Hershey's Perfectly Chocolate Cake Recipe

Hershey's Perfectly Chocolate Cake is one of my favorite chocolate cake recipes.  While I tend to jump from one recipe to another for chocolate cakes, this is one I routinely fall back on. It is a tried and true back of the box chocolate cake recipe.

Hershey's Perfectly Chocolate for Beginners

Hershey's Perfectly Chocolate Cake is also a great recipe for novice bakers.  Like most back of the box recipes, it's pretty much fool-proof, doesn't require lots of equipment and always gets compliments.  Plus it's less expensive than some other cakes since it calls for cocoa powder. There's no need to purchase unsweetened chocolate for this one. And you don't have to bother with melting chocolate, either.

Another nice thing about Perfectly Chocolate Cake is that it can be made as a Bundt cake, layer cake or as a sheet cake.  I make it as a layer cake for the family, but when I need to take a cake to a party, I bake it in a disposable pan and decorate it with frosting and sprinkles.

Perfectly Chocolate vs. Nana's Chocolate Cake

I still love this cake, but these days it has a competitor -- Nana's Chocolate Cake or Nana's Favorite Red Devil's Food Cake! Both cakes are equally delicious along with the Perfectly Chocolate Frosting recipe.

Beatty's Chocolate Cake

If you want to make Ina Garten's version (Beatty's Chocolate Cake), use buttermilk in place of the whole milk and 2 teaspoons of baking soda and 1 teaspoon of baking powder rather than 1 ½ of each. Also, use 2-inch deep 8-inch pans instead of 9-inch and increase the baking time to between 35 and 40 minutes.

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Recipe

Hershey's Perfect Chocolate Cake

Anna

An all American chocolate layer cake from Hershey's. There are a few variations including Black Magic Cake and a buttermilk version. This is the basic.

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 35 minutes mins

Total Time 45 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 12

Ingredients

 

• 2 cups sugar (390 grams)
• 1-¾ cups all-purpose flour (220 grams)
• ¾ cup natural or dark Hershey's cocoa (60 grams)
• 1-½ teaspoons baking powder
• 1-½ teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup whole milk
• ½ cup vegetable oil or canola oil
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup boiling water or hot brewed coffee

Perfectly Chocolate Frosting

• ½ cup unsalted butter (salted okay too) (114 grams)
• ⅔ cup natural Hershey's Cocoa not extra dark
• 3 cups powdered sugar (345 grams)
• ⅓ cup whole milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon sour cream, heaping (plus more if desired) optional

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 350. Grease 2 9-inch round cake pans and then dust with flour.
• In a mixing bowl, stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt .
• Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of mixer 2 minutes.
• Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin). Pour batter into prepared pans.
• Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks.
• Let cool completely, then make the frosting.
• Frosting: Melt butter, then put it in the bowl of a stand mixer. Stir in cocoa, then begin adding powdered sugar alternately with the milk. Beat to spreading consistency.
• Add small amount additional milk, if needed. Stir in vanilla and sour cream and beat until blended.

Notes

For a 13x9 inch cake, bake 35 to 40 minutes.
For a 3 layer cake, bake 30 to 35 minutes.
For a Bundt cake, bake 50 to 55 minutes.
Cupcakes: Line muffin cups (2-½ inches in diameter) with paper bake cups. Heat oven to 350°F. Fill cups ⅔ full with batter. Makes about 30

Keyword Perfectly Chocolate

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