Chocolate Cake (Hershey's Perfectly Chocolate Recipe)

5 from 112 votes

Chocolate Cake (Hershey's Perfectly Chocolate Recipe)

An easy to make, rich Chocolate Cake is the most craved cake recipe. One bowl, minimal ingredients = a fluffy, tender-moist chocolate cake!

Prep Time15

Cook Time30

Total Time45

Course: Cake, Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: chocolate cake

Servings: serves

Calories: 351kcal

Author: Karina

Ingredients

CHOCOLATE CAKE

1 3/4 cups all purpose flour, or (plain flour), (8 oz | 227 g)
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, (2.6 oz | 75 g) or regular Hershey's cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, (or bi-carb soda)
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups white granulated sugar, (14 oz | 410 g)
2 large eggs
1 cup milk, (250 ml)
1/2 cup vegetable oil, (125 ml)
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water (250 ml)

CHOCOLATE BUTTERCREAM FROSTING

4 oz butter, (120 g | 1/2 cup)
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, or regular HERSHEY'S (2.4 oz | 65 g)
3 cups powdered sugar, (confectioners or icing sugar)
1/3 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

COCOA POWDER:

I use a combination of 1/2 cup Dutch processed and 1/4 cup regular unsweetened cocoa powder for a richer cake.

COFFEE:

For a richer chocolate flavour, DISSOLVE 2 teaspoons instant coffee or espresso in the boiling water before adding into the batter. You can't taste the coffee!

SUGAR:

White granulated sugar is used here. You can also use superfine or caster sugar.

SPRINGFORM PAN (PLEASE NOTE)

Springform pans are NOT 100% leakproof. Very thin cake batters such as this one will leak through the base. To combat this issue, line the base with parchment paper coming up where the sides meets the base to create a 'cover'. Place a baking sheet on the shelf below the cake pan (or the bottom of the oven) to catch any stray drips (don't put cake pans directly on the pan).

VARIATIONS FOR CHOCOLATE CAKE SIZES FROM HERSHEY'S

Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C) standard or 320°F (160°C) fan/convection.

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 (2-1/2 inches in diameter) with paper bake cups. Fill cups 2/3 full with batter. Bake 22-25 minutes. Makes about 30 cupcakes.

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