Hersheys Devils Food Cake
3/4 cup butter or margarine, softened1-1/2 cups sugar1-3/4 cups unsifted all-purpose flour1/2 cup Hersheys Cocoa1 teaspoon baking soda1/2 cup buttermilk or sour milk*1/2 cup boiling waterFluffy Vanilla Frosting
Cream butter, sugar and vanilla in large mixer bowl. Add eggs beat well. Combine flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt add alternately with buttermilk to creamed mixture. Add boiling water beat until smooth.
Pour batter into wax paper-lined 13x9x2-inch pan. Bake at 350° for 40 minutes or until cake tester inserted in center comes out clean.
Cool 10 minutes remove from pan and remove paper. Cool completely frost with Fluffy Vanilla Frosting. Store extra frosting, covered, in refrigerator for later use.
* To sour milk: Use 1 tablespoon vinegar plus milk to equal 1 cup. Have milk at room temperature before combining with the amount of vinegar indicated in the recipe. Let mixture stand several minutes before using.
What Makes Chocolate Cake Moist
This perfect combination of oil, milk and boiling water makes this recipe stand out without having to use melted chocolate. The fats in the oil, protein in milk and temperature of the water makes the chocolate flavour develop nicely while baking and providing the essentials for that moist crumb youre looking for.
Dont over-mix OR over-bake. This chocolate cake only needs about 30-35 minutes in the oven, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
My Honest Review Of Hersheys Chocolate Cake
This cake had a standard, run-of-the-mill chocolate flavor that was pleasant but not great. It was a tad too sweet for my taste and lacked the pleasant bitterness that comes with cake made with quality dark chocolate. The flavor was enjoyable, but it was nothing to rave about.
The frosting itself was too sweet as well, and it needed salt to help balance out the generous amount of powdered sugar. It was smooth and easy to work with, but the flavor was dull. It also dried out as it sat, so youll need to work fast or cover it with plastic wrap.
The texture of the cake is where Hersheys really lost points. It was extremely moist to the point of being overwhelming. It was damp, marshy, and dense. Dont get me wrong, I love a moist cake, but eating this was a bit too similar to eating a wet sponge. After a few bites it became too much I felt like I was eating a slice of fudge instead of cake. For such an iconic recipe, I was surprised by how intense the texture was.
Dont get me wrong, this is a good cake its just not the best cake. Its just as good as store-bought cake, but not necessarily better. If you prefer a more exciting chocolate cake, look elsewhere.
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Hot Fudge Pudding Cake
This recipe is perfect for all who love chocolate pudding. To make a hot fudge pudding cake you will need to preheat your oven to 350°F. Then in a mixing bowl, combine 1 cup flour, ¼ cup cocoa powder, ½ cup sugar, 2 tsp baking powder, ¼ tsp salt, ½ cup milk, 4 Tbsp melted butter, 1 egg yolk, 2 tsp vanilla extract. Once ingredients are combined, mix them together, all at the same time. Fold in ½ cup chocolate chips.
Pour your batter into a greased 8-inch pan. Spread it out, then in a mixing bowl, combine ½ cup sugar and ¼ cup cocoa powder. Sprinkle it on top of your batter. Then pour 1 cup boiling water over the entire mixture. Do not stir. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until the top, is cracked and a toothpick comes out mostly clean. Allow the cake to cool for a few minutes before serving with ice cream or whipped cream. Enjoy!
Hersheys Chocolate Cake Recipe

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Grandmas Old Fashioned Chocolate Pudding Recipe
When I first made this recipe from Hersheys, with a few minor adaptions, I was surprised at how much it reminded me of old-fashioned pudding, like what Grandma used to make. Sometimes we get so stuck on the ready-made, boxed mixes, that we forget its also easy to make it from scratch and will taste way better.
