We come back to this classic Chocolate Cake recipe again and again, as our favorite EASY, moist, and delicious chocolate cake. Paired with the decadent 5 ingredient chocolate frosting and you’ve got our favorite homemade chocolate cake recipe!
A great chocolate cake recipe is something everyone needs in their recipe collection (along with a Yellow Cake with Chocolate Frosting of course!). We use this one as the base for fancy variations, like our our popular German Chocolate Cake and Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake.
This moist chocolate cake recipe has become my all-time favorite over the years, and it’s also one of the very first recipes I ever shared here on TBFS, way back in 2010! I think I’ve made hundreds of cakes since then, and this is still my favorite recipe. Thank you Hershey’s!
It’s everything you’d hope for from a homemade chocolate cake; incredibly moist and tender, with a fantastic homemade chocolate frosting. And, did I mention how easy it is to make? Let’s me show you:
How to Make Chocolate Cake:
Mix Dry Ingredients: Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl.
Add Wet Ingredients: Eggs, buttermilk, oil and vanilla and mix until well combined.
Add Boiling Water: Stir to combine (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. Allow cakes to cool in the pan for a few minutes before inverting onto a cooling rack. Cool completely before frosting.
Make Frosting: Combine butter and cocoa powder. Add powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract. Mix for several minutes until smooth and fluffy.
Assemble and Frost: 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. Enjoy the best chocolate cake for birthdays, parties, or anytime!
Pro Tips:
- Use room temperature ingredients, particularly eggs. Eggs at room temperature will emulsify in the batter better, which will also help the cake rise properly. To bring eggs to room temperature quickly, place them in a cup of hot water for a few minutes.
- Use buttermilk (or easily make your own): The original Hershey’s recipe does not use buttermilk, but the buttermilk makes the cake extra moist. Make your own buttermilk by mixing 1 Tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar into 1 scant cup of milk.
- Line the bottom of the cake pans with parchment paper, then spray lightly with cooking spray. You’ll never have to worry about the cake sticking to the pan!
Recipe Variations:
- One Layer Cake: Grease 9×13 inch pan with non-stick cooking spray. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 35 to 40 minutes. Cool completely before frosting.
- Cupcakes: Line a standard cupcake pan with paper liners and fill 2/3 full with batter. Bake cupcakes for 22 to 25 minutes. Cool completely completely before frosting. Makes 24-30 cupcakes
- Bundt Cake: Properly grease and flour the pan and cook the chocolate cake in a 12-cup bundt pan for about 50-55 minutes. Cool for 15 minutes in the pan before inverting onto a wire cooling rack.
- Gluten-Free: substitute Bob’s Redmill Gluten-Free flour at a 1:1 ratio.
- Dairy-Free: substitute Almond milk in both the cake and frosting recipes at a 1:1 ratio.
Make Ahead and Freezing Instructions:
To Make Ahead: The chocolate cake and chocolate frosting can be made ahead of time. Store the homemade chocolate frosting in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to two weeks, or in the freezer for up to three months. Remove the frosting from the fridge about an hour before frosting the cake to allow it to come to room temperature.
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. I like to frost the cake while it’s still frozen, and let it come to room temperature before serving.
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Recipe
Hershey’s “perfectly chocolate” 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
- 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
- Heat oven to 350°F. Line two 8 inch round baking pans with parchment paper and then spray lightly with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.
- 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
-
- One Layer Cake: Grease 9×13 inch pan with non-stick cooking spray. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 35 to 40 minutes. Cool completely before frosting.
-
- Cupcakes: Line a standard cupcake pan with paper liners and fill 2/3 full with batter. Bake cupcakes for 22 to 25 minutes. Cool completely completely before frosting. Makes 24-30 cupcakes
-
- Bundt Cake: Properly grease and flour the pan and cook the chocolate cake in a 12-cup bundt pan for about 50-55 minutes. Cool for 15 minutes in the pan before inverting onto a wire cooling rack.
-
- Gluten-Free: substitute Bob’s Redmill Gluten-Free flour at a 1:1 ratio.
- Dairy-Free: substitute Almond milk in both the cake and frosting recipes at a 1:1 ratio.
Nutrition
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*I originally shared this recipe June 2010. Updated June 2019, April 2021 and April 2023.
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 post contains affiliate links.
Every one loves this cake !!!!!!!!
Easy to make, tasted fantastic! I find chocolate cakes are usually dry. This was wonderfully moist. And the butter cream frosting is to die for!
Excellent! I followed the instructions to a T and he is raving over his Father’s Day Cake. Thank you!!
How much is ONE HALF of 1 3/4 cups. I want to half the recipe for one layer.
Half of 1 3/4 cups would be 3/4 cup plus 2 Tablespoons.
Thanks. I plan to serve one layer with ice cream for three women who claim to be watching their diet. 🙂
For those who don’t have an oven: do you think this one layer can be “baked” in an electric fry pan?
I’m trying this cake for the 1st time
The BEST chocoIately chocolate cake ever! My neighbors always ask for seconds when I share it with them. Thank you, Lauren.
Would cake flour work in this recipe? Love your muffin recipes
Yes you can! The final result may have a slightly different texture but it will substitute well!
I hear refrigerating or freezing the cake prior to frosting will minimize crumbs when frosting the cake. I am reluctant to do this because I am afraid refrigerating or freezing the cake will dry it out. Anyone have comments on this?
I always freeze my cakes before frosting them and they turn out perfect! Just make sure the cakes cool completely, then wrap them really well/tightly in plastic wrap, and place them in a gallon freezer ziplock bag.
Hi! I’m really excited to make this recipe. Is the butter called for supposed to be salted or unsalted butter? Thanks.
I make this perfectly chocolate cake all the time. Everyone asks for this cake for their birthdays or any other occasion. I use salted butter in the icing recipe. Also, I use the original recipe that’s located on the back of the Hershey’s cocoa box. this recipe is slightly different in that it uses buttermilk and adds a little extra flour, you won’t be disappointed with this recipe!
Absolutely delicious!! I have no need to
continue my search for the best chocolate cake recipe ,cause this is it! I did add some cake flour in place of some of the flour required and that may have made it a little too moist. But still phenomenal.
Absolutely the best! I’m not a chocolate lover, but I ate 2 pieces of this perfect cake…the crumb, the moistness, the amount of chocolate was right on the mark..will definitely make again…
LOVE this recipe! It’s always my go-to! QUESTION: am thinking of adding a dash of peppermint extract to the batter and topping with crushed candy cans…..anyone ever try this?
Lauren, I’m getting ready to make this cake today. My first time baking a cake from scratch in honor of my mother who passed away last year (she was an amazing baker/cook). Can I use Hershey’s Special Dark Cacao instead (love dark chocolate)? Have you ever used it? Thank you!!!
Yes, that’s fine!
Hi, I am unclear on how many 9X13 pans this makes since you reference cake layers…. If the setting is at 1X do I get 2 pans so I can assemble a 2 tier cake ?
This recipe will make a two layer round cake, using 8 or 9 inch baking pans, OR one 9x13in single layer cake.
I am trying this recipe today and as of now my cake is in oven, lets hope it comes out like its said in the recipe..
This was terrible! Followed the directions and got pudding. No where near cake….filled two pans to 3/4 and when it was done they were less than 1/2 inch liquid.
Most icing recipes call for unsalted butter to control the salt content. You can add salt as-needed to offset the sweetness by taste. However, I’ve personally used both salted and unsalted and only noticed a slight difference. Both work great IMO.
I have made the Hershey Cocoa chocolate cake several times and have baked it in a 9 x13 pan. It seems that the center of the cake sinks and outer edges seem to get done before that center. Can you suggest any modifications? The cake is still very tasty, and the center pieces just get more icing!
Your oven temp may be off, that’s common. Invest in an oven thermometer and check the temp against the temp you set it at.
herseys chocolate cake is this best cake yet and I have a chocolate loving family. They know the difference from herseys and others I have baked. One thing I tryed was because I was told a bold flavored hot cup of coffee instead of hot water will intensify the flavor. WOW, it did!!! I used a cup of folgers Noir instant coffee, extra strong, instead of water and BOOM!!! everyone loved it. A good deep chocolate flavor
A great cake to make, very delicious and moist!
Recipe is a bomb. Everyone loves it every time I bake it. I cover it in handmade chocolate fudge instead of frosting and results just decadent.
Only problem is that it ALWAYS falls in the middle … what am I missing?
Hi Brenda, this could be due to your altitude (if you’re at higher altitude try reducing the sugar a bit, remove 1/4 teaspoon of baking powder or soda, and add 1-2 tablespoons flour). Could also be due to over-mixing the cake batter, expired leavening agents, opening the oven during baking, or underbaking the cake. Hope that helps!
Thanks for the tips Lauren! Will give a try soon and hopefully will not fall 🙂
I’ve been making this cake for many years for my grandkids’ birthdays. Even before it became “Hershey’s”. But lately, I’ve had trouble with it “falling”. Then it gets nasty inside.
Just noticed the comment on eggs. I don’t think I’ve ever used room temp eggs, so I’ll try that, and I just noticed the 2 extra tablespoons flour, which I’ve never done.
Any other suggestions/comments on the falling issue?
**If you haven’t, try Hershey’s Special Dark cocoa in both cake and icing. Even better.
I had two separate friends (both in their 60’s and 70’s) tell me that this was the best cake they’d ever had! The big difference is the cup of boiling water added at the end. It makes it super moist and incredibly good!
