This post contains affiliate links.
There's a reason the Hershey Chocolate Cake recipe has been the best chocolate cake recipe for decades! It's soft, moist, and has the perfect chocolate flavor, and don't even get me started on that homemade chocolate frosting! This one of our favorite desserts!
The Only Chocolate Cake Recipe You'll Ever Need.
The Only Chocolate Cake Recipe You'll Ever Need. This Matilda's Chocolate Cake recipe is one of the very first recipes I ever shared here on TBFS, back in 2010. I've made it hundreds of times, and my kids now make it on their own, too. Thank you Hershey's! Some changes I've made to improve the original recipe are using hot coffee, instead of water (to boost the rich flavor) and adding buttermilk instead of plain milk (for a more tender and moist cake).
I recommend freezing the baked cake rounds ahead of time, and then frosting them right out of the freezer, for super easy prep. Once you see how easy homemade chocolate cake is, you'll never buy a box mix again.
Don't miss all of my cake recipes, including Yellow Cake, Carrot Cake, Biscoff Cake, or Flourless Chocolate Cake.
How to make Chocolate Cake:
Make Cake Batter: Combine sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add eggs, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla then mix. While stirring, slowly pour in the boiling water or hot coffee, mixing to incorporate (the batter will be thin).
Bake: Carefully pour cake batter into prepared pans and bake at 350°F(180°C) for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cakes cool in the pan for a few minutes then invert onto a cooling rack. Let the cakes cool completely before frosting.
Frosting: mix butter and cocoa powder then add powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla. Mix for several minutes until it has a smooth and fluffy texture.
Assemble and Frost: Carefully transfer one cake layer to your serving tray. Spread a generous amount of frosting on top then place the second cake layer on top. Use a cake spatula to frost the top and sides of the cake with remaining frosting. Slice and enjoy!
Recipe Variations:
- 9×13 Cake: Spray a 9×13 pan with cooking spray then pour the batter. Bake at 350°F (180°C) for 35-40 minutes. Let cool completely then frost and serve.
- Cupcakes: Place cupcake liners in a muffin pan then fill each one 2/3 of the way full with batter. Bake for 22-25 minutes then let them cool completely before frosting. This recipe makes 24-30 cupcakes.
- Bundt Cake: Grease and flour a 12 cup bundt pan then pour in batter. Bake for 50-55 minutes then let cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Invert on a wire cooling rack and let cool completely before frosting.
- Gluten-Free: Use a 1:1 ratio of Bob's Red Mill Gluten-Free Flour instead.
- Dairy-Free: Instead of cow's milk, use almond milk in the cake and frosting with a 1:1 ratio.
Make Ahead and Freezing Instructions:
To Make Ahead: The cakes and the chocolate frosting can both be made ahead of time. Store frosting in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to two weeks, or in the freezer for up to three months. Let frosting come to room temperature (I also like to re-whip it, with electric beaters), until soft and smooth.
To Freeze: Allow the cakes to cool completely then wrap each layer in plastic wrap and place in a freezer bag. Freeze for up to three months. Fully frosted cake can also be frozen, if covered really well.
More Cake Recipes:
Follow me for more great recipes
Recipe
Hershey Chocolate Cake
Equipment
Ingredients
Chocolate Cake:
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 ¾ cup + 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs , room temperature*
- 1 cup buttermilk*
- 1/2 cup oil (vegetable or canola oil)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup boiling water , or hot coffee
Chocolate Frosting:
- 1/2 cup melted butter
- 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1/3 cup milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F(180°C). Line two 8 inch round baking pans with parchment paper* and then spray lightly with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.
- Dry Ingredients: Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl.
- Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla and mix until well combined. Stir in boiling water (or hot coffee). Batter will be thin. Pour batter into prepared pans.
- Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
- Chocolate Frosting: Combine butter and cocoa powder. Add powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract. Mix for several minutes until smooth and fluffy.
- Assemble: Place one cake layer on serving tray. Spread a generous amount of frosting on top. Add second cake layer. Frost top and sides of cake with remaining frosting. Cut and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
Follow Me
*I originally shared this recipe June 2010. Updated June 2019, April 2021 and April 2023 and February 2025.
