Hershey’s Chocolate Cake

This is the only chocolate cake recipe that you will ever need! I promise you. It makes the most moist and chocolatey cakes of all sizes and cupcakes. Decorate it the Hershey’s Chocolate Cake with my favorite frosting recipe, Chocolate Whipped Cream Frosting.

When I was in Culinary School at Le Cordon Bleu, my French Chef instructor said that large companies such as, Hershey’s, spend thousands of dollars and a lot of time to perfect the recipes that they put their label on. I think he has a point. There’s an old adage that says, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” which kinda relates to this recipe. Hershey’s has a great unsweetened cocoa (100% cacao) product and a fantastic recipe on the container. I just added the size of the egg, the type of vegetable oil, and pure extract, as my recommendations to this recipe.

INGREDIENTS TO MAKE HERSHEY’S CHOCOLATE CAKE

• Sugar
• All-purpose flour
• Hershey’s cocoa, 100% cacao
• Baking powder
• Baking soda
• Salt
• Large eggs
• Whole milk
• Canola oil
• Pure vanilla extract
• Boiling water

HOW TO MAKE HERSHEY’S CHOCOLATE CAKE

• Heat the oven to 350°F (177°C).
• Trace a 9-inch (22.86-cm) round baking pan on parchment paper, fold the paper to cut out two 9-inch (22.86-cm) circles.
• Grease the pans with cooking spray and place the parchment circles in the bottom of the pans.
• In a stand mixer bowl or large bowl, combine the sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; mix to combine.
• Add eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla extract; beat on medium speed for 2 minutes.
• Scrape the bowl with a rubber spatula. Stir in boiling water.
• (The batter will be very thin).
• Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a cake tester comes in the center comes out clean.
• Cool on wire racks for 10 minutes before removing from the pans.
• Then run a paring knife around the edge of the cake, remove from pans, and take off the parchment paper.
• Cool completely before frosting.

BAKING TIPS

• Batter will be thin– Don’t freak out after you pour the 1 cup of boiling or hot water into the batter. The batter will be very thin. The hot water actives all those good cocoa solids, called “blooming”, releasing flavor. Some people stir the cocoa powder and hot water together first, let it sit for a minute and add it but I haven’t noticed a difference.
• Greasing the pan- Use a non-stick spray or lightly rub with butter. Trace one of the pans onto parchment paper, fold the paper over, so you can cut two circles out. Or just do it twice. Place the circles on the bottom inside the greased pans.
• Don’t over bake- It’s better to set the timer to the least amount of time, then add a few more minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean.
• Cool cake completely before frosting– If you don’t then you’ll understand why I said that. You’re frosting will melt because frosting is made with fat and/or milk solids. Let the cake cool in the pan and on a wire rack for 10-15 minutes. Then remove from the pan to a wire rack to finish cooling.

BAKES GREAT IN OTHER SIZES AND PANS

• Bundt Cake- Grease and flour a 12-cup bundt pan. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Pour batter into the pan and bake for 50-60 minutes. Cool 15 minutes on a wire rack before removing from pan. 

• Cupcakes- Line 30 muffin cups (2 1/2-inch diameter) with paper baking cups. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Pour the batter 2/3 cup full in each cup. Bake 22-25 minutes. Cool Completely before frosting. 

• One Cake Pan– Grease and flour or grease and line with parchment paper. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Pour the batter into the pan and bake 35-40 minutes. Cool 15 minutes on a wire rack before removing from pan. 

FROSTING ADVICE

• My Chocolate Whipped Cream Frosting is the absolute best frosting for this cake…drop the mic.
• CAUTION!!! The frosting is made from heavy cream so once a cake is frosted, it has to be refrigerated.
• WHITE WHIPPED CREAM FROSTING: The cocoa powder in the frosting can be omitted to make Whipped Cream frosting which is also divine.
• TO STORE: Refrigerate for up to 4 days, covered if possible.

OTHER DELICIOUS CAKE RECIPES TO TRY:

• Banana Bundt Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
• Cherry Almond Cake
• Blueberry Lemon Breakfast Cake
• Hershey’s Chocolate Cake
• Boston Cream Pie Cupcakes