AD ALERT

Deep Dark Chocolate Cake

cakes

4 stars4
Overall Rating (27 ratings)

View rating details

20 Reviews Review This Recipe

Skill Level:
Beginner

Nutrition Info

Ingredients

  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa or HERSHEY'S SPECIAL DARK Cocoa
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 cup boiling water
  • ONE-BOWL BUTTERCREAM FROSTING (recipe follows)

Directions

  1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round pans or one 13x9x2-inch baking pan.

  2. 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 electric mixer 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin). Pour batter into prepared pans.

  3. Bake 30 to 35 minutes for round pans, 35 to 40 minutes for rectangular pan or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely. (Cake may be left in rectangular pan, if desired.) Frost with ONE-BOWL BUTTERCREAM FROSTING. 8 to 10 servings.


    ONE-BOWL BUTTERCREAM FROSTING
    6 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
    2-2/3 cups powdered sugar
    1/2 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa or HERSHEY'S SPECIAL DARK Cocoa
    1/3 cup milk
    1 teaspoon vanilla extract

    Beat butter in medium bowl. Add powdered sugar and cocoa alternately with milk, beating to spreading consistency (additional milk may be needed). Stir in vanilla. About 2 cups frosting.

    HIGH ALTITUDE DIRECTIONS (Cake):
    -- Decrease sugar to 1-3/4 cups
    -- Increase flour to 1-3/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons
    -- Decrease baking powder to 1-1/4 teaspoons
    -- Decrease baking soda to 1-1/4 teaspoons
    -- Increase milk to 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons
    -- Bake at 375°F, 30 to 35 minutes for both pan sizes
Post
Sort by Newest | Oldest  

Back to recipe

Reviews for Deep Dark Chocolate Cake

4 stars Overall Rating 28 ratings
4 stars Taste Rating
4 stars Difficulty Rating
4 stars Appearance Rating

Back to Recipe

Sort by Newest | Oldest  
4 stars
Overall

bakingmama9/24/2010 10:14:45 PM

Just made this cake - It was incredibly easy! It tastes amazing and the one bowl frosting is light and fluffy! No canned icing here. I would make this cake and frosting again for any occasion... Or Just Because! :)

4 stars
Taste 4 stars
Difficulty 4 stars
Appearance
4 stars
Overall

the baker n chef9/18/2010 2:52:36 AM

made the deep dark chocolate cake/ perfect chocolate the other day in 13 x 9 x 2 pan with the frosting. it's still moist and delicious and will make it again soon but, use the high altitude adjustment - will do a classid chocolate layer cake! thank you, the baker nchef!

4 stars
Taste 4 stars
Difficulty 4 stars
Appearance
4 stars
Overall

penniebelzer9/4/2010 12:57:13 AM

3

4 stars
Taste 4 stars
Difficulty 4 stars
Appearance
4 stars
Overall

auntbee53588/9/2010 9:10:07 AM

This is my favorite cho. cake recipe. It's great per the recipe Although I have also added hot coffee for the water, a dash of cinnamon, nmini chips, pecans, cocoanut, make it what ever is around and if I feel like adding something to it. One time I made 22 mini bunt pan cakes of this recipe. Drizzled chocolate ganache along the top, added a chocolate dipped strawberry to the top with a dab of freshly made whipped cream. It was enjoyed by each dinner guest. Great reciepe that I share with many people.

4 stars
Taste 4 stars
Difficulty 4 stars
Appearance
4 stars
Overall

jssquire8/2/2010 12:23:38 AM

LOVED this cake! It was a hit!!!

4 stars
Taste 4 stars
Difficulty 4 stars
Appearance
4 stars
Overall

cmc5458/1/2010 11:10:16 AM

Delicious and easy! I used a half dark and half regular cocoa combo and it was great. Dark, moist, devil's food-like cake with a rich chocolate flavor. Not too sweet-great balance. An easy go-to recipe...why would anyone ever use boxed cake mix?? Frosting is easy and delicious too. Don't hesitate-make it, you'll love it!

4 stars
Taste 4 stars
Difficulty 4 stars
Appearance
4 stars
Overall

klmayo7/30/2010 8:27:04 PM

This is THE BEST chocolate cake ever! The boiling water is the key. My grandmother gave me a Hershey's cookbook with this recipe in it for Christmas 20 years ago. That makes it special! I double the icing recipe AND double that cocoa. The powdered sugar is reduced by that extra cocoa amount. ...then there is a little bit of icing to store in the fridge for that quick chocolate fix! Everyone requests my chocolate cake for gatherings...must be good!

4 stars
Taste 4 stars
Difficulty 4 stars
Appearance
4 stars
Overall

Bunnester6/20/2010 12:54:05 PM

I use coffee instead of boiling water, and modify it a couple of other ways, as well. This receipe is so versatile I can use it for ANY occaision. I fill it with fruit preserves or jams (raspberry/orange marmalaide), or peanut butter and cream cheese and frost it with whipped cream. Or even a dusting of powdered sugar when it's in a bundt pan. PERFECT chocolate cake is my name for it.

4 stars
Taste 4 stars
Difficulty 4 stars
Appearance
4 stars
Overall

EKBUSH6/10/2010 5:06:38 PM

We loved this cake! The best Dark Chocolate cake I have ever had. I couldn't stop eating it! Used the "Special Dark" Cocoa

4 stars
Taste 4 stars
Difficulty 4 stars
Appearance
4 stars
Overall

pielady9605/14/2010 4:36:29 PM

Wonderfully moist chocolate cake! I use peanut butter icing and it's a huge hit!! Requested often!

