Chocolate Cake (Hershey's)

This old-fashioned recipe first appeared on a can of Hershey's cocoa way back in 1943. The words "perfect" and "chocolate cake" basically have the same meaning, right? With Hershey's homemade chocolate cake this seems to be true. Baking from scratch is easier than you think when you mix Hershey's cocoa with a few other simple ingredients. Bake this delicious dessert when you're hosting the next family get-together, celebrating a birthday or wanting a bite of delicious chocolate cake after dinner. This "perfectly chocolate" cake was made for sharing, so get out your best plates, have a pitcher of milk ready and divvy out this chocolatey cake with your favourite people.

2 cups sugar
1¾ cups all-purpose flour, unbleached
¾ cup Hershey's cocoa
1½ tsp. baking powder
1½ tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. kosher or sea salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk
½ cup vegetable oil
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 cup water, boiling

Preheat an oven to 350°F (180°C/160°C fan, Gas Mark 4). Grease and flour two 9" round baking pans.

Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of mixer 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin). Pour batter into prepared pans.

Bake 30-35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely. Frost with "Perfectly Chocolate" Chocolate Frosting.

Cook's Notes:

How do you make a cake super moist?
There are several ways to ensure your cake is deliciously moist. First, make sure your ingredients are at room temperature before beginning. Second, avoid overbeating your dry ingredients as you add them to the batter. Lastly, add the milk alternately with the dry ingredients, always beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Keep in mind swapping ingredients, like the whole milk called for, will change the texture and moistness of the cake.

Which chocolate is best for cake?
Unsweetened cocoa powder is recommended for this cake. It is rich in cocoa butter and dissolves perfectly into the batter to create a nice, smooth texture and strong chocolate flavour.

How do you know when this cake is finished baking?
You will know your cake is done when either a toothpick or cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Test the cake at the minimum baking time. If the toothpick still has batter or extremely moist crumbs on it, continue baking and test again at the maximum baking time.

Does using salted vs. unsalted butter make a difference?
Unsalted butter is traditionally recommended for baking, as it allows you to control how much salt goes into your baked goods. It also has a light, fresh and smooth flavour that is the perfect template upon which to build your cake. If you do use salted butter, simply adjust the salt in your recipe accordingly, keeping in mind that most butter brands add about ¼ tsp. salt per ½ cup butter.

Variations:

One Pan Cake: Grease and flour 13x9x2" baking pan. Preheat an oven to 350°F (180°C/160°C fan, Gas Mark 4). Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 35-40 minutes. Cool completely. Frost.

Three Layer Cake: Grease and flour three 8" round baking pans. Preheat an oven to 350°F (180°C/160°C fan, Gas Mark 4). Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake 30-35 minutes. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely. Frost.

Bundt Cake: Grease and flour 12 cup fluted tube pan. Preheat an oven to 350°F (180°C/160°C fan, Gas Mark 4). Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 50-55 minutes. Cool 15 minutes; remove from pan to wire rack. Cool completely. Frost.

Cupcakes: Line muffin cups (2½" in diameter) with paper bake cups. Heat oven to 350°F (180°C/160°C fan, Gas Mark 4). Fill cups ⅔ full with batter. Bake 22-25 minutes. Cool completely. Frost.

Nutrition Facts:
1 piece: 257 calories, 10g fat (6g saturated fat), 67mg cholesterol, 368mg sodium, 38g carbohydrate (23g sugars, 1g fiber), 4g protein.