This Hershey’s Chocolate Cake Recipe is a classic when it comes to chocolate cake. This rich, delicious and moist chocolate cake recipe is one I turn to often. Therefore many chocolate birthday cakes in our home have been made using this easy and delicious classic chocolate cake recipe!
Hershey’s Chocolate Cake Recipe
Quite fittingly this homemade chocolate cake is often referred to as the Perfectly Chocolate Hershey’s Chocolate Cake Recipe.
Let me tell you, this rich chocolate cake is indeed, perfect. It’s like a chocolate experience.
This is a cake with intense chocolate flavor. Therefore it’s not overly sweet, though can be sweetened up with your choice of frosting.
Dark Chocolate Cake
My family loves dark chocolate cake, so I almost always make this cake using the Hershey’s Special Dark Cocoa Powder. This is by no means necessary, however it is a personal preference. Regular cocoa powder will work as well.
If you are a dark chocolate lover and have never used this cocoa powder, I urge you to find yourself some! I’ve had luck finding it at my local Safeway or Albertsons. I also order from Amazon when I want to stock up.
There are quite a few cocoa powder options these days, even at the grocery store.
If you want to learn more about the different types of cocoa powders, and how they impact your baking (hint: it’s more than just flavor) check out my HOMEMADE BROWNIES recipe post. It’s packed with information on cocoa powder.
Adding Coffee To Chocolate Cake
One of my tips for really pumping up the chocolate flavor in this easy chocolate cake is to add some coffee. Even though I am not a coffee drinker, I find it gives great depth to the chocolate flavor.
This Hershey’s chocolate cake recipe calls for one cup of boiling water. The cup of boiling water is a perfect place to sneak in some coffee.
Not being a coffee drinker, I don’t go with a full cup of coffee. Instead I add about half a packet of instant coffee crystals to my boiling water. I usually use the Starbucks Via Instant coffee. These are great to keep on hand for baking.
Chocolate Frosting
This has long been one of my go-to homemade chocolate cake recipes. When I make it, I like to pair it with the Perfectly Chocolate Hershey’s Chocolate Frosting recipe. Why mess with a classic, right?
That being said, I am a HUGE fan of vanilla frosting on a dark chocolate cake. It’s pretty much perfection in my book. I love the flavor contrast it provides.
My favorite vanilla frosting recipe can be found in my Easter Cupcakes post. Just leave out the food coloring, or feel free to pick a color that suits your occasion.
To take this Hershey’s Chocolate Cake Recipe over the top, I added chocolate ganache on top of the chocolate frosting. Apparently more is more when it comes to homemade chocolate cake!
You can grab my chocolate ganache recipe in my Peanut Butter Chocolate Cake post.
Did I mention this is completely over the top? Chocolate ganache covered top that is.
Hershey’s Chocolate Cake Ingredients
- Sugar
- Flour
- Cocoa
- Baking Powder
- Baking Soda
- Salt
- Eggs
- Milk (I like to substitute buttermilk)
- Vegetable Oil
- Vanilla Extract
- Boiling Water
- Instant Coffee (if desired)
How To Make Hershey’s Chocolate Cake
This moist chocolate cake is very simple to make. It can even be made in one bowl, so I guess we’ve got a One Bowl Chocolate Cake recipe here!
-Dry ingredients are combined and mixed well.
-Next, the eggs, milk, oil and vanilla are added to mix, and the ingredients are beaten with a hand mixer.
-Finally the boiling water, with instant coffee if you are using it, are stirred in. This is a very thin cake batter, so don’t be alarmed if it seems runny.
-The batter is poured into two 9″ round cake pans and then into the oven it goes.
-Once the cakes have baked, and cooled, they can be assembled and frosted.
Easy peasy!
More great chocolate cake recipes to try:
My go to Chocolate Bundt Cake recipe.
Peanut butter lovers go crazy for Chocolate Peanut Butter Bundt Cake.
If you haven’t tried a Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake, you must!
Even more favorite recipes to try:
- Chocolate Cupcake Recipe
- Chocolate Cake Mix Cupcakes
- Chocolate Overload Cake
- Molten Chocolate Cake
- German Chocolate Cake Cupcakes
- Marble Cake Recipe
Hershey’s Chocolate Cake Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 3/4 cups flour
- 3/4 cup Hershey's Cocoa Powder Special Dark Cocoa Powder is a great choice
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 cup milk buttermilk can also be used
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup boiling water
- 1 serving instant coffee crystals optional, if desired
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour two 9" round cake pans.
- In a large mixing bowl combine sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Mix well to combine.
- Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla to mixture. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed for two minutes.
- Carefully add instant coffee to boiling water and stir. Then carefully pour and stir in boiling water into cake ingredients. Mix until combined. The batter will be quite thin.
- Pour batter into prepared baking pans.
- Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and the top starts to spring back when gently touched.
- Cool for 10 minutes then remove from pans and allow to cool completely on wire cooling racks.
Notes
CHOCOLATE FROSTING RECIPE
Nutrition
Disclaimer
Nutrition information is estimated as a courtesy. If using for medical purposes, please verify information using your own nutritional calculator. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Linda says
I make this with Hanes no sodium baking powder to replace reg.baking powder and baking soda,just check on net how much to replace the baking soda,I am on a low sodium diet and this works well,thank this is a wonderful cake recipe,from Columbus,ohio
Cheryl Nunes-Knittel says
Absolutely the best chocolate cake recipe I’ve come across. So easy to make, too.
Laura says
Can you just omit the cocoa to make a yellow cake? All the yellow cake recipes that I’ve tried have failed. Lol wanted to just use the basics of this one.
LR Shimer says
I vary two things in this recipe , and highly recommend trying my changes to the original ‘Hershey’s perfect chocolate cake’ recipe
1) I substitute Droste cocoa powder for the Hersheys. I use Drosto for my hot chocolate , smoothies, and everything of a chocolaty nature. I buy it on amazon.
2) I substitute buttermilk for the milk.
So good.
PS Also for those like me who try to reduce or leave sugar out of hot chocolate, Droste’s plus some vanilla stands up to an extremely minimal or no sugar. I started out reducing the sugar and worked my way down.
LuAnn says
Can this recipe be doubled for a 13×9 baking pan? Or just made as is. But in a 13×9 baking pan? Thanks. It looks absolutely amazing. Can’t wait to try it. Thanks for posting it
Stacey Rena says
I am going to try this recipe for Thanksgiving. I hope it turns out grrrrreat!
Kathy says
Absolutely one of the best cakes. I used 2% milk and 1/2 cup greek yogurt. Moist and rich.
Carol Ferguson says
The best Chocolate Cake ever. Mom started making this cake in 1962 and it has been a family favorite since. I make this cake for birthdays or in 9×12 for picnics. We like a Cream Cheese or boiled confectioner sugar frosting.
Gina Harrison says
This is Absolute BEST chocolate cake and Icing I have ever made! So easy to make, but oh my! The chocolate flavour is so very good. I’ll be making this cake again, soon.
Sanober says
Please post perfect chocolate ganache recipe. Will be waiting. Love love love your recipes. Thankssss