4 stars
Taste 4 stars
Difficulty 4 stars
Appearance
4 stars
Overall

jlovepena4/18/2010 5:00:03 PM

My family loves this recipe.

4 stars
Taste 4 stars
Difficulty 4 stars
Appearance
4 stars
Overall

aggie064/7/2010 8:07:18 AM

I took it into work for a co-worker's birthday, and everyone said it was their new favorite cake! I believe you can never have too much chocolate so I made the round to layer cake and added mini semi-sweet chocolate chips in the frosting between the layers. It was amazing!

4 stars
Taste 4 stars
Difficulty 4 stars
Appearance
4 stars
Overall

SharonDS4/3/2010 8:28:58 AM

This is a deep dark chocolate cake and I prefer Hershey's Fudge Frosting made with Special Dark Cocoa!

4 stars
Taste 4 stars
Difficulty 4 stars
Appearance
4 stars
Overall

Peldyn2/28/2010 3:25:37 PM

I have been making this recipe for over 20 years. It is hands down the best cake ever. I never use any other chocolate cake recipe but this one. It never fails, is moist and delectable with the best fudge taste in the world. What mix can say the same? And in my opinion it is just as easy to make as a mix.

4 stars
Taste 4 stars
Difficulty 4 stars
Appearance
4 stars
Overall

Terimore1/26/2010 4:04:06 PM

This is the best chocolate cake. I cut the oil to 2Tbs & add 3/4 cup of light sour cream ( only to lighten the fat grms & keep moist)

4 stars
Taste 4 stars
Difficulty 4 stars
Appearance
4 stars
Overall

pakottmann1/9/2010 11:25:22 PM

This is my all time favorite chocolate cake recipe and everyone loves it's moist chocolatey flavor...

4 stars
Taste 4 stars
Difficulty 4 stars
Appearance
4 stars
Overall

camend9/16/2009 10:03:48 AM

This recipe was easy and fast to make. Oh! But best of all the results were amazing. What a tasty caked! The frosting was so good --- you didn't even need the cake.

4 stars
Taste 4 stars
Difficulty 4 stars
Appearance
4 stars
Overall

luvs2fly8/31/2009 11:35:15 PM

Forget about ever buying another box of chocolate cake mix! This is the best I've ever tried.

4 stars
Taste 4 stars
Difficulty 4 stars
Appearance
4 stars
Overall

jamzdesigns1/11/2009 4:42:41 PM

This cake reminds me so much of the great chocolate cakes that would be served after church on Sundays, yum! The cake is SUPER MOIST! Don't change anything and follow the recipe! I used the dutch-processed cocoa powder for both the cake and the icing. I also used organic cane sugar and sifted the dry ingredients. Be sure your butter and eggs are room temperature -- it really does make a difference. I also used organic whole milk and organic salted butter. This will be a keeper to pass down within my family!

4 stars
Taste 4 stars
Difficulty 4 stars
Appearance
4 stars
Overall

valerie.radcliffe@jd10/2/2008 10:02:30 AM

I have made this cake for years. It's rich moist and very chocolately!!! What a wonderful dessert

4 stars
Taste 4 stars
Difficulty 4 stars
Appearance

Back to recipe

Rate This Recipe:



1
2
3
4
5
Overall Rating

1
2
3
4
5
Taste Rating

1
2
3
4
5
Difficulty Rating

1
2
3
4
5
Appearance Rating

Review This Recipe:

Please note that all reviews become the property of THE HERSHEY COMPANY and are subject to approval for inclusion on the website.

Cancel

Thank you for your review!

You never know how many others will find your comments helpful. So, thanks again!


Done! Back to Recipe

Back to Recipe

Spread the Love

Blog this fabulous recipe to your fellow chocolate lovers! Simply copy and paste the URL below to your blog or homepage for your friends and family to enjoy.


Permalink:  

 

Featured Product

Our classic unsweetened, natural, non-alkalized cocoa powder is ideal for hot cocoa, frostings, cakes, brownies and other rich chocolate desserts.

Our classic unsweetened, natural, non-alkalized cocoa powder is ideal for hot cocoa, frostings, cakes, brownies and other rich chocolate desserts.

View Recipes

Similar Recipes

Get Personalized Recipe Recommendations When You Become a Member »

Watch the Fun

Subscribe to the HERSHEY'S Kitchens YouTube channel for contests, baking tips, how-to videos and more!

Featured Product

HERSHEY'S Baking Chips

Mix things up with HERSHEY'S Baking Chips! Baked into cookies or sprinkled over brownies, they're the perfect way to put a sweet spin on your seasonal baking.


View Products »

Sign-Up Newsletter

Sign-up for HERSHEY'S Kitchens recipes, promotions and more.

GO

Featured Tip

Store cakes with whipped cream toppings, cream fillings or cream cheese frostings in the refrigerator.

Join the HERSHEY'S Kitchens Community

HERSHEY'S Kitchens

Get all the recipes, tips and advice you need to create delightful chocolate creations.

Promotions
Just For You!

HERSHEY'S Kitchens

Learn about our sweet, saving offers for chocolate lovers.

AD ALERT Privacy Policy Legal Info Contact Us

© The Hershey Company