Recipe
Perfectly Chocolate Cake
Time: ABout 45 minutes, plus time to cool
Yield: 12 servings (two 9-inch round baking pans)
For cake:
| 2 cups sugar (396g) 1¾ cups all-purpose flour (245g) ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa (75g) 1½ teaspoons baking powder (6g) 1½ teaspoons baking soda (9g) 1 teaspoon salt |
2 eggs 1 cup milk ½ cup vegetable oil 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1 cup boiling water |
For frosting:
| ½ cup (1 stick) butter (113g) ⅔ cup unsweetened cocoa (66g) 3 cups powdered sugar (300g) |
⅓ cup milk 1 teaspoon vanilla extract |
Cake:
Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round baking pans.
Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed in a mixer for 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin). Pour batter into prepared pans.
Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely before frosting.
Frosting:
Melt butter. Stir in cocoa. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating to spreading consistency.
Add a small amount of additional milk, if needed. Stir in vanilla. About 2 cups of frosting.
Allow to cool slightly before frosting cake.
Variations:
ONE-PAN CAKE: Grease and flour 13x9x2-inch baking pan. Heat oven to 350° F. Pour batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes. Cool completely. Frost.
THREE LAYER CAKE: Grease and flour three 8-inch round baking pans. Heat oven to 350°F. Pour batter into the prepared pans. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely. Frost.
BUNDT CAKE: Grease and flour 12-cup fluted tube pan. Heat oven to 350°F. Pour batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 50 to 55 minutes. Cool 15 minutes; remove from pan to wire rack. Cool completely. Frost.
CUPCAKES: Line muffin cups (2-1/2 inches in diameter) with paper bake cups. Heat oven to 350°F. Fill cups 2/3 full with batter. Bake for 22 to 25 minutes. Cool completely. Frost. About 30 cupcakes.
Adapted from https://www.hersheys.com/kitchens/en\_us/recipes/hersheys-perfectly-chocolate-chocolate-cake.html