Some of the best recipes are on the back of boxes. Quaker has a great oatmeal cookie recipe on the back of their box. Libby’s has their famous pumpkin pie recipe on the back of their can. So of course you’d expect Hershey’s to have a fabulous chocolate cake recipe on the back of their box and they do.
The Hershey’s “Perfectly Chocolate” Chocolate Cake is a scrumptious chocolate cake. It’s chocolately, rich, moist, and delicious. Perfect for beginners. It’s nearly as easy to make as a box cake and it tastes so much better than a cake mix cake. You’ll wonder why you haven’t made it before. I know I did.
I mentioned in my Queso Bacon Burger post I was hosting a BBQ/birthday party and every birthday party needs a perfect birthday cake. I needed two cakes for our crowd. (I’ll post the Tropcial Carrot Cake recipe next week.) I love this picture of the birthday girl with her cakes and my daughter and soon to be born grandson.
For those who don’t like veggies in their cake, I decided to make chocolate cake. But not just any chocolate cake, the Hershey’s “Perfectly Chocolate” Chocolate Cake that I’ve seen posted dozens of times with rave reviews. I was a bit surprised when I read the instructions. After the batter is mixed, you add one cup of boiling water which creates a really runny batter. After baking though, it has a perfect texture – not too heavy not too light. It got great reviews from my crowd too.
I made a couple high altitude changes to the recipe because at my altitude cakes can be temperamental. I used the great guide Bonnie, City Home / Country Home, posted last year to modify the recipe. Just a few simple tweaks can make a big difference when baking cakes at altitude.
I’m sure I’ll be baking this back of the box cake again. Do you have a favorite recipe you got from the back of a box?
Ingredients
- 2 cups minus 2 tablespoons sugar*
- 1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup Hershey's cocoa
- 1-1/4 teaspoons baking powder*
- 1-1/4 teaspoons baking soda*
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons milk*
- 1/2 cup canola oil
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup boiling water
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine
- 2/3 cup Hershey's Cocoa
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1/3 cup milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions
- Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans. Set aside.
- Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; With a mixer, beat on medium speed for about 2 minutes. Carefully, stir in boiling water. The batter will be very thin. Pour batter into prepared cake pans.
- Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely. Frost with chocolate frosting.
- *Before high altitude changes: 2 cups sugar, 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder, 1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda, 1 cup milk
- Melt butter. Stir in cocoa. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating to spreading consistency.
- Add small amount additional milk, if needed. Stir in vanilla. About 2 cups frosting.
Notes
slightly adapted from Hershey's.com
Vanishing Oatmeal Raisin Bars, Mangio da Sola
Libby’s Pumpkin Pie, The Food Librarian
Peanut Butter Blossoms, How Sweet It Is
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I love to bake, especially cookies, cakes, and pies. I’ll post my adventures in the kitchen, my favorite new recipes, as well as our family favorites.
I’ve heard rave reviews about this cake, and as a matter of fact, there’s a fancy shmancy restaurant in the city (NYC) that makes it, but changes one ingredient amount ever so slightly, and uses Guittard vanilla chocolate for the frosting. It’s THIS cake, period, with fancier frosting!
Your cake(s) look beautiful, as does your daughter and the ‘B-Day Girl’ sitting together in celebration! Congrats on becoming a new Grandma! You certainly do not look the part!
Finally, first lasagna I ever made – back of a Ronzoni lasagna box. Still make it..just use my homemade meat sauce in lieu of the jarred called for in the recipe
This recipe (with a few changes) is without a doubt my go-to recipe for chocolate cake and has been for a very long time. In fact, I used it in my Chocolate Overload Cake (or chocolate mousse cake). Instead of milk I use buttermilk, and instead of boiling water I use coffee or espresso. The cake comes out even more moist with a stronger chocolate flavor. It’s so good!!!!!! Your daughter looks so lovely!
i have always wanted to try this recipe – and I love that you have high-altitude directions! I don’t usually make any changes, although I know I need to. Definitely going to try this!
Looks GREAT! The Texas Sheet Cake I make has a cup of boiling water also, and it is currently my favorite cake so I gotta try this one! BTW, your daughter is so darling and Congrats on the grandson!
This is Gorgeous!!!
That cake looks perfect indeed! Lovely texture and frosting. I’m drooling, although it is only 6.30am… ;-P
Cheers,
Rosa
I’ve got quite a few back of the box favorites!
I made this cake last month and I absolutely agree that it’s fabulous. It’s really amazing to me to see how incredibly runny that batter is and how it transforms into a terrifically moist cake.
Barbara, I’ve made this frosting a coupke of times, but never the cake~I see that I need to! Looks perfectly beautiful.
You’re going to love being a grandma:)
I’ve made the cake too and my family loved it. It was unbelievably easy to make and also very, very delicious. In fact, my family requested that I make it again the next day.
(We ran out because I brought it to a birthday party.)
This looks like the perfect chocolate cake! Your photos are so gorgeous
moist cake is the most delicious cake – and this look fantastic! hershey’s cocoa is a little hard to come by here in australia but i’m sure i’ll manage giving this a try.
I can’t recall exactly the recipe quantities, but I remember I loved the chocolate cake recipe from the cocoa powder (Nestlé, Brazil) box, and it was very similar to this one and I loved it! Oh my God, I’ll have to do it, I suddenly craved for this chocolate cake that I haven’t made in ages!
Well your cake does look simply perfect
Ive been wanting to try this recipe for a while, have yet to read a bad review, and you have definitely given me the final push needed to go for it. Great post that has me craving choccy something awful! 
