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.
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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.
In my Queso Bacon Burger post, I mentioned I was hosting a BBQ/birthday party, and every birthday party needs a perfect birthday cake. I needed two cakes for our crowd. I made a Tropical Carrot Cake, and 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.
How to Make the Hershey’s Perfectly Chocolate Chocolate Cake
I was a bit surprised when I read the instructions. After the batter is mixed, you add 1 cup of boiling water, which creates a really runny batter. After baking though, it has a perfect texture—not too heavy and not too light. The layers bake up flat and even, so it’s an easy cake to layer.
If you haven’t baked very many layers cakes before, be sure and check out my Baking Tips For Layer Cakes post.
I made a couple of high altitude changes to the recipe because cakes can be temperamental at my altitude (5,000 ft). Generally, I use this great guide from Bonnie, City Home / Country Home, to modify recipes for high altitude. Just a few simple tweaks can make a big difference when baking cakes at altitude.
Easy Cake Decoration
After baking and frosting, the cake is decorated simply with chocolate curls. The chocolate curls are easy to make. You just use a vegetable peeler and a chocolate bar. You could also decorate the cake with sprinkles if you prefer.
The cake got great reviews from my crowd at the party! I’ve made this back-of-the-box cake many times since that party. In fact, this Hershey’s Perfectly Chocolate Chocolate Cake has become my go-to chocolate cake whenever I want to make a quick homemade cake. I hope you’ll give it a try too!
Do you have a favorite recipe you got from the back of a box?
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Hershey’s Perfectly Chocolate Chocolate Cake and Perfectly Chocolate Chocolate Frosting
Equipment
Ingredients
Cake
- 2 cups minus 2 tablespoons sugar*
- 1-¾ cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup Hershey’s cocoa
- 1-¼ teaspoons baking powder*
- 1-¼ teaspoons baking soda*
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons milk*
- ½ cup canola oil
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup boiling water
Perfectly Chocolate Chocolate Frosting:
- ½ cup 1 stick butter or margarine
- ⅔ cup Hershey’s Cocoa
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- ⅓ cup milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- 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, 1-½ teaspoons baking powder, 1-½ teaspoons baking soda, 1 cup milk
- Perfectly Chocolate Chocolate FrostingMelt 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
Nutrition
More Chocolate Cake Recipes You Might Like:
If you love chocolate and caramel, you’ll want to make my Chocolate Dulce De Leche Triple Layer Cake. If you prefer a cake with a chocolate ganache (a thick, rich chocolate frosting), you’ll want to make my Triple Chocolate Layer Cake. If you’re following a keto diet, check out this Keto Sugar-Free Mini German Chocolate Cake from All Day I Dream About Food. Or, perhaps you’re looking for an easy one bowl chocolate cake recipe or a Chocolate Mug Cake for Two.
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Miriam @ Overtime Cook
Hershey’s perfectly chocolate cake is my absolute favorite. In fact, I bought a Hershey’s cookbook last summer and I’m a huge fan of everything I’ve made from it!
kristy
Barbara, this chocolate cake looks simply amazing! Thanks for the recipe.
Kristy
Stephanie
I just made this cake today and it turned out great! It was so chocolatey, a small slice more than enough for me, i love how moist and decadent cake itself was and the frosting is so creamy!
Barbara
It really is a rich, delicious, easy to make cake. Thanks for letting me now you loved it!
sonia
Hi There, This cake is looking simply AWESOME……! I just loved it and the pictures are lovely too ! Saving this recipe of urs and wud love to give ur version a try on the coming weekend. Have a great day….Sonia !!!
Stephanie
This is a really good recipe. I just made this cake tonight and my husband said this is one of the best cakes that I have ever made. For the upcoming PTA meeting I will make this as a sheet cake so everyone will have the chance to try a piece. Absolutely delicious.
Barbara
Hi Stephanie! So glad you and your husband loved the cake. Let me know how the sheet cake turns out and how long it takes to bake. Thanks!
CP
Hi Barbara,
I recently did this as a sheet cake for my son’s birthday party. My first effort flopped in the middle and still wasn’t cooked after an hour. Then I bought a “heating core” and `voila! Perfect. Also, I called Hershey’s Kitchens and they said to double the regular recipe for 12×18 pan (much less batter than I expected). And reduce the temperature to 325.
NOTE: the Hershey’s bakers said for 13×9 pans, do NOT increase the recipe or change the temperature.
Barbara
CP – thanks for posting the info on making a sheet cake! Great info. Good to know that a heating core solved the problem and that Hershey’s was so helpful.
Emily
I made this on Sunday (with the altitude adjustments) and was so pleased by how “perfect” it really did turn out. Thanks for the inspiration. Everyone loved it as well.
Barbara
Thanks Emily for letting me know you made it! I’m so glad to know your cake was perfect too!
Eliana
Barbara – all I can say is that it looks perfectly delicious.
Becki @Becki's Whole LIfe
I have always made Hershey’s Black Magic Cake which is wonderful, too! I have seen this recipe a few times and seeing your pictures convinces me I will have to try this next. I actually have to make a cake for a work birthday tomorrow so this might be the cake:-) I think choc/choc was her choice!
Blond Duck
Did you ever see the help?
Blond Duck
I love getting recipes off boxes and bags!
sandie
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
lynn
Your cake looks nummy, and I love your presentation with the flower on top. Beautiful.
Kathia
Barbara,I have always wanted to try this recipe, the cake looks so moist and tasty.
Faith
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!
Lauren from Lauren's Latest
I’ve made this cake & frosting with my sister when we made wedding cakes! It’s nearly fool-proof and it tastes delicious!
Bonnie
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.
cindy harris
Thanks for the high altitude corrections. Looks like a perfect cake–now I just need a birthday!
Cathy at Wives with Knives
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.
bake in paris
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 🙂
Christina @ Sweet Pea's Kitchen
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! 🙂