Copycat Hershey’s “Perfectly Chocolate” Cake

Good news for chocoholics! The rich chocolate cake you’ve been dreaming of can easily be a reality with this copycat Hershey’s “perfectly chocolate” cake recipe.

Featuring a moist cake with the perfect amount of sweetness, decadent chocolate frosting, and a crumb coat that gives it that extra touch.

You can delight your family for birthdays, holidays, or simply any time you feel like baking up something full of love for the ones you love!

Classic Chocolate Cake

Chocolate cake is a classic, and there’s nothing better than traditional Hershey’s cocoa in the mix.

It’s great for a special occasion like a birthday or for a nice after-school snack.

A Perfect Choice for Every Fan of Chocolate Cake

There are great chocolate cake recipes, and then there’s this moist chocolate cake recipe that simply knocks it out of the ballpark.

It has that perfect rich chocolate flavor that makes you swoon with every forkful.

You’ll use the tines of your fork to capture every last morsel on your plate and lick every bit of that rich chocolate frosting from it until it looks like nothing was ever on that plate at all.

I make this for my husband and kids, and I can understand why people love the recipe so much.

Best of all, it’s a simple layer cake recipe too, so grab those cake pans and let’s bake up pure chocolate indulgence right now!

Ingredients For Chocolate Cake

• White sugar
• All-purpose flour
• Hershey’s unsweetened cocoa 
• Baking powder
• Baking soda
• Salt
• Eggs
• Milk
• Vegetable oil
• Vanilla extract
• Boiling water

Step-By-Step Instructions

As you can see from the photos, this homemade chocolate cake has two layers with frosting in the center. But feel free to line muffin cups to make cupcakes or even put it in a Bundt pan.

Chocolate lovers will absolutely adore this recipe, which naturally features three-quarters of a cup of Hershey’s cocoa powder along with other simple ingredients.

Start by preheating the oven to 350 degrees and grease and flour two 9-inch round pans. Add some parchment paper to the bottom of the pans to help the cakes release when they cool.

1. Add the dry ingredients to a large bowl and mix. (Be sure the bowl is heat safe, as you will be pouring boiling water into the bowl in a later step).
2. Next, add the Hershey’s unsweetened cocoa and mix.
3. Add the milk, eggs, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract and mix well.
4. Boil the water and pour it into the bowl and mix well. (The batter will be very thin).
5. Pour the cake batter into the two round pans and bake for about 30 to 35 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.
6. Cool and frost. You will want to frost between the two layers before frosting the outside of the cake.

Variations For The Copycat Hershey’s Cake

• Cupcakes – line a muffin pan with cupcake liners and fill them about 2/3 full. Bake the cupcakes for about 25 minutes at 350 degrees.
• Bundt cake pan – grease and flour a Bundt cake pan and bake at 350 degrees for about 55 minutes.
• One pan cake – grease and flour a 9 x 13-inch baking dish and bake for about 40 minutes at 350 degrees.

In each case, check the cake with a cake tester to make sure it is done baking. If not, place it back in the oven and cook for a few more minutes until the cake tester comes out clean.

Optional Toppings

To add a little flair to the cake, you can add some of the following ingredients:

• Chocolate sprinkles on top of the cake (like the ones pictured).
• Drizzle some Hershey’s Chocolate Syrup over a slice.
• Sprinkle some mini chocolate chips on top.
• Add some crumbled candied pecans to top of the cake.
• Have a nice scoop of vanilla ice cream with a slice.
• Add a few berries to the top of the cake.

Tips For Making The Best Hershey’s Chocolate Cake

1. You can use a hand mixer or a whisk to mix the cake. Don’t over mix or the cake will get tough. Mix enough to combine the ingredients.
2. Add some parchment paper to the bottom of the pan to help the cake release easier when it cools.
3. Preheat your oven before placing the cake pans in so the cake bakes evenly.
4. Avoid opening the door until the cake is done so that the center doesn’t fall.
5. When the cake is done baking, place the cake pans on top of wire racks to cool faster.

Copycat Hershey’s “Perfectly Chocolate” Cake

If you’re having chocolate cravings, this is honestly the only chocolate cake recipe you’ll ever need. It has all the hallmarks of a perfect cake with a moist texture inside and heavenly, rich Hershey’s chocolate frosting all over.

Every bite is pure bliss, and while it may look complex, it’s utterly easy to make. The next time you need a homemade chocolate cake, make this one because it’s perfectly perfect in every way!

It’s the best chocolate cake recipe, one that everyone always asks for. This post contains the instructions for making the cake itself, but you can see my post for “perfectly chocolate” chocolate frosting to make it complete.