Perfect recipe! I was searching for a delicious chocolate recipe and this popped up, and it was absolutely delicious! It disappeared quickly in our house. Loved it, thank you!
Great recipe! I don’t normally have fresh buttermilk on hand so I bought powdered buttermilk. It works fine reconstituted for this recipe. The cup of coffee really adds to the flavor. I’m terrible at baking and cake is definitely a weakness. This is the first recipe, which I’ve used twice now, that has ever turned out for me. I highly recommend it.
We loved the cake but the icing was pretty sweet. Is there anything I can do to tone it down?
I add a little salt.
Love this recipe. I make it in a Bundt pan. Don’t wait for a special occasion!
Absolutely amazing!! I made this to bring to a friend’s birthday party and it was a hit! Everyone enjoyed it. The cake was moist and flavorful yet not overly sweet at the same which was perfect. For the ingredients, I used coffee instead of boiling water. Also, I did have to bake mine for more than 30-35 minutes. It actually took closer to an hour. Otherwise, this cake was delicious and I will definitely be making it again!
I’ve made the cake! If. I want to assemble it in a couple days. Should I wrap the cakes in plastic wrap and put them in the refrigerator?
I would store them in the freezer!
Awesome recipe! I used the exact measurements on the frosting and it came out perfect! I got a little scared when I dumped all the powdered sugar into the butter and coco mix.. when I used my mixer it all came together beautifully!
It really is that good!! I used Hersheys dark cocoa powder for both cake and frosting-divine!!!!
Love this recipe! Thank you Lauren! This is the first chocolate scratch cake recipe I have made, and I love it with the buttermilk. I made it before with your frosting recipe and it was wonderful. This time though I’m making a frosting that I have made before that I call Shattered Chocolate Whipped Cream. I melt about a cup of semi-chocolate chips, and cool them slightly, then I whip the whipping cream until fluffy and add a teaspoon of vanilla, and then gently whip in the melted and slightly cooled chocolate chips, and the chocolate shatters and makes it like a chocolate chip whipping cream. I don’t add any sugar because the chocolate chips make it plenty sweet, and then instead of a two layer I bake it in three 8″ cake pans for about 21 minutes and then put chocolate pudding between each later. I also do as you suggest and put parchment paper on the bottom of my cake pans. Of course, now this cake requires refrigeration. Today is my 44th wedding anniversary and this is for my husband. He is the chocolate king:) He said he can smell the cake baking and can’t wait to have some. Thank you again!
The cake is good. I’ve made it before. I lost the original recipe and this is what I found like it. The only problem I have with it is that I put it in a Bundt pan. I should have known it was too much batter for the pan. It overflowed the pan into my oven. I even put it on a baking sheet. Please put a reminder on your site to make sure of pan size to batter ratio. Hopefully no one else will have to clean their oven. JRB
i made this cake once before.
it came out moist and easy to decorate.
i will always use this recipe.
thank you for sharing.
I am hooked.
Made this cake for my wife who suffers from MS (Multiple Sclerosis). We follow a strict diet and I was able to very easily adapt the recipe to buckwheat, Physillium husk, butter from cashews, heavy coconut cream, an using smaller amounts of sugar. Turned out absolutely amazing
Made this cake for my son’s Birthday. Very moist a keeper for sure. Son requested I make it again.
Very moist and delicious recipe!! My favorite chocolate recipe now.
Made this as a bundt cake, took the coffee option and as it’s a super delicate crumb and was afraid a thick frosting would pull it up, frosted using this recipe but only added 3/4 to 1 cup powdered sugar and was loose enough to pour/spread over cake. Absolutely delicious! Definitely a keeper.
Very Good Chocolate Cake Recipe
I have been making this recipe for many years, my family all loves every bite.
My grandmother had always made this recipe & it is the best in the world. One of my kids has an egg allergy so I use a plant based egg called Just Eggs. It really is great for baking. My banana bread is delicious & there is no taste difference. My cakes with this recipe are always super moist. What can I do. My cupcakes fall in the middle.
Hi, has any of you made this cake without cocoa powder? If so did you just skip this ingredient or replace it with something? I have made this cake before accordingly to the recepie and its deliciuos and more moist that regular sponge cake that is usually used as a base of birthday cakes. Unfortunately my kid is allergic to cocoa 🙁
The Hershey Company posted this about turning this cake into a yellow/vanilla cake:
That is an intriguing idea, but wouldn’t be as simple as taking out the cocoa. You would first need to decrease the sugar since you don’t need to sweeten the cocoa which also means you need to change other ingredients with a lot of trial and error. . . . We also suggest that you visit Southern Living web site for a good vanilla cake recipe. They have some iconic vanilla cakes that we’re sure are wonderful.
This cake is decadent, bursting with chocolate flavour, and so moist. I doubled the frosting amount because I wanted to pipe some flowers on top of the cake – I am practicing my piping skills. The cake presents beautifully!
This is a delicious recipe and my go to whenever I make a chocolate cake. I make it in a 9×13” pan only because it’s easier. It will not disappoint you.
I have made this recipe for a very long time. My daughters always wanted this cake for their birthdays 30+ years ago. Moist, full of flavor never failed
Excellent recipe. I have made it many times. Thanks 🙏🏻
I’ve made this recipe many times. Everyone loves it at dinners, potlucks. Only my sister and her daughter didn’t like it. They said it was to “chocolaty” and sweet. No one else ever said that. Today at a dinner one husband ate all my baked goods and this cake, he thought I got the cake from bakery, he said it was the best cake he ever had and he is 70.
Can I use self rising flour?
It should work just fine. Simply, omit the baking powder and salt from the recipe – it’s already in your self-rising flour!
That cake was the bomb. Perfect Chocolate flavor. Extremely moist. Not too sweet. Not difficult to make
It looks 👌 😍 delish 😋 😍 tasty and good looking 😋 👌
I have tried making this cake with buttermilk twice and it literally flopped and spilled over onto the floor of my oven! Which I then had to clean before making a box cake for the birthday!
As a cake, this may be fine. But this absolutely does not work for cupcakes. I had to redo them because the first time the flattened out so badly, they wouldn’t come off of the pan. The second time was even worse. Tried different ingredients today and it went somewhat better but there is no rise at all.
Thanks for posting Kelly! I had the same experience today. I followed the recipe exactly. The cupcakes took about 10-15 more minutes in the oven to bake (32-40 minutes total). Once cooled, they collapsed. I just sampled one and it’s borderline cake texture…more like bread pudding texture. Disappointing.
I’ve made this many times. Good staple recipe. The cupcakes texture is fine but some bottoms stuck to the pan. I would highly recommend cupcake liners. Otherwise mine were fine.
Big nope from me and my family. I followed this recipe to the letter and everyone was disappointed. It had a good consistency but the flavor was boring. Not nearly sweet enough. I bloomed the cocoa in coffee even and the bitterness was still there. I guess the search continues for the best chocolate cake as this definitely isn’t it!
Actually, Hershey’s Perfectly Chocolate Cake Recipe and Ina’s Beatty’s Chocolate Cake recipe put side by side are almost identical. The only differences being the amounts of baking soda and baking powder and the option of buttermilk or milk and hot coffee or hot water.
Hi i was thinking if its possible to turn this into vinalla cake
Not without some big adjustments. Here’s my recipe for yellow cake https://tastesbetterfromscratch.com/yellow-cake/
I saw this recipe yesterday so when I got home last night I made it. Such a delicious cake!! I did add a little extra powdered sugar to the frosting because it was bitter and a little thin. My cake also fell in the oven so that was a bit upsetting,(I had decided to go with the 13 x 9 pan instead of doing a layer cake) but it was still such a great tasting cake!!! Thank you for the recipe!
Do we have to beat the ingredients of frosting with an electric beater, or just use a whisker?
I use a hand mixer but you can do it by hand. It may take a little more time!
Have you ever used hot coffee in place of the boiling water??
That tastes AMAZING too!
Excellent recipe and cake
This is an amazingly good and moist chocolate cake. Usually cakes from scratch are heavy, dense and a little dry…Not this one! It was better than a mix and everyone loved it! I baked it in a 13×9 pan for about 25 minutes and made a rocky road frosting! It is now our favorite cake!
Love your receipes I’m very anxious to try this weekend
hi Lauren if I wanted to make this as a 2 layer 7″ cake can you pls help me to adjust the cake ingredients accordingly
thanks
I would make it as written, and use the small amount of remaining batter to make a few cupcakes.
I was nervous as I made this for my sons birthday and didn’t try it before serving to guests —it was an absolute hit. I’m so grateful for this delicious recipe. Will be making every year now. I followed the recipe exactly.
1st time making this cake and frosting. Very chocolatey and a very moist cake – a definite keeper. Thank you! No need to look further! All 5 of us were satisfied.
Loved this cake! Best chocolate cake I have ever done. I filled mine with coconut custard and it was really good. I also did the recipe with 1 cup less sugar and it was good too
I had made the haershey’s chocolate cake for my niece’s wedding cake and it came out perfect- GREAT- that was 3 years ago.. today I wanted to use the recipe to make mini chocolate cupcakes… a huge disaster… should I not have used cake flour- I do know I filled them too full- my bad- but they didn’t really rise and wasn’t sure of the baking time for mini sized cupcakes- what went wrong- they were a horrible mess and just threw them away- so besides my error of filling them too much – why didn’t they seem to bake in the center??? Please help- I need these by Sat!