Thanks for the reminder about this excellent cake – your photo looks scrumptious. Sometimes in my constant blog-hopping quest for the next new recipe, I forget about the tried-and-true ones! I’ve tried others, and liked some, but I haven’t found a pumpkin pie yet that equals Libby’s back of the can recipe, and that is my go-to for Thanksgiving.
Congratulations on future grandmother-hood. There is nothing quite as grand!
Your daughter is beautiful.
It looks perfect, it sounds perfect and I wish I could eat it to make my day perfect! Seriously, AMAZING and Beautiful. You have been hooked so next cake I will be making is this one. Your daughter is gorgeous and so exciting you will be a grandmother! yeah
You are so right about recipes on the back of the box! My favorite fudge that my mom used to make was on the Hershey’s cocoa container… they don’t print it there anymore, but I’ve got it and have made sure that it’s in a safe place.
This chocolate cake looks so decadent and delicious… but, then I’m a sucker for anything chocolate!
What a beautiful birthday cake mum! The birthday girl is very lucky indeed
And you know what a great idea for a blog-one based on the back of boxes recipes! xxx
It loks like everyone is laughing and enjoying the party and I’m sure they loved your food!! The cake is gorgeous!
Like you, I’ve seen this recipe all over the place and have never tried. Yours looks gorgeous!
Can’t wait for that carrot cake recipe!
We love this chocolate cake too. It always bakes up perfect. What fun to be a grandmother!
Mimi
I adore this cake. An even better version is Hershey’s Black Magic cake which is very similar but contains coffee and buttermilk. It’s insane how good it is….
omg to die for!
Aww Barbara, such a precious photo and chocolate cake too. I know what you mean about sometimes the best recipes are just on the back of the carton. this looks like a perefct b-day cake to bake for my son on the 28th this month just before he heads back to college. I got a feeling he will like it!
There are reasons some of those box standards are still there. They’re so good. I use the German’s Sweet Chocolate recipe for German Chocolate cake too…and love it as much as I’m sure I would love this cake. Um um good.
This cake would be wonderful to dive into!! I actually enjoy Hershey’s cocoa powder & use it often. I bet it makes a fabulous cake!
Beautiful cake Barbara and it looks yummy too!
—Barbara,
I added this to my faves. Looks Delectable. Can’t wait to make it.
you know what’s perfectly perfect? YOU! xx
PS. I made the peanut butter cookies w/ nutella.
I looooooooooooooove nutella! Smashing. My kids loved them.
Thanks! So nice! You’ll love this one too.
I’ve been making this crazy good cake since I was 16, and it always impresses! Your cake looks absolutely gorgeous and rich in chocolate decadence.
Barbara,
I’ve made this recipe as a sheet cake and as cupcakes and it is always delicious. Love how moist the cake is and the frosting is so fluffy. Some of the best recipes are the classics and the ones you find on back of product packages.
Classic chocolaty goodness!
i want to grab a fork and dig into this beauty! i agree about some of the best recipes being on the back of boxes, i’ve had that experience several times too. this looks amazing, so perfect for the chocoholic in all of us!
Rich, moist and luscious! No wonder you got raved reviews.
This cake makes me feel like going to the kitchen and bake
.
Ciao
Alessandra
I love checking out recipes on the back of boxes. I’ve made this cake quite a few times and it never fails to taste fantastic. Funny because I was just thinking about making this again this week!!!!
Barbara Look perfect and beauty!!! georgeous!! gloria
This is my favorite chocolate cake recipe!! I have never made it in round pans though, I always do a 13×9. I add an overflowing 1/4 cup of sour cream and add some brewed coffee to the batter. Yum!!
I have been wanting to try making this cake for years! One of these weekends, I’m finally going to get around to it. Your cake looks fabulous.
What a perfectly gorgeous cake! Who can resist a good chocolate cake for their birthday? And I love the photo of the birthday girl with your daughter – thanks for sharing.
Gorgeous and perfect looking chocolate cake, Barbara.
I used to copy recipes from the backs of boxes and I remember copying chocolate cake from Hershey’s, I haven’t tried making it yet but after reading your post and seeing that moist fudgy slice, I think it’s time I do!
Looks like you had a great time hosting the birthday party. This cake looks incredible! It doesn’t get better than chocolate cake with chocolate frosting. Yummy!
Your birthday friend must be so happy and grateful! Baked 2 cakes, you are such a dear friend! So kind of you to cater the cakes for both vege and non-vege!
And both cakes are equally delicious! The chocolate frosting is calling out my name
There is nothing more festive or delicious than a homemade chocolate cake. It’s a dessert I know everyone will love. Your sweet mama to be looks radiant and very happy. Congratulations to you and your family, Barbara, on the impending birth of a grandson.
Thanks for the high altitude corrections. Looks like a perfect cake–now I just need a birthday!
Thanks for the shout-out Barbara. I have never tried this cake but I will. Maybe for the cake table I need to contribute to this Wednesday night. I forgot that I agreed to help and I need something quick but beautiful. As always, your cake is beautiful.
I’ve made this cake & frosting with my sister when we made wedding cakes! It’s nearly fool-proof and it tastes delicious!
This cake definitely looks like the perfect chocolate cake! Bookmarking it for the next time I want to make a cake. One of my favorite back of the box recipes (or under the lid, actually) is Quaker’s Oatmeal Raisin Cookies!
Barbara,I have always wanted to try this recipe, the cake looks so moist and tasty.
Your cake looks nummy, and I love your presentation with the flower on top. Beautiful.
Wow Barbara, I have to admit, I don’t think I would ever have even looked at this recipe- but after reading this post I might just have to change my mind. I think I will try it this coming weekend. Thanks for the great post
Best, Sandie