The Best Chocolate Cake Recipe
Chocolate flavour oozes all through this cake even though its only made with cocoa powder, like our very own Fudgy Chocolate Cake. With a crumb so incredibly tender, this cake stays moist for a good 4-5 days. Whether you eat it plain, dust it with powdered sugar or serve with dollops of cream or scoops of ice cream, it truly is perfectly perfect!
Of course, smothering it with a buttercream frosting never hurt anyone.
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The Hersheys Perfectly Chocolate Cake Recipe
- three 8-inch round cake pans
- a digital kitchen scale
For the Hershey’s Perfectly Chocolate Cake
- 2cups granulated sugar
- 1 ¾cups all-purpose flour
- ¾cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted if necessary
- 1 ½teaspoonsbaking powder
- 1 ½teaspoonsbaking soda
- 1teaspoonkosher salt
- 1cup whole milk, at room temperature
- ½cup canola oil
- 2large eggs, at room temperature
- 2teaspoonspure vanilla extract
- 1cup boiling water
For the Hershey’s Perfectly Chocolate Frosting
- 4 ½cups confectioners’ sugar
- 1cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½teaspoonkosher salt
- ½cup whole milk
- 1 ½teaspoonspure vanilla extract
- ¾cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
For The Chocolate Cheesecake
- Cream Cheese: Bring your cream cheese to room temperature.
- Sugar: Youll need 1 cup.
- Cocoa Powder: Use natural, unsweetened cocoa powder.
- Sour Cream: For an extra creamy cheesecake.
- Vanilla Extract: To enhance the chocolatiness.
- Chocolate Chips: Semi-sweet, melted and slightly cooled.
- Eggs: Room temperature is best.
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Adding Coffee To Chocolate Cake
One of my tips for really pumping up the chocolate flavor in this easy chocolate cake is to add some coffee. Even though I am not a coffee drinker, I find it gives great depth to the chocolate flavor.
This Hersheys chocolate cake recipe calls for one cup of boiling water. The cup of boiling water is a perfect place to sneak in some coffee.
Not being a coffee drinker, I dont go with a full cup of coffee. Instead I add about half a packet of instant coffee crystals to my boiling water. I usually use the Starbucks Via Instant coffee. These are great to keep on hand for baking.
How To Make Hershey’s Chocolate Cake
Start by stirring together all the dry ingredients in a large bowl and then adding the wet: eggs, milk, oil, butter, and vanilla.
Then you stir in boiling water that has been poured over used coffee grinds. This does not make the cake taste like coffee, I promise. What it does is similar to what salt does to soups or any food.
The small amount of coffee derived from pouring water over the coffee grinds simply elevates and brings out the chocolate. Try itI promise it’s good!
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How To Make A Keto Hersheys Perfectly Chocolate Cake
Keto Hersheys Chocolate Cake
Ill admit that at first, I thought that my attempt in converting this classic recipe into a keto-friendly option was going to be impossible. Thankfully, that was not the case. A little prayer before attempting to convert a recipe is the secret to my success.
Just like the original recipe youre going to start by mixing the dry and wet ingredients in two separate bowls.
I did, however, replace the vegetable oil thats called for in the original with melted cooled butter. Because butter is always a good idea. Dont you agree?
You can also use melted refined coconut oil or ghee in place of the butter. If you opt to use coconut oil I suggest you use refined coconut oil so that the coconut flavor doesnt overpower the recipe.
Instead of the 1 cup of milk, I used 1/2 a cup of heavy whipping cream and 1/2 a cup of water. The milk is way too high in carbs. Thankfully this cream and water combo works as a great substitute.
I also used 3 large eggs instead of the two that the original recipe called for to ensure the cake would be moist and have the perfect crumb.
Of course, in order to make this a true Keto Hersheys Chocolate Cake, I also swapped out the sugar for a sugar substitute and the all-purpose flour for a finely milled almond and coconut flour combination.