I may just resort to to buying and making boxed ones..
Hi Beth, for mini cupcakes, don’t fill them more than 1/2 full. Baking time will be only 10-14 minutes.
I am not an experienced baker. Will it ruin the cake if I use only 1 1/2 cups of sugar? I like my cakes and cookies a little less sweet.
I would recommend to use a half cup less o f sugar, and increase 1 egg
One of my favorites. This cake is simple to make but moist and delicious!
I have tried this cake and others. In my opinion, Ina Gartens chocolate cake is superior to all of them.
The recipes are almost identical and sooo delicious. Just a few minor tweaks with the amts. And Ina uses coffee but says you can also just use boiling water. I have also used melted butter instead of oil a few times. Still turns out perfectly.
I know everyone says one can’t taste the coffee, but my friends and family noticed and always ask what’s that taste no matter how little espresso powder I use. It is a moist yummy and easy recipe to follow. It even worked out when I left it in the oven after my electricity went out in the last 10 minutes of baking time. Was still perfect. Just follow the measurements and method accurately. I’ve always read that cooking is an art but baking is a science!
Hi, I have a question. I’ve made this cake before and it’s absolutely delicious, but this time I want to put the batter into 2, 4inch cake pans. How long would you say for bake time? Thanks so much!
Instead of using boiling water. Use hot black coffee. It gives the Cake that little something extra.
I love the chocolate cake. Your recipe seems very good. I always have no creams myself. When I was making different chocolate cakes, I came to the conclusion that it was good to combine two recipes for different cakes. Here I described it (it is in Polish) https://totemat.pl/jak-zrobic-ciasto-czekoladowe-murzynek- Szybki-i-smaczny-przepis/ that is combining zebra recipe and chocolate cake into one. Your cake looks so much nicer.
This was the first recipe I came to on Google so I used it. It made a mess in my oven because it overflowed the 9×13 pan. Also, it didn’t really cook through despite leaving it in for the required amount of time. Frosting was good though.
I love this recipe!
I love this recipe! It always comes out perfect and moist. The only thing is it’s a bit tricky to frost because of the stickiness and moistness of it. I usually chill it and do a crumb coat and that really helps if you come across the same issue!
Hello. I really want to try this recipe but I do not know the oven temperature and time for 2 9inch round pans. Please help! Thanks 🙂
I would start checking at 20 minutes!
Looks like an easy cake to make from scratch. Thank you Lauren!!
I have made this recipe since my kids were little.
I’m not a chocolate eater but, this cake is amazing. I love it and I have never had it turn out but good. Making one today to take to Church tonight for our dinner and movie night.
I am Gluten Free, and was wondering if gluten free flour would work with this recipe? I use King Arthur 1:1 Measure flour.
It turned out to be a pudding mire than cake. Still tasted good though.
Great recipe! Used Cocoa Berry extra brute cocoa. Absolutely fantastic!
Make sure that your 8 inch cake pans are deep, my cakes overflowed the pans and made a mess in my oven. If you do not have deep pans I would suggest 9 inch layers.
This my favorite recipe. 5 stars because it’s tasty and I appreciate the radial button calculator to double the recipe. 🙂
Exactly what I was thinking 🙂
I doubt that I’ll make this recipe again. I made mine as cupcakes, and was leery of how they’d turn out with such thin batter. I was suspicious there’d be “craters” in the centers, and that is exactly what happened. My ingredients are fine. I had baked other things this morning. The oven temperature is true. The outcome is not because of anything I did. It’s the recipe. They smell good, and I’ll be able to hide the flaw with frosting, but I will keep looking for a cake with a real “batter” rather than a thin mixture.
try making the cake in 9 by 13 pan to see how it turns out. my mom have a recipe thats thin batter and turns out all the time. I made this cake and its good but never tried cupcakes or round cake just 9 by 13 cake
My kids did the recipe seeing the video. They reduced the amount of sugar to 2 cups in frosting. Too good and came perfectly. Thanks so much. Was scared if they would get it right.
Can’t wait to try.looks yummy.
Definitely one of the best Chocolate Cakes I’ve tried, the flavor is spectacular, my husband loves it, especially with a white chocolate mousse filling and chocolate ganache, will be making it for a long time to come.
I sifted the flour is that the reason is sunk in the middle. I used a different cocoa and chocolate powder.
My family and I love this cake. I’ve made it 4x now and get tons of great feedback. However, the last 2x, the cake has come out crumbly and I can’t figure out why. Any suggestions?
Best chocolate cake i have ever made.. full proof recipe… i put strawberries too..
This is the best chocolate cake, very moist and easy to make. I always make an ice cream cake with is, just slice one layer in half add ice cream and frost with cool whip, put in the freezer for a few hours and enjoy.
i made this cake, but it turned out very thin. (i made two layers)
Hello! I am planning to make this for my moms 60th! (it looks amazing and easy!) just one question – does the recipe make enough for two layers? or i do mix all those ingredients twice to make the stacked cake?? Thanks!
It’s enough for 2 layers!
Dear Paige.
Mom always made The Hershey Chocolate Cake. She passed away in 1993. I still want my chocolate birthday cake. I have the very pans that she used. The way she made it is like this…
After the cake has cooled torte the layers (cut them in half). Make a double amount of frosting that is on the Hershey can. Do this while the cake is baking. Frost the layers with frosting then add fresh made whipped cream. Use the reminder of the whipped cream on the side of the cake. Then put it in the refrigerator for at least a couple of hours to let it setup. I can send you pictures of the cake if you wish.
One tip I discovered on my last cake is this. Sift the flour then spoon it into your measuring cup. Also use hot black coffee instead of hot water. It give it an extra flavor. Enjoy your cake and eat it too.
Instead of using plain hot water do you think hot cocoa would work ??
Sure, but you may want to cut back on some of the sugar in the cake.
It should be fine, but cut back on the milk. This recipe runs way too thin and craters form in the cakes.
That could work Claudia. I use hot black coffee. That works for me.
I made this today for my daughters birthday. Haven’t cut it yet. Added strawberries around and on top. Where do you suggest storing it? Counter? Fridge? Thank you!
Hot coffee instead of hot water sounds intriguing !! I’m curious if you can actually taste the coffee once cooked? Like a chocolate-coffee combo?
No, you don’t taste the coffee.
Hi,
I’d like to make a 6inch (2 pans) cake for my sisters birthday. Do you have the recipe for that?
If it were me, I’d use this recipe, fill the inch pans, and use the little bit of extra batter to make cupcakes.
This has to be the least time consuming and easiest cake and frosting I have ever made. My family loves frosting so I doubled it. It turned out beautifully and moist and delicious!!
This is my GO TO chocolate cake and it is perfect every time. I bake at 325 for a flatter top. Today I made GF cupcakes and the batter was super thick….did I do something wrong? Or is it supposed to be thick with GF flour?
Hello! What can I use as a substitute if I don’t have any vegetable or canola oil at home?
Melted butter or applesauce.
Awesome Recipe!👍
This is my favorite chocolate cake recipe! This is my go to recipe for birthdays because it’s always a huge hit with kids and adults alike. My kids love when I make this as cupcakes. I’ve made this as a 2 tier cake, cupcakes and as a Bundt cake. I’m a horrible baker but every time I’ve made this recipe it turns out perfect! I’ll never make a boxed chocolate cake again 🙂
What size pans did you use for a double layer cake?
I have made this cake several times since I found this recipe and it never let me down. It’s a huge hit at my house. I am not a fan of cakes that come out dense & I have tasted a more than my share in family gathering. I was so happy when I found this recipe. Just what I was looking for. I have even changed out the flavor for strawberry. My family loved it. Thanks
Best chocolate cake I’ve ever made. Thank you!
I made this cake for my husband’s birthday. The recipe was so easy. The cake was so moist, he ate 2 pieces as soon as I finished preparing it.
This recipe is a keeper!
Best chocolate cake ever and so easy to make. My son makes it all the time. After sharing with all the family it isn’t muck left for mom. Very good!!! Delicious!!!
My daughter in law made this cake
And it was the best chocolate cake I have ever had. Fabulous!
This is the BEST CAKE EVER I was also suspicious with the water but it turned out PERFECT AND DELICOUS last time I used an organic chocolate coconut canned frosting this time I’m using the original. Question: will the frosting work with half the amount of sugar and instead of powders granulated sugar?
So I make this cake all the time and it’s great. But I noticed how thick it is before water is added and it looks like brownie batter. If I were to bake without adding the water would brownies come out or would it be some yucky thing?
This is almost identical to the recipe on the can of cocoa. I made it 40 years ago when I was a teenage. Made it for my mothers birthday back in the early seventies. There is nothing wrong with the recipe.The person who said they threw it away must have made a mistake.
Oh my goodness… this cake was soooo good. I made it for my mom’s birthday and turned it into an ice cream cake. It was absolutely delicious, probably my favorite cake ever.
What a recipe.This cake is so unstable it’s almost impossible to frost.I think the cup of coffee in the batter is a bad idea.Threw mine out!
Did you follow all instructions?
Mine was perfect. Easy to make. Easy to frost. Just easy. And tasty too!
This was such an easy cake! My husband and I are gluten free and only organic dairy, so I used GF flour and all organic dairy and homemade buttermilk and it still turned out great! Thanks for the recipe!
