Hershey’s High Altitude Chocolate Cake Recipe

High Altitude Chocolate Bundt Cake

* Please keep in mind that all text is machine-generated, we do not bear any responsibility, and you should always get advice from professionals before taking any actions.

* Please keep in mind that all text is machine-generated, we do not bear any responsibility, and you should always get advice from professionals before taking any actions

Heat Oven To 375f Grease And Flour Two 9

High Altitude Friendly Chocolate Cake

A rich, moist chocolate cake that wont sink at high altitudes and still bakes beautifully at low altitudes.

As I mentioned in my last post, Six Reasons Your Cakes Are Sinking, Ive had some trouble with my favorite chocolate cake recipe that I adapted from Sweetapolita. Since moving to Utah a year and a half ago, the cake has been sinking during the last few minutes of baking and when I take it out of the oven. My heart breaks each time this happens and even more so when I hear it happens to some of you. I did love hearing that like me, you didnt toss it, but instead filled in the middle with trimmed cake pieces from leveling the cake. We cant waist perfectly good tasting cake!

I did a lot of research as to why my chocolate cake was sinking and tested each possible culprit.

I checked my oven temperature with an internal thermometer and its right on target. So that wasnt the problem. I checked all the expiration dates of my leavening agents. That wasnt the problem either. Then I started working on my ingredients. Most sources I read said for high altitude baking , youre likely going to have to adjust the ingredients. So, I started with my baking powder and reduced it a bit. I also reduced my sugar too, and added a bit of flour and an extra egg to help create a stronger foundation and stabilize it. I also increased my baking temperature just a tad.

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Faq: Hersheys Perfectly Chocolate Cake Recipe Techniques

Why do I need to add boiling water to the cake batter?

Great question! Ive been doing a lot of research to answer this question for some time now. I believe its a trick gleaned from old-fashioned chocolate cake recipes. According to my research, the hot water helps get rid of any stubborn lumps in the cocoa powder. Most old-fashioned chocolate cake recipes instruct you to make the batter by hand with a whisk. And if youre a seasoned baker, you know how hard it can be to whisk lumps out of batter.

Furthermore, the hot water blooms the cocoa powder, deepening the cocoa powders chocolate flavor. Its similar to how coffee and tea become more flavorful when steeped in hot water.

And finally, all that extra water makes the cake super moist.

Why do you recommend freezing the cakes overnight?

Why do I recommend freezing the cakes overnight? Well, I already mentioned how doing so gives me more control of my time. Typically, you need to wait for cakes to cool completely before frosting them. Otherwise, the frosting will melt! And it can take a while to bring cakes down to room temperature. So making the cakes a day ahead means I dont have to sit around for hours waiting. Instead, I can just frost and assemble the cakes any time I want on the next day!

Okay, but I dont have room in my freezer. Can I refrigerate the cakes instead?

Do I really need a crumb coat for the Hersheys Perfectly Chocolate Cake?

Ingredients To Make The Hersheys Perfectly Chocolate Cake Recipe More Chocolaty

So to make the Hersheys Perfectly Chocolate Cake recipe even MORE chocolaty, make the following changes to the cake recipe:

• add 1 ½ teaspoons espresso powder OR instant coffee crystals
• replace the 1 cup boiling water with 1 cup boiling coffee

Whats espresso powder and where can I find it?

Espresso powder is made from espresso grounds that have been roasted, ground, and brewed. The water is then removed from the espresso either by flash-heat drying or freeze-drying, leaving behind dehydrated crystals.

Historically, espresso powder was primarily used in baking as an ingredient. As a result, it was only available for purchase or in specialty stores like King Arthur Baking Company. However, these days, folks use espresso powder to make drinks! You can now buy espresso powder in most major grocery stores and Target. In the US, the most readily available instant espresso brand is Medaglia DOro.

Whats instant coffee? Is it different from ground coffee? And if so, can I use ground coffee instead?

Instant coffee is different from ground coffee. Ground coffee is made by grinding coffee beans into a coarse or fine powder. You can easily make ground coffee at home with a coffee grinder.

In a pinch, you can use ground coffee instead of instant coffee in this recipe. However, ground coffee doesnt dissolve as well as instant coffee during the baking process. You may end up with small flecks of ground coffee in your chocolate cake!

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Best Cake Making Technique Tips

• For even cake layers, I like to actually weigh out the layers with a digital kitchen scale to make sure theyre even. The easiest way to do this is to set a prepared cake pan on a digital scale and tare it to 0. Pour batter into the pan until the scale registers the weight listed in the recipe . Repeat with the second and third cake pans.
• Use a large, fine-mesh sieve to sift ingredients for the frosting. Its the fastest and easiest way to sift ingredients! All you need to do is place the fine-mesh sieve over a bowl. Then, dump the ingredients that need to be sifted into the sieve. Use a whisk to stir the ingredients until they pass through the bottom of the sieve and into the bowl below.

Faq: Storing The Hersheys Perfectly Chocolate Cake

How To Store Hersheys Perfectly Chocolate Cake

The assembled Hersheys Perfectly Chocolate Cake can be stored at room temperature, under a cake dome or a large bowl turned upside down, for up to 1 day. Press a sheet of plastic wrap against any cut surfaces to prevent the cake from drying out. After that, cover the entire cake loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 2 days.

Can I make the chocolate cake batter and save it for baking later?

Sadly, no. The cake batter uses baking soda to leaven the cake. Baking soda reacts immediately with other ingredients in the batter to create bubbles that get trapped in the cake batter. These bubbles then rise up in the oven to give the cake rise and create its texture. If you let the batter sit for too long, these bubbles will pop and dissolve, leaving you with a flat cake.

Can I make the chocolate frosting and save it for baking later?

