The Search is Over: The Chocolate Cake Recipe That Never Fails to Satisfy

Chocolate Cake is probably the most popular cake in the world. There are so many variations and recipes of just this one cake that looking for the ultimate recipe is nearly impossible. Choosing just one recipe is hard enough. There are flourless chocolate cakes, cakes with melted chocolates, cakes with cocoa powder, cakes with ground nuts in them, cakes with alcohol etc. etc. Well, all those hours I spent searching the Internet has paid off. I found a recipe that I always come back to. It is moist, very chocolatey and satisfying. Plus it is easy to make. You will only need 2 bowls. (Don't you just hate cake recipes that require you to use at lest 5 bowls?) ....

Hershey's ® 'Perfectly Chocolate' Chocolate Cake

CAKE:

2 cups white 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 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

1 cup milk

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup boiling water

DIRECTIONS:

1. Heat oven to 350 F. Grease two 9-inch round baking pans and cover bottom with parchment paper. This will make it easier for the cakes to come out later.

2. In a bowl, sift together the sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In another bowl mix the eggs, milk, oil and vanilla. Add this to the dry ingredients and beat on medium speed of mixer until well incorporated. Stir in the boiling water. Equally divide the batter into prepared pans.

3. Bake 30 minutes. Then take a toothpick and insert in the middle of the cakes. It it comes out clean or has some cake crumbs clinging (not batter) it's done. If there batter bake 5 minutes more then test again. Do not overbake. Let cool 10 minutes then turn over carefully on wire racks.

After 30 minutes....

FROSTING:

1/2 cup unsalted butter

2/3 cup HERSHEY®'S Cocoa Powder

3 cups confectioners' sugar

1/3 cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a saucepan melt the butter then stir in the cocoa powder. Put mixture in a bowl and add 1 cup powdered sugar at a time and a little of the milk. Beat well. Continue adding until all the sugar and milk and incorporated. Don't forget to scrape the sides of the bowl! At the end, add the vanilla and beat until smooth and spreadable.

So what if it doesn't look too good? Wait till you try it.