This is one of the easiest cakes that I have ever made. I was a little leery about putting one cup of boiling water into the cake batter. You were right, the batter was very runny and I was concerned the cake would not bake properly. Well to my surprise, the cake came out perfectly from the oven. The icing was so easy to make and it was jut the right amount to put on the cake. The dessert was the hit of the party. It was so moist, light, and chocolatey tasting. One of the grand kids asked, ” And this cake was not made from a box?” Go figure. Making a cake from scratch is so much healthier than a cake mix (no additives and words you cannot pronounce). From now on, this will be my go to chocolate cake recipe – excellent.
Absolutely Delicious,a recipe to make again and again.I made a 9×13 today and it came out perfect.I used dark Hershey’s cocoa and loved it.I will try milk chocolate next and I did use one cup of coffee.
How long did you bake for in a 9×13 pan?
I worked side by side with my mom to make this cake as a child (I am 80 years old). It is still the best chocolate cake I ever made. I agree with one other comment, you never did publish the recipe. It sounds close enough to my recipe to call it a match – been looking for the exact measurements for years!
Merna, this is the recipe on the back of the Hersheys cocoa can with this difference: the can calls for milk, this recipe uses buttermilk. (I personally make it with sour cream instead of milk.)1
Really delicious and so easy to make! Recipe is so forgiving, and the cake was perfect! I followed your instructions.
Did not even need a mixer for the batter. But I did use a hand blender for the icing. I did use hot coffee in the batter and I think it really made a big difference in the taste. Thanks for the recipe – THIS IS A KEEPER!
I made the 2-layer cake yesterday and it is absolutely fab. I really like the changes you made to the Hershey’s recipe. The only thing is that my cake has a dome shape and I’d like it to look flat like yours. I did stack the 2 flat bottoms together as you suggested. Will adjusting the oven temperature a bit lower help? Any tips? I’d like to avoid cutting the cake top off if possible. Just wondering how you achieved the flat layers.
Look into purchasing bake-even strips made by Wilton. They get rid of the dome problem.
Ive found that this cake is even better with chocolate cream cheese frosting. Yummmm
I live at a high altitude. I have no idea how to make adjustments to the recipe or if any are necessary. Can you help?
Add 2 Tablespoon extra flour!
I didn’t have buttermilk but had some sour cream to get rid of. I used 1/2 milk and 1/2 sour cream. It turned out wonderfully rich.
Fabulous! I just made 6 cakes for a Puppy Cake for the granddaughter’s birthday. I taste tested this on 12 neighbors in advance-ratings went through the roof! My favorite comment was that it tasted like a brownie from heaven (comment from a 12 y o boy!). I can’t wait for the birthday party on Saturday! Thanks a LOT!
This recipe is amazing!!! If you can add the coffee it definitely brings out that chocolate!
I agree my family is Christian and we hate coffee and every 32 other recipes have coffee.
So I love this recipe and it is soooooooooooooo good!
How to double this recipe?
BEST. CAKE. EVER!! This will forever be the chocolate cake recipe I use. It’s perfectly moist, and frosting is amazing, and it turns out perfectly every time. A total winner!
I made cupcakes for a birthday treat for my kennel club using this recipe and it turned out so delicious! My frosting was a little thick so I added more milk. Question…..I’m really not much of a baker…..it seemed like the cupcake liners were sticking to the cupcakes more than they should. Is there a specific reason for this?
Thanks for a great recipe!
Very good recipe I loved it very moist
I have been married 49 years and have been making this recipe almost as long, but haven’t made it in some time! It is delicious. I do suggest adding the coffee instead of the water, or at least making a half water, half coffee mix for the liquid in this cake. Somehow the coffee, which you do not taste, makes the chocolate flavor stronger and richer. Thanks for posting this and jarring my memory. Now I will make it again.
How would I adapt this recipe for a high altitude? It sounds delicious!
Add 2 tablespoons extra flour!
Wonderful recipe. Cake turned out amazing. Thank you!
The tastiest chocolate cake definitely . I melted the butter for the frosting and its dark in colour . Very moist and delicious .Thank you for sharing the recipe😀👍
FYI, your recipe for “buttermilk” actually makes sourced milk. An ok substitute, but this is not buttermilk!
I made this cake last night. It is sticky. Yum
Frosted this morning for the family.
It’s not a recipe for buttermilk, merely aption for a substitute :).
Nice recipe.
Hands down one of the best and easiest cakes. Tastes delicious and its super moist. I substituted the hot water for coffee and it turned out great! Definitely a household favorite
Easy recipe and cake turned out well! I used hot coffee instead of hot water for extra flavor (doesn’t make it taste like coffee). I might add less sugar next time. Also didn’t use this chocolate frosting recipe
Cake baked so easily. Smells wonderful. My granddaughter asked for chocolate cake for her birthday. She is three today! Thanks for sharing your tips and recipes
Ive been making this cake for, probably, 30 years! That is a testament to how delish it is! But the original recipe which, I just pulled from my recipe box, is the original label off the Hershey’s cocoa container and it originally called for regular milk. Interesting! And the original frosting recipe, allows you to adapt the depth of chocolate flavor by adding either 1/4, 1/3, or 1/2 cup cocoa. It could even be 1/3, 1/2 or 3/4 cup. I love that you can adapt this recipe! I’ve always made it with regular milk but I’ll definitely be making it work buttermilk, next time! It really is the best cake and I was so excited to see that you posted it!
Love this cake recipe. I use chocolate ganache frosting
Too and it is also good that way.
Never fails, always perfect! My family asks for this cake time and time again. Thank you for sharing!
Can I make this with cake flour?
I have made it with cake flour and it is the best by far chocolate homemade cake I have ever. Made or eaten
So good! I made it for my partner but mostly ate it myself ! Great recipe!
Wonderful and easy
Making a chiefs cake for the super bowl! Amazing recipe and have used it many times.
Best chocolate cake ever! Easy to make and absolutwly delicious!
My mother has made this cake recipe forever. All my siblings make it now..It is the best chocolate cake recipe ever. Use a good vegetable oil preferably crisco oil.
C Waldman, MA
I found it too liquidity and cake pan over flowed. Needed instructions on size of round pans to be 9″ and timing 40 minutes. Not as chocolatey as I had hoped.
Love, love, LOVE this cake! Always my goto if I have to make a cake for a friend who “Likes all types of cake”.
This cake is pure-WOW!!!
It’s made for birthday’so, or a Tuesday, Wednesday,
Thursday lol. In other words- YUMMY!!
Excellent cake
I have made this cake about 15 times. I have also used this recipe to make a 13×9 version and also cupcakes. The only time it fell apart was because “I” took it out of my pan tooooo early and it broke apart. Best tasting chocolate cake I have ever made!!!!!!!!!!
Hi! I would like to make this cake 1 layer and use a 10 inch cake pan. Do I need to modify ingredients and baking time? I am using fondant on top and dont feel comfortable doing 2 layers. Thank you!
No, Amanda. I did without modifying anything. Good luck baking!
Outstanding!!!
The directions were clear, and when followed to a T, resulted in a very moist, flavorful, and not overpoweringly sweet cake. Thanks
It tastes good but the cake completely fell apart! I let it cool completely like normal and everything but it still happened… I’m a baker and honestly I haven’t experienced a cake just falling apart before 🙁
Marie, your obviously not a baker ! You can’t follow a simple recipe. My cake came out Amazing in all respects ! If this fell apart on you, I can’t imagine the the rest of your Cooking: Baking !
Do you enjoy talking down to people? Does it make you feel all good inside to be a complete BUTT hole?
THANK YOU for calling out those too rude to be on the internet!😉
Marie,
Ignore miserable comments like his!!
Clearly, his issue is right there in the first 3 letters of his name •LES! I’m betting right now he’s realizing he’s LESS superior than a woman! 😂
Best chocolate cake ever! So moist and so chocolatey!
Absolutely delicious! I will never make a boxed chocolate cake again. The cake was moist and dense. The frosting was rich and creamy. I made it exactly as written. We all loved it!
The Best and Easiest Chocolate Cake Ever ‼️
How long to bake for 8 inch pans?
My daughter wanted a homemade cake for her birthday, so I decided to try a few chocolate cake recipes. This was the first recipe I tried and let me tell you, she cried tears of delishiness on her first bite.
I’ve never made a cake and frosting from scratch before. This was ridiculously simple, and was delicious – moist and flavorful!
Best chocolate cake I’ve ever eaten! And not difficult to make. I’ll never buy a mix again.
Excellent recipe, easy and delicious….
Best chocolate cake ever! Be sure to grease pans well.
Will this cake hold up as a 9×13 turned into a surface to be frosted and decorated?
I made the cupcakes for my daughter’s birthday last December. She loved it so much that she’s asked me to make it again this year. My question is, do you have a good classic white icing recipe? She doesn’t want chocolate this time. Thank you!
This is one of the best cakes i have ever had. I am waiting to taste more Harshey’s Recipes. I have made this cake twice, Well what are you waiting for try this mouth watering cake, Hear from you soon, BYE.
Hey, Bruce. Metric weights for liquids were spot on for me (checked site on 11/29/2020). Liquid VOLUME would be ml as you mention, but in WEIGHT, the metric measurents in grams added up to a great cake.