The material in this blog post references the trademarked brand “Hershey’s.” The use of this trademark is for informational and editorial purposes only and does not imply sponsorship or endorsement by The Hershey Company.
This is the best chocolate cake recipe I’ve ever made! It’s irresistible and makes my chocolate dreams come true! This recipe is a gem that I will never lose 😍
This is the best chocolate cake and icing I have ever had – my family loved it and keeps asking me to make it again!
This is a keeper! Absolutely delicious, just the right amount of chocolate taste and super easy recipe! Made it for my sister’s birthday and everyone said it was the best chocolate cake they have ever tasted!! WOW!!
Can you use cake flour instead of all purpose flour?
That would work 🙂 Hope you love it!
Recipe I found on the back of the Hershey’s cocoa can and I substitute the milk with buttermilk and coffee for the water the most moiste cake I’ve ever made. My husband loves ir as do the rest of the family and friends. It is so easy to make and so yummy.
I will try your frosting this weekend, it looks really nice! Since doesn’t have too much butter 🙂 i will let you know how it results! Hi from Mexico! 🙂
Hershey’s Choc cake is one of my fav’s! The recipe is on the Hershey Cocoa container for the cake and the frosting! Easy to make and very good!!!
Author : Lauren Allen, thanks a lot for the post.Really thank you! Much obliged.
I have made this cake once before a few years ago. It was my first time making a cake ever and while I it was a bit bumpy at first I managed to get it done. At the time I really did not have a cake turntable and my molds were not a very good kind. They were the spring loaded molds that tended to leak with the watery batter used in this cake. So the finished product did not look very pretty but it tasted good. Fast forward three years and I now have much more experience cooking and baking. I have the turn table and the proper molds purchased that will not load. I am looking forward to making this cake recipe again in the future. It really is a simple recipe but produces a wonderfully rich and chocolaty cake.
Thanks for sharing JC! I agree, it’s such an easy cake and turns out wonderful!
Just made this cake I was surprise how good
and moist was .share with a couple of frids
They too loved it
..Thank You for sharing .
I’m so happy you enjoyed it! Thanks Juana.
Hi! The recipe say that milk is needed in the cake. Is that milk or buttermilk?
Hi Olivia, I use buttermilk, but regular milk would work. Enjoy!
do we need to mix the wet ingredients first by beating eggs well and then adding the dry ingredients like the usual cake recipes ?? or simply mix everything together no need to beat the eggs thoroughly? please reply am confused . i need to make chocolate cake
Mix the dry and wet ingredients together separately first 🙂 . I’ve recently added step-by-step process photos, so I hope they help 🙂 Enjoy!
First time making chocolate cake ever. Could be due to this why it didn’t turn out as well as I had hoped. I found it bland even for chocolate cake and found the need to add something else (I added jam between the layers). But aside from my taste preference I will say that it was a bit drier than expected to the point of being quite crumbly (one of my layers fell apart) which surprised me since it was so thick before adding the water. I don’t know whether it was because I substituted almond milk for regular milk (maybe an extra egg would help?). I am not writing this to be rude. I would just like to let people know what I experienced to try and help. I was quite surprised since every recipe I have followed turns out pretty accurately. But again it could have been the almond milk that affected the texture and taste.
Hi Leo, one of the most common causes of a dry cake is too much flour. When measuring flour gently scoop the flour into your measuring cup and then level it off with a flat spatula or knife. If the flour gets too firmly packed into the measuring cup, or it isn’t leveled off, more could be added then is necessary, causing a dry and crumbly cake.
Over-mixing the batter could also cause a tough and dry cake. When the flour mixture is added to the liquid mixture, gluten begins to form. The more you beat the batter, the more gluten is formed. So be sure not to over-mix the cake batter before pouring it into the cake pans.
You could also double check your oven temperature (calibrate it with a thermometer) to make sure it’s not cooking to “hot”. (Two of my ovens in past homes cooked at hotter temperatures than they said, which can cause problems when baking if you’re not aware of it) 🙂 Hope this helps! Happy baking!
It amazes me how people like you who substitute the ingredients that are called for then wonder why the result was different?