Hershey’s Perfectly Chocolate Cake with Buttercream

Hershey’s “Perfectly Chocolate” Chocolate Cake with buttercream frosting is a sweet treat your mom will love this Mother’s Day.

Are you looking for an extra special treat for Mother’s Day? Put the cake mix aside and look no further than the back of the HERSHEY’S Cocoa box. My family has been making the original recipe for this layer cake since I was a little girl. It’s our favorite chocolate cake recipe and my go-to chocolate cake and cupcake recipe. Typically I make the “Best Ever” Hershey’s chocolate frosting too but since it is Mother’s Day I wanted to make something a little fancier so I made buttercream frosting and tried my hand at cake decorating. I think it turned out pretty good if I do say so myself.

Hershey’s Perfectly Chocolate Cake with Buttercream Frosting

Ingredients Chocolate Cake

• 2 cups sugar
• 1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup HERSHEY’S Cocoa powder
• 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup boiling water
• 2 tsp vanilla extract

Directions For Hershey’s Chocolate Cake

This one bowl chocolate cake recipe cannot be any easier. You simply prepare the pans, grab a large bowl add the dry ingredients, add the wet ingredients, mix, pour into the pans and bake. Here are the detailed directions for this scrumptious homemade chocolate cake.

•  Heat oven to 350°F grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans. Or use cooking spray. Line the bottom of each pan with a circle of parchment paper.
• In a large bowl, stir together the dry ingredients, sugar, flour, HERSHEY’S Cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
• Add the wet ingredients, the eggs, milk, oil and vanilla extract, then beat on medium speed with an electric mixer for 2 minutes.
• Stir in boiling water (the batter will be thin).
• Pour the cake batter into the prepared pans.
• Bake the cake for 30-35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.
• Cool the cake layers for 10 minutes in the pan. Then remove from pans and let cool completely on wire racks.
• Once cakes are cooled wrap in plastic wrap and freeze overnight or up to 3 months.

Variations for Chocolate Cake

• Substitute hot coffee for the hot water or add a teaspoon of instant coffee to the dry ingredients. According to Food & Wine this will boost the flavor of the chocolate.
• Add chocolate chips or nuts to the cake batter.
• Make a Bundt cake: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 12-cup Bundt pan. Pour the cake batter into prepared pan. Bake the cake for 50 to 55 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan for 15 minutes then cool completely on a wire wrack and frost with your favorite frosting, dust with powdered sugar or drizzle with melted chocolate.
• Or cupcakes and decorate with your favorite frosting and sprinkles.

Buttercream Frosting Recipe

• 11/2 cups(3sticks) of room temperature butter
• 41/2 cups powdered sugar
• 3-4 tablespoons heavy cream
• 11/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• Food coloring~yellow, green, red

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment whip the butter for 7-8 minutes until light and fluffy. Scrape the sides of the bowl frequently. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and heavy cream, mix on low until everything is incorporated and then increase the speed to medium, beat until light and fluffy.

To make the Hershey’s perfectly chocolate frosting instead you can find the recipe here. 

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Assemble and Decorate the Cake

• Remove the frozen cake from the freezer, unwrap and let thaw slightly while you make the buttercream frosting.
• Tint the frosting to your desired colors. I made light green frosting as my base and pale pink for the flowers.
• Place one layer of the cake on a cake platter or stand. Add 1/4 of the buttercream frosting and using an offset spatula smooth the layer of frosting.
• Add the next cake layer. Frost the cake with a crumb coat, then place in the refrigerator for 10 minutes. Then frost the top and the two side layers, make them as level and as smooth as possible.
•  Using an offset spatula, a pallet knife or the back of a spoon make abstract flower shapes with the pink frosting.
• Make a small bowl of yellow frosting for the stamens in the middle of the flower.

How to store Hershey’s perfectly chocolate cake

Wrap the cake or place in an airtight cake saver, leave on the counter or in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To freeze the cake, place in refrigerator until the frosting is set, then wrap tightly in plastic wrap and then foil. Cake may be frozen for up to 3 months.

THAT’S ALL FOR NOW

The next time you need and easy and delicious dessert, I hope that you try this Hershey’s chocolate cake recipe. This is my all time favorite cake and I think that your mom or the mother’s in your life will love it. Serve it with a pot of tea, coffee or even a glass of champagne to celebrate the day.

Have a great day friends, thank you for spending part of your day with me.

You can also keep up with me on Pinterest, Instagram, and Facebook. And last but not least, if you like Pinecones & Acorns share it with a friend!

On My Radar~Mother’s Day Gifts

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Hershey’s “Perfectly Chocolate” Chocolate Cake with Buttercream Frosting

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Hershey’s “Perfectly Chocolate” Chocolate Cake with Buttercream frosting is a sweet treat your mom will love this Mother’s Day.

• Total Time: 0 hours
• Yield: 2 9" cake layers 1x

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

2 cups sugar

1–3/4 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup HERSHEY’S Cocoa powder

1–1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1–1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 tsp salt

2 eggs

1 cup milk

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 cup boiling water

2 tsp vanilla extract

For the Buttercream Frosting

11/2 cups(3sticks) room temperature butter

41/2 cups powdered sugar

3–4 tablespoons heavy cream

11/2 teaspoons vanilla bean extract

Food coloring~yellow, green, red

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Instructions

Directions

 Heat oven to 350°F grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans. Or use cooking spray. Line the bottom of each pan with a circle of parchment paper.

In a large bowl, stir together the dry ingredients, sugar, flour, HERSHEY’S Cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

Add the wet ingredients, the eggs, milk, oil and vanilla extract, then beat on medium speed with an electric mixer for 2 minutes.

Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin).

Pour the cake batter into the prepared pans.

Bake the cake for 30-35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.

Cool the cake layers for 10 minutes in the pan. Then remove from pans and let cool completely on wire racks. Once cakes are cooled wrap in plastic wrap and freeze overnight or up to 3 months.

Instructions for Buttercream Frosting

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment whip the butter for 7-8 minutes until light and fluffy. Scrape the sides of the bowl frequently. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and heavy cream, mix on low until everything is incorporated and then increase the speed to medium, beat until light and fluffy.

Assemble & Decorate the Cake

• Remove the frozen cake from the freezer, unwrap and let thaw slightly while you make the buttercream frosting.
• Tint the frosting to your desired colors. I made light green frosting as my base and pale pink for the flowers.
• Place one layer of the cake on a cake platter or stand. Add 1/4 of the buttercream frosting and using an offset spatula smooth the layer of frosting.
• Add the next cake layer. Frost the cake with a crumb coat, then place in the refrigerator for 10 minutes. Then frost the top and the two side layers, make them as level and as smooth as possible.
•  Using an offset spatula, a pallet knife or the back of a spoon make abstract flower shapes with the pink frosting.
• Make a small bowl of yellow frosting for the stamens in the middle of the flower.

Notes

This cake is scrumptious with the Hershey’s perfectly chocolate frosting too!

• Author: Elizabeth
• Prep Time: 10
• Cook Time: 30-35 minutes
• Category: Dessert
• Method: Baked
• Cuisine: American

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