Just wanted to let you know your metric conversions are very wrong in regards to the liquids. Liquids generally measured in ml. I am glad I checked this before baking. The dry ingredients convert well but not the liquids.
Hello,
Would Hershey’s Special Dark cocoa taste as good as the regular cocoa in this recipe?
Thank you,
Stephanie
Sure, it would be delicious.
Best chocolate cake i have ever made.
Great receipe. Loved the frosting which was rich and creamy. I did melt the butter beforehand as suggested. Will use this icing for other recipes
My family loved it It is very moist and light tasting . My sons ate almost the entire cake in 3 days . So it was a hit !!
A very chocolate chocolate, moist cake. Perfect for chocolate loving friends. I used the frosting recipe but sprinkled Ghirardelli chips on top. No complaints from the seven people indulging, only moans!
Do you use the normal stick in a cake tester or tooth pick and if comes out clean it is done baking?
I use a toothpick–if it comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs it is most likely done. Also “look” at it and make sure the top doesn’t look shiny or dough and touch it lightly on top to see if it feels springy.
Delicious cake! My family loves it. Do you store the cake in the fridge after making it?
Hiya, I’ve made this cake a numerous amount of times and it is delicious, but what I would like to know is “Is it a good cake to stack? I want to make it as a topsy turvy cake.
Anyone every tried this?
Yes, it works for stacking.
I have a desire to make this cake at my home. It looks delightful and yummy. Thanks a lot for sharing such an amazing recipe.
Very yummy. I used cacao powder because that is what I had on hand. Very moist. I also made 1/2 frosting recipe because I only had that much powdered sugar and I figured that was plenty. It was totally enough for my 9 x 13 pan.
I had some old cake mixes around that I decided to throw away because I didn’t want to risk a flat bday cake and after making a cake from scratch again I don’t know why anybody really buys cake mixes. Lol
I just made this for my mother’s Birthday cake. I topped mine with a coconut pecan topping and it was a hit! I should have baked 2 cakes! I will use this recipe again and again!
Coconut Pecan Topping
Cook and stir for 12 minutes until thick (I doubled this recipe to accommodate a 9×13 pan)
3egg yolks
1cup granulated sugar or packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
1 cup evaporated milk (from 12-oz can)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/3 cups flaked coconut
1 cup chopped pecans
The cake is great but the frosting is too sweet. A cream-cheese-based frosting would be preferable.
i agree the frositing was not my favorite i would prepher a glaze
This cake was perfect. My first truly from scratch cake. The frosting tastes great but I am looking for a recipe for frosting that hardens alittle. It tastes like candy. Any suggestions?
Big thanks for the wonderful recipe. Today I made this cake for third time. First two times, it came out so perfect. Today I followed the video and skipped the oil, Just like the video does. Guess what happened? The outcome was a chewy thin cake. I just wanted to mention it so that nobody make the mistake I made.
Thanks again
Excellent recipe. Made this for my husband’s birthday. Substituted coffee for hot water. Will make this again. Really rich moist cake…
Hi I’ve made this cake twice now and both times I received so many compliments my guests were surprised it was homemade!
Second time making this recipie and got so many compliments one said it was the bomb. So will probably be my go to cake.
Absolutely delicious!!! Oh my family love this cake. When there is a chocolate craving in the house, this is my go to. Thanks so much for the recipe.
Absolutely delicious! Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Hello Lauren, I know this is a Hershey’s recipe and we do have Hershey’s Unsweetened Cocoa Powder always in our pantry, but I did this recipe using another unsweetened powder – is that okay? It was really good – thank you!
Yes, that’s fine!
The BEST chocolate cake in the world!!!
This is by far the best Cake i have made. My Husband gave me a 10 star on it and if could give you a 10 i would.I did use coffee instead of water for extra flavor.It was a delicious and moist cake.
I’ve made this with many times with 1 cup of hot coffee instead of the boiling water. Coffee intensifies the chocolate flavor without giving it a mocha taste. The buttermilk is the secret ingredient for a nice moist cake. This is a keeper for sure!
I will definitely use hot coffee for the hot water next time (in addition to my coffee extract for the vanilla). Also, I just finished the last cupcake, stored in fridge with just a bit of wax paper over it — still fresh and moist four days later, to my surprise!
Sorry, forgot to give rating. Five stars for sure! So simple yet so delicious. Also, I use a baking scale and went by a cup of flour weighing 4.2 oz., a cup of sugar about 6.7 oz, cocoa about 2 1/4 oz.
I just made them as cupcakes for a friend’s birthday instead of my normal recipe as I needed to use up some buttermilk. Turned out very moist, fluffy, and delicious! I used coffee extract instead of vanilla. Yum! Thank you.
I’ve never made cake with boiling water before but it turned out perfect. The texture is different then traditional cake but i loved it! Taste like the moistest brownie cake ever!
My cake sunk in the middle of a 9 by 13 pan. What did I do wrong?
There are a lot of factors to consider here! Check out this resource for help.
Love this recipe! The best chocolate cake
I forgot to add I wanted to know how you could alter the recipe to use for 10 inch pans to make a layer cake for a larger group of people
I loved the pure taste of chocolate goodness, truly immaculate… it made me senses tingle gloriously :D. I heartily recommend- 20/10 for all you tingle-lovers.
Did you make it as a layer cake? If so, how did you alter the baking?
LOVE, love, love this recipe! I have made it several times and it is always perfect! Only thing I change is using hot coffee for the boiling water! Thank you for making homemade so easy!!!
Hi! I LOVE this cake and just made your yellow cake which I like but is slightly more dense (delicious)! But just not as spongy as this. Is it possible to make this cake and omit the chocolate to add more vanilla and make it a vanilla Cale? Truly so impressed with this recipe!
you can blend granulated sugar to turn it into powdered sugar
This is the absolute best chocolate cake I have ever had. It is moist, very chocolatey, and easy to make. Thank you for this recipe.
I have a question!!!! Can I make a 2 layer cake with this batter? I have two 9×1.5 inch pans.
This is the second time I’ve followed this recipe and both times, they were the best chocolate cakes I’ve ever made! Thank you for great recipe and all the tips! Things like bringing my eggs to room temperature and sifting certain ingredients have really polished my cakes. Today I used a bundt pan, and it came out perfect at 50 minutes. My only modification for the cake is I used a cup of boiling hazelnut coffee instead of boiling water. And for the frosting, I subbed the more coffee and 1/2 & 1/2 for the milk plus I added 3 oz of cream cheese and a dash of pure almond extract- superb!
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!!
I love this cake! Do you have a white frosting for this cake that’s just as good as the chocolate frosting?
Fantastic recipe!
Super simple and fool proof. Made it for my daughter’s birthday and it was loved by all:)!
Definitely saving this for the future .!:)
As I don’t have an oven in this home, I used a microwave to bake this. I chose to use half the amounts mentioned in the recipe. After mixing the batter I poured into a round pyrex dish (microwave proof) and baked it on high heat for 4.30 minutes.
I checked the centre with a toothpick and also observed that the cake had pulled away slightly from the sides of the dish. It was just done. If you use a smaller dish, it needs less time in the microwave.
It’s soft and spongy. I iced it with a ganache topping made from fresh cream + chocolate pieces, cooked gently in a double boiler.
I made this sometime in the beginning of the year and it was so delicious, Fiancé ate the most of it used a 13×9 cake dish And made it a double layer the putting on top didn’t go soo well but stilll turned out great but will be making this again this weekend for Father’s Day Soo excited I can’t wait 😊
The cake came out perfectly!!! So moist, the right amount of chocolate and sweetness. It melted in every family members mouth!! The best chocolate cake I have ever made!
Magnificent and Delicious – so easy to make and bake. I did substitute 3/4 cup plain Greek yogurt and 1/4 cup buttermilk. Additionally I used coffee instead of boiling water.
I don’t bake. Well, I do, but it’s very limited. This recipe was easy and delicious! I look to the internet for recipes frequently and many disappoint, but you have restored my confidence in my baking skills. It had all the best qualities of a chocolate cake: moist, chocolatey, and yummy! The tips before the recipe are helpful. I will definitely use this again. Thank you!
Can I pour a ganache on it rather than frosting
Absolutely amazing!!! I did it with gluten free flour, and it was the best cake I’ve had since going gluten free in 2009!!!
Its such a simple recipie and the results are awesome.
Can I use cake flour instead?
I don’t have powdered sugar can I replace with regular sugar?
No, granulated sugar will not work well for frosting.
Simply Amazing. Great Taste. Did that in an air fryer . just wow. Thank you so much.
Quick n’ easy as well as fantastically delicious! I followed both cake and frosting recipes exactly and wouldn’t change a thing. I had plenty of frosting to frost the entire 2- layer 9″ round cake (and I like lots of frosting). Will keep this recipe in my bookmarks too make again!
Hello. I am going to be making two 10×10 cakes for my sons birthday cake. Should I double the recipe?
Thank you so much
Here’s a resource that can help with cake pan conversion: https://www.joyofbaking.com/PanSizes.html .
Great flavour in the cake. Made it for my daughter’s bday. The problem I had both the times that I made it is that the cake remains uncooked at the bottom of the pan. I also find a layer of sugar there as well.
Lauren I’d like to use this recipe for a 12 x 18 1 layer cake for my sons birthday. How can I modify the amount of ingredients?
Here is a pan conversion chart that will help: https://www.joyofbaking.com/PanSizes.html .