Yes! You can make the chocolate frosting up to 3 days in advance of making the rest of the cake. Follow the recipes instructions to make the frosting. Then, transfer it to an airtight container with a lid. Press a sheet of plastic wrap directly against the surface of the frosting to prevent a skin from forming, then cover with the lid. You can also freeze the frosting. Instead of an airtight container, scrape the frosting into a zip-top bag. Press as much air out of the bag as possible before sealing. Freeze for up to 1 year.

Can you freeze Hersheys Perfectly Chocolate Cake?

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My Version Of The Hersheys Perfectly Chocolate Cake Recipe Tweaks The Chocolate Frosting

This review of the Hersheys Perfectly Chocolate Cake recipe argues that its frosting is too sweet. I also found myself agreeing with this critique. I was surprised to find that the original recipe contained no salt at all!

In general, a little salt goes a long way in baked goods. The salt balances out the sugar, and can make other flavors in the recipe more flavorful. I ended up adding a whopping ½ teaspoon of kosher salt to the frosting. That may seem like a lot, but it really helped tone down the sweetness without any coffee .

I also found that the recipe didnt make enough for a 3 layer, 8-inch cake. But that made sense. Because although Hersheys gives you the option to make the recipe in different cake pans, the original recipe is for a 2 layer, 9-inch cake. As a result, Ive tweaked the frosting quantities below to be more suitable for a 3 layer cake. However, definitely check out the FAQ below if you want to make this recipe in other cake pans.

How To Make Ahead And Store The Homemade Chocolate Cake:

Both the cake and the chocolate frosting can be made ahead. Allow the cakes to cool completely, wrap them well in plastic wrap and place each layer into a gallon zip-top freezer bag. Freeze the cake layers for up to one month.

To frost the cake, simply remove from the freezer and allow to thaw in the refrigerator with wrapping intact. Then, frost the cake once it has completely thawed.

Store the cake at room temperature on the counter. I like to store under a cake dome to keep the cake fresh.

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Variation: How To Make The Hersheys Perfectly Chocolate Cake Recipe Even More Chocolaty

If youre a seasoned baker, you probably already know that coffee is the secret to making things taste more like chocolate. Why? According to this Kitchn article, coffee and chocolate share many of the same flavor characteristics. Adding coffee to any chocolate baked good amplifies some of the darker taste elements in chocolate, making it more flavorful. Coffee can also make the overall flavor of the baked good less sweet.

What Youll Need To Make Marble Cake

Most recipes for marble cake call solely for cocoa powder for the chocolate portion of the cake. I like to add real chocolate as well for a more intense, fudgy flavor this makes the chocolate swirl portion of the cake taste almost like a brownie.

If youd rather not buy a whole carton of buttermilk for this recipe, its easy to make your own. Simply add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar to a liquid measuring cup. Then add regular milk to the 1-cup line and let sit for 10 to 15 minutes, or until slightly curdled and thickened.

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What Makes This The Best Chocolate Cake Recipe

It has a wonderful, rich chocolate flavor that comes simply from using Hersheys cocoa in the cake batter. Its super easy to make. The frosting is creamy and so delicious. I like to double the frosting recipe on this cake so it yields a nice, thick layer of frosting. And this cake has been a big hit at every single party where Ive served it. People love a good chocolate cake, and this is one good chocolate cake!

The Best Chocolate Cake Recipe Ever

It was great to hear that they thought the cake was just as good after their last bite as they thought it was with their first.

Heres another great thing about this recipe. The cake batter really can be made in a bowl without the use of a heavy duty mixer. Of course, that just makes things easier, but this is easily a recipe my Grandmother would have enjoyed making in her tiny kitchen with a whisk and a bowl. And Im sure it would have turned out perfectly, too.

Im not going to kid you, this makes a very rich, moist chocolate cake recipe. So if you are a faint of heart chocolate cake person, this is not the cake for you.

Based on the Old Fashioned Hersheys recipe, I sort of went a bit heavy-handed with some changes testing cake after cake until I got it just the way I wanted it, but the end result was oh so worth it. The crumbs left on the plate gave that away.

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My Version Of The Hersheys Perfectly Chocolate Cake Recipe Gives You The Option To Go The Extra Mile

I found it interesting that, in The Kitchn article that ranks the most popular chocolate cake recipes, the winning recipe was actually pretty similar to the Hersheys Perfectly Chocolate Cake recipe! Specifically: Jesse ranks Ina Gartens Beattys Chocolate Cake recipe as the winner. Erika does in her chocolate cake bake-off as well.

However, when I compared the Hershey recipe to Inas recipe, I was shocked. They basically had the same ingredients and methodologies. The only differences? Hersheys Perfectly Chocolate Cake recipe uses milk and hot water. Inas Beattys Chocolate Cake uses buttermilk and coffee. Thats it!

But those small differences are apparently enough of a difference. Buttermilk has a tangy flavor that helps bring down the overall sweetness of the cake. Similarly, coffees bitter flavor can enhance the chocolaty flavor of the cake. So if youre interested in finessing the Hersheys Perfectly Chocolate Cake recipe to suit your tastes more, definitely check out the variations on how to do so!

Heavenly Deep Dark Chocolate Cake Recipe

Heavenly Deep Dark Chocolate Cake

From iffyo 14 years ago

Its simply heavenly,u all will luv it no doubt about it.,!

• rich

• Feel free to use any of the below tags. Click one to add it.

• rich

• ONE-BOWL BUTTERCREAM frosting shopping list

How to make it

• 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 . 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. 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 Cocoa or Dutch Processed 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 . Stir in vanilla. About 2 cups frosting.
• HIGH ALTITUDE DIRECTIONS :

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