Hershey's Chocolate Cake Recipe (2024)

Last Updated on: March 19, 2024

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This recipe for Hershey’s chocolate cake is rich, indulgent, and will impress your guests!

Boxed cake mixes may be convenient. Plus, they’re flavorful, incredibly moist, and super easy to put together.

But I promise that this chocolate cake is a million times better. AND it’s almost as simple to make!

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We all know Hershey’s is known for chocolate.

So, it shouldn’t be too surprising that they put their minds to work on what might be one of the best chocolate cakes out there.

You can find this Hershey’s chocolate cake recipe right on their cocoa powder box. Odds are good that you have it in your cupboard somewhere.

The only criticism I have is that the cake is incredibly soft, making it a little difficult to frost. But I have some super simple tricks to fix that.

Ingredients for Hershey’s Chocolate Cake

For this recipe, you will need:

White sugar – Use white instead of brown sugar to keep the crumb light and tender.

All-purpose flour – This recipe is set up for all-purpose, so using anything else will affect the final result.

HERSHEY’S Cocoa – This cocoa powder is just the right amount of bitter and sweet, without being overpowering.

Baking powder and baking soda – Mixing the two will give the best rising power. It should also prevent a domed middle.

Salt – Use salt to enhance the flavors of everything else.

Eggs – Try to use room temperature eggs, so they incorporate easier.

Milk – Adding milk will keep the crumb soft and increase the cake’s overall shelf life.

Vegetable oil – Be sure to use a neutral oil and nothing flavored, such as peanut oil.

Vanilla – Use high-quality vanilla. Even in chocolate cake, you can taste the difference of a good vanilla extract or paste.

Boiling water – Adding boiling water will activate the baking powder and soda to make the crumb light and enhance the cocoa for a deeper flavor.

How to Make Chocolate Cake

Follow these steps to make Hershey’s chocolate cake:

1. Prepare.Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease two 9-inch baking pans.

2. Make the batter.Combine the sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Mix well.

Then, add the eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla. Beat with a hand mixer for 2 minutes. Then, stir in the boiling water.

Tips for the Best Chocolate Cake

If you follow the recipe, you’ll have a sure-fire hit with this cake. But there are a few things to keep in mind:

Freeze the cakes overnight. Since this cake is so soft, frosting it can be a challenge. You can mitigate this by freezing the cooled cakes overnight before frosting them. They’ll firm up, making icing them much easier.

Use room-temperature ingredients. They’ll incorporate better than cold ones.

Use unsweetened cocoa. The sweetened kind will make your cake far too sweet. For a richer flavor, use unsweetened Dutch cocoa powder instead.

Use parchment paper. I ALWAYS recommend using parchment paper in your cake tins. It will help you avoid any unwanted sticking disasters and make clean-up simpler.

Substitute coffee. Want to boost that chocolate flavor? Try using hot coffee instead of water.

For a moister cake. Substitute buttermilk for the plain milk. It’ll also give you a richer flavor.

Variations

Not in the mood for a layered cake? Try one of these variations instead:

Cupcakes. Follow the recipe as directed. Line a cupcake tin with liners and bake the cupcakes for 22 to 25 minutes.

Single-layer cake. Use a 9 x 13-inch pan greased with cooking spray. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Bundt cake. Grease and flour the Bundt cake pan. Then, bake the cake for 50 to 55 minutes at 350 degrees. Cool for at least 15 minutes before turning the cake out onto a wire rack.

How to Store

This versatile cake is perfect for making ahead of time. You can also store the leftovers for quite some time. Here’s how:

To make ahead. Make the cake up to 24 hours ahead of time. You can store it in the fridge or freeze it for easier frosting. Wait until immediately before serving to add the icing.

To store. Store leftover cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the fridge for 3 to 5 days.

To freeze. It’s best to freeze the cakes BEFORE icing them. Let them cool fully. Then, wrap each one in plastic wrap and aluminum foil. Freeze them for up to 3 months.

More Delicious Cake Recipes

Still need to satisfy your sweet tooth? Try one of these other yummy cake recipes:

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