Sorry couldn’t find answers for my previous queries hence posting it again…
Do I need to refrigerate frosting and cake before I apply it on cake…or can I apply it directly..after cooling down..
what if I make the cake once day before and frosting the next day..do I need to keep the cake in fridge..or outside would be good.thanks…
The frostings an be applied after they are made (and the coconut one has cooled completely. The fridge would help it cool faster). The cake, before frosted, can be stored covered at room temperature or in the fridge.
This is a GREAT chocolate cake – been making it since 2012 for my grandkids. Found it as “Extreme Chocolate Cake” on allrecipes.com. The kids insist on it every year. In fact, I make this for ALL family birthdays (even my own), albeit with a different icing.
Can I use plain whole milk yogurt to substitute for buttermilk?
I made this cake tonight and it turned out great. But, I had an issue with the frosting, it was just thin. I’m not sure what I did wrong, any suggestions for a fluffy frosting?
Next time add more powdered sugar to thicken it up and beat it until soft and fluffy :-).
Do I need to refrigerate the cake if I make it the day before we plan on eating it?
I would (covering it well), but you don’t have to.
It came out great!
I used home made yogurt 3/4 cup for the cake. Reduced the sugar For both cake and frosting. Made a rectangular cake. Had to keep it in the oven for 10 extra mins. My oven is old so I set it at 330.
Wow! My husband was craving chocolate cake during our COVID-19 stay at home. We’re healthy, just doing our part by staying home. Anyway, we both agreed it’s one of the best chocolate cakes we’ve ever had. It was easy to make. Thanks for including baking directions for 13×9 pan. The only change I made was just personal preference. We prefer our frosting that isn’t too sweet. I used 2 cups instead of 3 of powdered sugar. I will definitely make it again. Thank you!
Tried baking this cake for the first time for my husband’s birthday and it was the best!!! Thank you so much for such an amazing recipe!
My cake was kinda sunken in why?
Here’s a great resource that troubleshoots the reasons that could have happened: https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/uk/food/a559688/12-things-youre-doing-wrong-when-baking-a-cake/
Hi there! First time I made it in a vessel by putting salt at bottom n it turned out perfectly. It was awesome. Kids loved it.
Only the side of the cake was little dry. Top and bottom was all good.Can you please tell me what should I do to keep the sides of the cake more moist ?
Thank you once again.
Hi,
Can you bake this cake in a convection microwave oven,if so what is the temperature settings.
This resource might help-https://home.howstuffworks.com/calculating-convection-oven-cooking-times1.htm
Absolutely amazing recipe…I have made this several time..and it’s a hit…can you please let me know vanilla cake recipe or butter cake with white cream ..thanks..my kids love it..
I’m happy you liked it! Here is my yellow cake recipe: https://tastesbetterfromscratch.com/yellow-cake/
I made this chocolate cake yesterday for my birthday cake…. I needed a chocolate cake mix in order to make my ice cream cake….It turned out great….it was delicious and ever so moist…Thank you so much for sharing your recipe..I will not buy a store bought chocolate cake mix again : )))))
Delicious cake, I wish the sponge was a little more rich, but it was very moist and a nice treat:)
Mine was a fail,,I thought I followed the directions but I must have done something wrong,, it came out real thin like a cookie pan thin and was like a brownie with frosting,, I’m gonna try again and see if I get better results, if u have any suggestions I’ll take them,, thank you
This was AMAZING. I used half the recommended sugar in the icing to make it a little less sweet, amd that seemed like plenty to me. I also made berry compote for between the layers and thay added a lovely touch. Such a delicious and easy cake. So fluffy and moist, and honestly better than some of the chocolate cakes I’ve had at fancy bakeries. Thank you!
I have always been really bad at baking cakes but thought I would try this recipe for fun. It was absolutely delicious!! The 2 cups of sugar seemed a little too much for me so I used only 1 cup and it was PERFECT. I will definitely use this recipe again!
First time I made this it was a bit dry, than the second time I made it I added some simple syrup between the layers and it came out so moist and perfect. My most favorite cake recipe ever!
I tried your recipe last nite to make a birthday cake for myself and it was a hit in my family. Thank you so much for sharing your recipe along with tips. It was really moist, fluffy and decadent. I thought I would not have a birthday cake due to these quarantine times.
I made cupcakes with this recipe and it was a mess. The cake is good, but I wouldn’t do cupcakes with it again.
My whole family kept saying “mmm” and “omg” with each bite! I personally found the frosting a little too rich/dense… Also there was just barely enough to cover the cake. BUT that’s really a minor complaint in an otherwise amazing cake.
Maybe it was the “homemade” buttermilk (I used the vinegar mixture) or the addition of the boiling water that kept it so incredibly moist and fluffy… This tasted like I bought it from a bakery! Kids are already asking if I’ll make it again. Thank you!
Definitely my favorite chocolate cake recipe. I love how rich it tastes!
Super delicious! My daughter and I baked this for her birthday. She is a chocoholic. It was so moist and amazing. This will be her go to cake from now on. Everyone loved it ❤️ Next time I would like to try boiling coffee in place of the boiling water. We are under quarantine now and I didn’t want use anything extra lol 😆 Thank you, so nice to have a decadent chocolate cake from scratch while “sheltering in place” indefinitely! I also appreciate all the different recipe modifications that you have listed! xo
my grandson asked to spend the night and wanted to help make a chocolate cake, oh boy! this was delicious! Happy Grandson – Happy Nana!
You cant buy a better tasting cake in a bakery… This is the bomb dot com
Best chocolate cake ever! Made it today for my husband’s birthday. He said it’s the best chocolate cake he’s ever had. Quite a treat today as we are doing our part and on self quarantine due to coronavirus. Truly a birthday & cake to remember!
Question: Do you cool in pan?
I let it cool for 10 minutes in the pan and then invert it onto a cooling rack.
Hello! I don’t have whole milk. How will 2% milk or Unsweetened Almond Milk work instead?
Yes 2% would work well.
So good and so easy! I used this as a math and science lesson for my 8 year old daughter today. She had so much fun making it and it turned out so good!
I made this yesterday for my son’s girlfriend, my first time baking a homemade chocolate cake! It was a quick and easy recipe. The birthday girl said it tasted better than a cake from a store bakery! 🙂 I will definitely use this recipe any time I need a chocolate cake.
I kept seeing this recipe on the back of Hershey’s unsweetened bakers chocolate powder and always wanted to try it. Well, being stuck at home during this COVID-19 virus with almost all business shut down I decided to make it for my hubby’s birthday. Wow! It’s super easy and absolutely delicious. He went nuts over it!
Lol same here I just made it for my sister’s bday today !
Ditto, haha!
I love chocolate cake our whole family does it allways made my sons cake since he was a small boy but in April 5 is my
Auntie birthday she wants chocolate cake so I’m trying your resipe out thank you for your respect it sounded so good
As one Baker to another bonapte I only had one child but I felt like I had more my son had his freinds over all the time
And I had his cousins every other weekend so I had to make something good for them ty again
I wanted to bake a chocolate/chocolate cake for my granddaughter for her 8th birthday since this is what she requested. I should have known from the ridiculous amounts of cocoa in both the cake and the icing that it wouldn’t taste good. I’m a cake baker. This is by FAR the worst cake I’ve ever baked. I even questioned the amount in the icing; doubled the batch and used HALF the cocoa when doubled and it was still to choclatey rich. I don’t know how to not search and use this recipe again. The cake fell apart when I cut it. Please, don’t waste your ingredients.
Was very disappointed. Box mix is far better quality for taste and set up
Gd evening, this cake is perfect with Coffee instead of the boiling water. Very moist and a delicious cake.
Thanx Lauren, this recipe was very good and oh so moist and chocolatey
This has become our favorite
Best chocolate cake I’ve ever made!
I am not a regular baker and therefore very skeptical about baking cakes but this was a fool proof recipe which came out super moist and amazing, the best cake I ever baked 😊 I want to know if I can make a smaller cake by just halving the ingredients?
AMAZING
THE BEST CAKE I WILL EVER TASTE IN MY LIFE.
<3
Loved it everytime I made it.. Always a success.. Thank you
Hi.
I would like to make this cake for my daughters birthday. I wanted to know if this recipe fills two 8 inch cake pans or do I need to double the recipe? Thanks!
Yes, it will. Happy baking!
Hi,
I plan to this recipe with small cupcake pan. Would you know how long i should bake it for?
Thank you
Mini cupcakes usually take about 10 minutes to bake.
After trying many recipes, this one is the absolute best chocolate cake recipe EVER. I add half a bag of dark chocolate chips in the batter and instead of plain boiling water, I add one teaspoon of instant coffee. Amazing cake!
My mother made this cake when I first got married and it was a hit ever since that Christmas day and it is still a wonderful chocolate cake for our Christmas eve gathering and now I have craft night and everyone goes its over this cake. My mom use to freeze it overnight and take it out the next morning and it would be nice and it would be ready for after supper. Hershey thanks for this recipe it is delicious.
I have made this cake in past. It is very moist and the flavor is truly wonderful. My family loved it.
Thank you
Sylvia Rowe
Wells, Maine
it was Wonderfull.
my go to 100 % only thing I do is decrease sugar , otherwise perfection.
