorative swirls as desired.
Pair it with a dollop of Coconut Whipped Cream for a light, dairy-free topping that adds a subtle tropical flavor. For a refreshing contrast, serve alongside a Strawberry Coconut Cheesecake Salad, combining juicy strawberries and creamy cheesecake elements. Alternatively, enjoy it with Strawberry Cheesecake Donut Holes for a delightful mix of textures and flavors. These additions will elevate your chocolate cake to a truly indulgent dessert experience.
Recipe FAQ’s
Both baking soda and baking powder are used in this recipe to ensure it rises enough. The sponge itself contains oil, which is quite a heavy ingredient that normally creates a dense result. Using both raising agents together balances this out to provide just the right amount of rise.
If your cakes turn out flat, make sure you check expiry dates. Keep in mind both baking powder and soda will lose their effectiveness if kept too long in your pantry.
With a crumb this tender, the cake will stay moist for a good 4-5 days.
Balance excessive sweetness by adding more cocoa powder or a pinch of salt to enhance flavor without increasing sugar.
Chocolate Cake Recipe (Hershey’s Perfectly Chocolate Recipe)
Ingredients
CHOCOLATE CAKE
- 1 ¾ cups all purpose flour or plain flour
- ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder or regular Hershey's cocoa powder
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking soda or bi-carb soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups white granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup milk
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup boiling water
CHOCOLATE BUTTERCREAM FROSTING
- 4 oz butter
- ⅔ cup unsweetened cocoa powder or regular HERSHEY'S (2.4 oz | 65 g)
- 3 cups powdered sugar confectioners or icing sugar
- ⅓ cup milk
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
CHOCOLATE CAKE
- Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C) standard or 320°F (160°C) fan/convection.
- Lightly grease 2x 9-inch (22cm) round cake pans with butter. Line base with parchment paper.
- Sift together flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt into a large bowl. Whisk in sugar, then add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla. Whisk well to combine until lump free, about 30 seconds.
- Pour boiling water into batter, mixing well. Cake batter is thin in consistency.
- Pour batter into cake pans and bake for 30-35 minutes or until a wooden skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
- Let cool for 10 minutes, then turn out onto wire racks to cool completely before frosting.
CHOCOLATE BUTTERCREAM FROSTING
- Melt butter, then whisk in cocoa powder. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating to spreading consistency (add a small amount of additional milk, if needed). Stir in vanilla.
Notes
- ONE-PAN CAKE: Use 13x9x2-inch baking pan. Bake 35-40 minutes.
- THREE LAYER CAKE: You’ll need 8-inch round baking pans. Bake 30-35 minutes.
- BUNDT CAKE: Use a 12-cup fluted tube pan. Bake 50-55 minutes.
- CUPCAKES: Line muffin cups (2-½ inches in diameter) with paper bake cups. Fill cups ⅔ full with batter. Bake 22-25 minutes. Makes about 30 cupcakes.
Janine says
By FAR, the best chocolate cake I’ve ever had!! Recipe is simple and the result is gorgeous! Such a crowd pleaser! I used 2 tsps of coffee when adding the boiling water. Also dampened the layers with a simple sugar syrup and achieved perfection😄
Janine says
Oops also forgot to mention I reduced the sugar to 1.5cups instead of 2cups, only because I knew I was going to add a sugar syrup after baking. I also used Cadbury’s cocoa powder instead of Hersheys, due to availability.
Olivia says
The very best (and easiest) chocolate cake!!! Made it for my daughter’s bday and it was a hit.
I used 1 cup of sugar instead of 2 as I though the frosting will be sweet enough.
Also ended up using less sugar in the frosting – after about 2 cups, it seemed like it was sweet enough and the right consistency and quantity (actually there was even a little left over, which we ate with a spoon as I couldnt bring myself to throw it away 🙈). Thank you, Karina for yet another foolproof delicious recipe!!
Ella J. says
My daughter and I made this tonight. It was delicious. Took a 1/4 and shared with the neighbors and they loved it too. 🙂 I too was wondering about the watery batter but as others mentioned, came out moist and the right amount of dense. Thank you!
Nisa George says
This is literally the best fool-proof chocolate cake recipe!! I have made it multiple times and sometimes with cousins and it always comes out sooooo good!! I have gotten so many compliments on this cake recipe!
Ritwika Roy says
This is the best chocolate cake recipe hands down. Have made it at least 7-8 times by now. Made it for my family gathering last week and this cake was the talk of the evening. It was loved equally by kids and the adults.
Thanamas S says
The best chocolate cake ever!!
This is the first time in my life that I bake, and I can’t believe how well it turned out. Everyone loves it, and it fact, I’ve made three of these in the last 10 days (oppsi!) because no one can resist this deliciousness. My partner requested this cake for this birthday every year from now on, that’s how good it is.
I followed exact measurement, but using dark chocolate ganache for topping instead.
Thank you so much for this delicious recipe.
Rita Paixao says
I am not a fan of chocolate cake, but my husband loves it. That being said, I really liked this receipt. In the second time I bake it, I reduced the 2 cups of sugar to 1 cup as the icing has lots of sugar too, with 1 cup of sugar the cake becomes lighter but still delicious. I highly recommend this receipt to chocolate cake lovers; It is fluffy and indulgent.
Aud says
Am I able to use coffee instead of water?
Virginia R Isaac says
I love this recipe and I made this cake two months ago. Let me tell you this is the best chocolate cake recipe I have ever made. I am making another one for Christmas. Thanks for sharing this recipe.
gina says
This is the best chocolate cake I’ve ever had. It’s now a fan favorite.
Lara says
Best chocolate cake recipe ever, hands down. I made it for my in-laws last weekend and they loved it so much they asked me to bake it again this weekend! Hoping it turns out as amazing as the first time!
Karina says
Hi Lara, I’m so happy to hear that the chocolate cake was a hit with your in-laws! It’s wonderful that they loved it so much they want it again. I’m sure your second batch will be just as amazing as the first. Happy baking, and thank you for your kind words!