How To Make The Hersheys Perfectly Chocolate Cakerecipe

Whenever I bake a layer cake, I break down the recipe to make its different components over multiple days. Why? It can be really time-consuming to make the cake all in one day! First, you need to bake the cakes and wait for them to cool completely. Then, you need to make the frosting, assemble the layers and frost a crumb coat, and wait for it all to set. After that, you need to finish decorating the whole thing! You can see how this recipe is turning into a full days worth of work.
To make sure Im not stuck in the kitchen all day, I broke down the work for the Hersheys Perfectly Chocolate Cake recipe over two days. Heres what I did:
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Hersheys Perfectly Chocolate Cake
The secret source of this recipe is Hersheys, but I got it years ago from my cousin, Julie. We usually make it as cupcakes or layers, but Ive been on a Bundt cake kick and wanted to use a fluted pan. For the cocoa powder, I use natural, but Dutch process also works well. And if you prefer using buttermilk in place of milk or coffee in place of water, go for it. The only thing to watch carefully is the time. Mine was done in 45 minutes, but sometimes it takes up to 55 depending on your oven and Bundt pan.
Tips For The Best Chocolate Cake
If you follow the recipe, youll have a sure-fire hit with this cake. But there are a couple of things to keep in mind:
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- Since this cake is so soft, frosting it can be a challenge. Try freezing your cakes overnight and frosting while theyre solid to prevent crumbs and breakage.
- Always start with room temperature ingredients for better mixing.
- If you want to boost that chocolate flavor, try using hot coffee instead of water.
- For an even more moist crumb, try using buttermilk instead of plain milk.
- Be sure to use the unsweetened cocoa and not the sweetened variety, as it would be too sweet.
- For an even richer flavor, try using Dutch cocoa.
- To check if the cakes are done, insert a toothpick into the middle. It should come out clean when the cakes are baked.
- I would always recommend using parchment paper in your cake tins to avoid any unwanted sticking disasters.
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If Youre Making Hersheys Chocolate Cake A Few Tips
1. Sift your cocoa powder: Unlike most chocolate cake recipes, Hersheys does not call for sifting the dry ingredients before mixing the cake batter. This caused the batter to have a few tiny lumps of cocoa powder in it, and sifting would have prevented this.
2 Let your unfrosted cake layers sit out at room temperature for several hours before assembling: Because this cake is so darn moist, its difficult to frost without ripping the cake apart. To make things easier let your cake layers sit uncovered, at room temperature for several hours before assembling. I let mine sit out for about four hours, and it helped dry them out just enough so I was able to frost them easily.
3. Add a pinch of salt to the frosting: The flavor of this cake is a tad dull, and it would have benefitted from a pinch of salt in the frosting to help elevate the chocolate flavor and balance the sweetness. I recommend adding 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt to the frosting, tasting it, and adding more if needed.
Rating: 6/10
Have you ever made Hersheys chocolate cake? Tell us what you thought!
How To Make The Hersheys Perfectly Chocolate Cake Recipe In One Day
I get it. You read everything above but thought that overnight seems like a long time to wait for a chocolate cake. What if you want the Hersheys Perfectly Chocolate Cake RIGHT NOW? Good news! You dont have to assemble the cake over two days.You can make the both the cake and frosting in one day, and assemble it in the same day, too.
To do so, follow the recipe instructions to make the chocolate cake. Cool completely in the pans on a wire rack before frosting. Once cool, tightly wrap each cake layer in its own sheet of plastic wrap. Freeze for 5 to 10 minutes while you make prep the ingredients for and make the chocolate frosting. Then, follow the recipe instructions to assemble, crumb coat, and frost the cake.
Freezing the cakes for 5 to 10 minutes will stiffen the cake and make it easier to frost. Note that youll likely need to set the crumb coat for longer than whats listed in the recipe below. The recipe instructs you to refrigerate the crumb coated cake for 10 to 15 minutes. However, if the cakes havent been frozen overnight, you need to refrigerate the crumb coated cake for at least 30 minutes.
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