I tried this perfectly chocolate chocolate cake and it was awesome! I made it for my kids yesterday for Valentine’s dinner. I did a little variation. I ,not only grease and floured the pans, but I also lined them . This made it easier to remove from the pan. I also cut the amount of sugar . I also substituted some of the granulated sugar for some brown sugar. The result was fantastic! The cake was so moist and rich . Very chocolatey!. My kids enjoyed it immensely! I will continue to use this recipe in the future. I also sandwiched the cakes with chocolate frosting and covered with a cream cheese frosting. Yummy!!!
I baked this cake for my Valentine and we both agreed it was AMAZING. I too used a cup of coffee vs. just water. Two thumbs up!
An old favorite. Love the buttermilk addition! My valentine loved it.
Can I use butter instead of oil? How much butter? Thanks!
Yes, same amount melted and then cooled slightly.
I love this chocolate cake. It is moist and delicious.
I live in Colorado. Adjust the following:
Decrease baking soda and baking powder by 1/2 teaspoon
Add 4 tbsps extra of water.
Add 1 more egg (3)
Add 1 tbsp more of flour
It took 5 minutes less baking time to be done.
Best moist cake I’ve ever made!
Is there any way I can substitute the all purpose flour with self raising flour?
I Love ❤️ this recipe. I tweeked it a bit because of the sugar, I used 3/4 c of sugar and 1 cup of cocoa and also 1/2 teaspoon of salt. That was great with the frosting or with out it, it was good. Thank you so much❤️
I use hot black coffee instead of the cup of water. Coffee intensifys and enhances the cocoa flavor
I do the coffee substitution as well. Makes a richer chocolate flavor.
How much cake flour do I use in place of all purpose flour?
Use 1 cup plus 2 TBSP for every cup of flour.
This is the best Chocolate cake I have ever baked. I made cupcakes and they were so soft and moist. The recipe is super simple.
Following this page for more cake recipes 🙂 Love it.!!!!
Hello I made this the other day pretty much to recipe except I dropped espresso morsels in…the cake came out pretty good…my question is if I were to use cake flour instead of regular flour what would the measurements be? Thank you for responding.
OMGOSH!! This is the most delicious cake I have ever made!! My husband raved over it and asked me to make it again!! He rarely tells me how good something is and he talked about this cake until the last piece was gone then went to the store and bought a can of Hersheys
cocoa because I ran out
Wonderful cake & frosting! It’s my go to chocolate cake. I also like to drop some frozen raspberries in the batter before baking and put a layer of raspberry jam between the layers on top of frosting. I have more requests for this cake from family and friends than anything else.
This cake is easy and very good. I always use this recipe!
Can I make it in 9 by 13 pan?
I just did. I used the parchment paper. It’s perfect.
I made this for my daughters birthday and everyone raved about it. My husband said it was the best he ever had! From my husband, that’s saying a lot! I used cream cheese frosting instead of chocolate, my daughters preference! It was awesome!
This recipe is really good, the prep time is short and easy to bake.
For mine it doesnt look very good before frosting and i would have thought that its a fail again for me… im glad that it worked pretty well! The cake without the frosting taste superb as well!!!!
Loved this! – super easy and came out deliciously! I added a teaspoon of cinnamon because I just love the extra kick that gives to a chocolate cake. I didn’t have buttermilk so used plain yogurt and it was fine. Will do this one again!
Can i use 1% milk instead?
Yes, that would be fine.
This cake was excellent. So moist and delicious. This is my new “go to” chocolate cake!
How deep should the 9 inch pans be?
About 2 inches
Great recipe! At the beginning I was a little worried because the batter was so thin but it bakes so beautiful and super most. I had a problem with the frosting but that was my own fault. I added cold milk and it turned out to be a clumpy and grainy mess. Once I chucked that bad batch it came out absolutely amazing!
How moist is the cake? If I tried to make a layer cake would I need to refrigerate it before frosting or would it crumble apart?
Hello. I made this cake, followed the video, and did everything it said, but the flavor tasted a bit strange. Not like chocolate but like wood and rubber.
How do you store this frosted cake? Does it need to be refrigerated or can it be left out in a covered cake dish?
It can be left out, or refrigerated. Enjoy!
My batter came out super thin. Is this normal? Batter was thinner than the video showed. Wonder if it will still turn out???
The batter will be very thin.
I made this delicious cake for a resident who is celebrating her birthday early 🎉
The staff and her family said it was so delicious 😋
Thanks for a great recipe😁
I made chocolate cake as per your instruction it came out very well.Every body like it very much including my husband , grand son and daughter daughter
Thank you for excellent recipe Lauren Allen
Love this recipe so easy LOVE IT!!!!!!THANK YOU.
Can I use regualr milk instead of buttermilk?
Yes, you can also add 1 teaspoon of either lemon juice or vinegar to your milk to make it more like the buttermilk.
Making this again, but doubled the recipe as I found the mixture too small for the cake I envisioned using two round baking pans. Otherwise a great recipe
Love this recipe! I have never made a chocolate cake until I tried this recipe. I love it! My daughter doesn’t like chocola of any kind, but she likes this cake.
This is an excellent recipe, though I do tweak it a little. I dust the pans with cocoa powder instead of flour and I sub sour cream for the buttermilk.
This cake was so moist and tasty, I was skeptical about this cake but this is my number 1 go to Chocolate Cake!
Can I use Hershey’s Special Dark cocoa instead of regular Hershey’s cocoa?
Sure!
found this recipe a couple years ago, used it ever since! love how moist the cake/cupcakes stay……i mainly use dark chocolate tho…..
I’ve been using this recipe from Hershey’s for years. Nothing can beat it. The recipe from Hershey’s website says milk, not buttermilk, for the batter though. But still, a fantastic recipe.
I made this cake today in a bunt pan and baked it the time you suggested 50-55 minutes. It came out wonderful. I even made the frosting. Thank you!
Can I use coconut oil in place of vegetable oil?
Sure, that would be fine.
Can this we used to carve novelty cakes?
I’ve never made novelty cakes before so it’s hard for me to say–I’d test the recipe first to see for yourself. It’s not a very dense cake–it’s pretty light and soft.
can I use milk instead of buttermilk
Yes! Enjoy
Can I substitute the powdered sugar for something else
Nothing I can think of could replace powdered sugar here to make a similar frosting. Sorry!
Ok. I also wanted to know what the boiling water does to the batter and what would happen if I put to much in there.
Can we use chocolate bark for the frosting?
Well it did say it would make it thiner right
If you use three 8 inch pans – do you put them all in the oven (on same rack) at the same time – then check them at 18-20 min? Thank you!
Yes, although I’m sure they will need longer than 20 min.
I have been using the recipe on the Hershey’s cocoa can for years and it was always good. I tried this recipe and used Ghirardelli cocoa. This was the best ever. Texture was perfect. Very moist. Incredible taste. This will be my new chocolate cake go to. The whole family commented on how perfect it was.
I would love to do this in three 8-inch pans, how long would you recommend baking them for?
Check them at approx. 18-20 min. then add extra time if needed.
I didn’t quite get the adding of boiling water bit. Does it mean that the water should be added hot or should it be left to cool first?
The water should be very hot.
Are these measurements for a 2 layer cake
Yes.
So yummmmy.
5 out of 5 times it’s come out perfect.
.
This cake came out moist and delicious with the perfect texture! I used special dark cocoa powder and made my own buttermilk with milk and vinegar. I loved that it was a little bit more dense but still fluffy, my family loved it!
This, too, is my favorite chocolate cake. The only change I make to the recipe is the substitution of strong brewed coffee in place of the water. Truly, a perfect chocolate cake !!!
Needed a quick desert loved it!
Delicious!!! Thanks for sharing
I love your cake recipe and I usually use buttermilk or make my own for the extra moist cake. I made one for a benifit auction and it went for $40.00 dollars..(yesss!) but this is my go to chocolate cake usually. I find it similar to the coco can one. If you ever saw that one. 👍🥰
I have this in the oven as I type this, but I’ve made plenty of cakes to know this will turn out perfectly! The icing is fantastic too! Thanks for the recipe, il return to it often im sure.
Best chocolate cake ever! I had to make my buttermilk and you couldn’t tell the difference! It’s a super moist cake that’s deep and rich flavored. I’m going to make it again today. Num!!
I made this as a 12 year old all on my own today and it was the first time I made a cake from scratch my family loved it we put whipped cream on top because my mom doesn’t like icing and I couldn’t convince her to let me make it, but I loved it it was the best birthday cake my mo Ever had at least that’s what she said
It’s a good recipe. It’s also on the back of Hersheys cocoa container. I’ve made it 4 times, 2 times came out perfect. The other 2 half the cake stuck in bottom of the pan. I make bundt cakes and cook longer. What am I doing wrong lately? Maybe needs to cool longer than I am? Any advice, thanks.
Hi Dee, do you line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper? That should solve the problem.
Best chocolate cake ever! I did cupcakes with this recipe and they turned out amazing. My hostkids loved it.
This was the first time I made a chocolate cake. The cake is moist and delicious, the kids really really love it! Thanks for the amazing recipe!
can i use This batter to doll mold for making doll cake.
Yes you can!
Delightful family favorite. I substitute a cup of boiling coffee for the water to add a bit of a mocha flavor.
I have tried making many chocolate cake recipes, this is by far the best! Thanks so much for sharing your tips. The buttermilk made all the difference.
Delicious. One of our favorites every year.
This is the only chocolate cake recipe I use. It’s the same one on the back of can of Hershey’s cocoa powder. I never add or substitute anything. It really is the perfect chocolate cake recipe. Now that the weather is cooler, it’s time to make one for the hubby.
My son has made this twice and it is delicious! Thank you for the recipe
This has been a family favorite recipe for more than 20 years and is still my go to. Of course the recipe is on the Hershey’s chocolate container along with the icing, which is the only one that deserves to be on top of this cake. I have tried many others and nothing else has gotten the rave reviews that this one does. I always add chopped or halved pecans on the top or sides as a way to decorate and because I love pecans. Sometimes I just put pecans on half for those who prefer their piece without. I have made stuffed cupcakes with the recipes also. You can not go wrong with this recipe, just make it your own.
This was the best chocolate cake recipe I have ever made. It was so incredibly moist and tasty. I made a different frosting to fill the cake, choosing to go with a mocha espresso buttercream and vanilla buttercream on the outside. I also baked it in one 12inch cake pan. I had to make three batches for a three layered cake. Again, it was phenomenal!
¹⁶
I’ve made this cake a few times absolutely loved it My hubby said it was the best chocolate cake he ever ate.It stayed moist for at least 5 days which is rare.
This is the easiest and the BEST chocolate cake recipe I’ve ever made. The cake reminds me of Tasty Cake’s chocolate cupcakes. Perfect and delicious. Our family’s favorite and most often requested cake for birthdays.
Brilliant recipe!! I left this on my kitchen bench for 5 days and had not wrapped it properly. The cake was still moist and tasty. I have also frozen a quantity for my son’s birthday (in advance) and it came out perfectly! No one knew😊 I can’t believe how fool-proof this is. Thankyou
The best chocolate cake ever..my family and Friends loved it!!!!!
This is by far the best chocolate cake I have ever tasted. Easy and simple ingredients!
I’m so thrilled that you think so! Thanks Betsy!
The best chocolate cake ever.
Do you melt the butter for the chocolate icing, or is it room temperature.
You can do either, I think the melted butter makes for a richer chocolate flavor.
Hi Lauren
I will be trying out the recipe soon.
I just have a question..
can I replace the oil in the cake batter with butter and if so then what should the measurement be?
Thank you
Sorry I have not tried this, so I’m not sure.
My family loved this chocolate cake. Easy to make and I did had all ingredients on hand. I will definitely be making this one again. Thanks for sharing.
Hi, I’ve tried the original version of this recipe as well as the change to buttermilk from milk. I also added 2 more ounces of vegetable oil. It gave it a richer texture.
Love this recipe.
Made this cake tonight and just loved it. Thank you for the delicious recipe, including the super helpful tip about the buttercream.
For more than 30 years this has been my “secret’ family receipt for chocolate Birthday cake! I have 8 children so this recipe saved me more times then I can count! Thank you for making my little ones happy, and a busy Mom the best cake maker on the block!
I’ve made this recipe twice and both times it’s perfection! So moist and delicious! Never any left at family events!
That’s what I love to hear! Thank you!!
Made it twice and turned out perfect each time. I used your tips and replace the water for coffee. Cake was incredible!
A big Thank You for the wonderful recipe! I made the cake yesterday, for my daughter’s birthday, by exactly following your given instructions. And to my surprise, it came out so good! That was my first chocolate cake attempt. My kids and I enjoyed the cake so much. Thank you once again for sharing the recipe online!
I’ve made this every year for my 38 year old daughter’s birthday. The frosting is good with a little coffee to make it mocha.
My mom made it for me when I was growing up too. Never found a better recipe!
Can hot brewed fresh coffee be substituted for the hot water! I understand that coffee brings out the chocolate flavor
Yes, definitely!
Made this cake followed recipe to the very end my family bust it down without the frosting LML.
Would it be possible to change the ingredients to metric please. I’m in the uk and would love it if you could resend with the uk measurements. I really want to make this cake!
Hi Elizabeth,
Thanks for reaching out. I added the conversion information. Underneath the ingredients you’ll see a button that lets you switch to metric. I plan start including this features with recipes going forward 🙂
Here’s a tip for the frosting. Sift your powdered sugar before mixing. That way it won’t have any lumps.
I love this cake. It turns out so moist and chocolaty. Why would you ever buy a box mix again? Thank you for sharing.
I like this cake. It’s very moist. The cake itself has a weaker chocolate flavor and I wonder if it is because of the water. It is good but needs to be just a bit richer flavored. Still, I would make it again.
Have you tried this recipe with canola/vegetable oil substitute? Like apple sauce, sour cream, coconut or avocado oil? Based on your experience what may provide the better results?
I haven’t, but I’m confidant it would work fine! I’d go with applesauce.
If you don’t have buttermilk, would mayonnaise be ok? I know several friends of mine swear by mayo in a homemade chocolate cake.
I haven’t tried it but I think it would work fine 🙂
The recipe was very well written and almost clear to understand except the part where you are supposed to ad buttermilk in the cake batter, but it only said milk. That confused me because you are supposed to ad cow milk for the frosting, so I ended up putting cow milk in the cake instead of buttermilk. Sadly my cake did not turn out that well because I also put way to much vanilla in the cake since my mother was not clear enough of vanilla not being the same thing as vanilla extract. But since I made these mistakes the first time I know what to do better next time. 😉 Still thanks for posting this great recipe!
Thanks for sharing, I’ll update those instruction details.
Hi this is the recipe…absolutely fantastic…one question…the frosting is creamy but I can still feel the grittiness of the powdered sugar no matter how long I beat it…any suggestions? Thank you!
That’s strange–it should really smooth out after you beat if for at least 5 minutes. Next time you could sift it into the mixture first.
Maybe get new powdered sugar. As it get’s old, it tends to be less soft and more dry and clumpy.
Could you make the cake without the chocolate for a vanilla cake?
I wouldn’t suggest doing that. Here is my recipe for yellow cake https://tastesbetterfromscratch.com/yellow-cake/
Will it make a big difference if I didn’t mix the wet and dry ingredients seperately before adding them together? I skipped right down to the recipe made the cake, then read your blog.
It’s not ideal but It should be fine 🙂
This cake is the richest, moistest and most delicious we have ever tasted! I can’t believe I actually made it myself! My husband ate it warm with icing and kept saying, omg, omg, sooo good!
I’m really happy you liked it so much! Thanks for your comment!
Hi, I am going camping and want to make this cake for someone’s birthday. Can this cake/ cupcakes be kept room temperature? Thank you.
Yes, thats fine! Enjoy 🙂
The best chocolate cake I’ve ever ate!!
Hi Lauren, do you think this cake would be stable enough to stack for a tiered cake? Thanks!
Yes, definitely. I have made a 3 layer cake using 8inch rounds and a two layer cake with 9 inch rounds.
Wonderful, thank you so much!
Hi,
How long do u bake for each layer for 8 inch cake pan? Planning to make 3 layer cake too.
Check them at 25-30 minutes.
This is the perfect chocolate cake recipe! Definitely use the buttermilk! Very moist. I made this a week ago and the last slice was just as moist as the first!
Any idea on cooking time for a bundt cake?
A bundt version will cook in 50-55 minutes. Enjoy!
Hello,
Can this recipe be used to make a giant cupcake? I’ll be using silicone moulds. I think I might have to double the recipe but not sure about baking time.
Thanks.
I’ve never tried it but I don’t see why not! I’m not sure what your pan looks like–if it’s really deep you may want to lower the cook time and it may take 45min-1 hour.
My favorite go to cake recipe!! I use applesauce in place of the oil and I think it makes it so moist!
I know that in some chocolate cake recipe people use coffee to bring bring out the chocolate flavor more, would this recipe still work if I substituted the water with coffee instead?
Yes, you can absolutely substitute hot brewed coffee instead. Enjoy!
Wonderful recipe – I have made this several times and my family and friends LOVE it. I was wondering if I could use this recipe for a 12×18″ cake pan. I see in one of the comments, you said this recipe makes 12 cups of batter. For the 12×18″, the pan instructions say I’ll need 16 cups. Not sure if it’s better to triple the recipe for two 12×18″ pans and have a little leftover, or to make the batter as the recipe is and see how it fills the pan? (I’m assuming I would have to make it at least twice). It’s for my son’s birthday so I have some time to experiment; just hoping you could save a potential cake disaster from happening! Thanks for sharing the recipe, it really is great!!!
Hi Donna, I would suggest making 1.5 of the recipe and if you have extra batter, use it to make cupcakes! Hope it turns out great!
This is my 3rd time of making this cake, everyone loves this! First attempt at making the frosting, see how it works!
This is, hands down, the best chocolate cake I’ve ever made or eaten! I used the dark Hershey’s cocoa versus the regular as I’m a fan of darker chocolate. It is truly amazing. I’m one of those people who bought boxed mixes not only for convenience but because the cakes were moister than the from-scratch cakes I’d eaten and made. I am really trying to make “real” food (and avoid sugar and carbs but it was for my birthday, so…) so I searched for great chocolate cake recipes and decided on this one. The cake came out just this side of a brownie – not as dense but rich and really moist. And the flavor is divine! The dark cocoa gave it that slight bitterness and extra chocolate flavor that I enjoy. FYI, this was the same recipe on the dark cocoa container, except that it uses buttermilk instead of regular milk. Use the buttermilk – this cake is perfect! Thank you!!!