Chocolate Cake is a deliciously decadent dessert that has been a staple on our table for as long as I can remember! This easy recipe makes a rich and delicious cake that is perfectly tender and moist.
Top it with the best ever Chocolate Buttercream Frosting, a drizzle of Easy Caramel Sauce or simply whipped cream and strawberries for the perfect dessert!
Remember Gramma’s famous chocolate cake recipe that brought the whole family to the table after Sunday dinner? Or sold at a church bake sale? Or was enjoyed with a fresh, cold glass of lemonade on a hot summer’s day? Hershey’s famous chocolate cake recipe is one I’ve enjoyed pretty much my entire life. Simple. Delicious. Perfect.
Enjoy this easy to make chocolate cake anytime you feel an urge for something rich and sinfully divine!
How to Make a Chocolate Cake
Making this easy chocolate cake takes just a few simple steps!
- Choose your pan size: Preheat the oven and prep your cake pans. You will want to check the recipe notes below for more information on what type of baking pan you want to use or for “bite-sized” portions try making cupcakes!
- Combine dry ingredients: Whisk the mixture to incorporate all of the ingredients (and whisking means no sifting required).
- Add wet ingredients: Beat with a hand mixer until the batter is well mixed!
- Add boiling water: Slowly add boiling water to the batter – it will seem thin at this point, but that’s okay! It’s going to bake into a light, fluffy, spongy chocolate cake! Mmmmm….
How to Bake a Chocolate Cake
The time needed to bake homemade chocolate cake can depend on the size/shape of the baking pan you’re using!
- 9×13 pan – 35-40 minutes
- 8″ round pans – 30-35 minutes
- Cupcakes – 22-25 minutes.
If making cupcakes, line the pan with paper liners and fill wells 2/3 full.
How to Tell if a Cake is Done
- A great way to check if a cake is done is to insert a wooden toothpick into the cake and if the wooden pick comes out clean, it is ready.
- If you don’t have a toothpick, gently press on the cake and it should spring back. If the cake leaves an indent of a fingerprint, it needs a few more minutes.
Remove them from the oven and allow to cool either on a rack or on a kitchen towel on the counter. You will want to make sure they are fully cooled before moving onto decorating your cake or cupcakes. This keeps the icing from melting and sliding off! We’d hate to waste any delicious frosting!
How to Decorate Chocolate Cake
Homemade frosting is easy and honestly the best (this chocolate icing is my fave).
If you’re in a hurry, one can of frosting will cover a sheet cake or be enough for cupcakes, but two cans are needed for three layers (8” round).
We love changing the flavor of this recipe just by changing the delicious frosting we top it with!
- For a really decadent double chocolate cake, whip up some easy Chocolate Buttercream Frosting or Chocolate Ganache Frosting.
- Feeling nutty? Nutella frosting recipe.
- In a rush? One Minute Easy Chocolate Frosting
- For a cool flavor option, try Peppermint Buttercream Frosting.
- Or any regular buttercream frosting recipe will do. To make it suit any occasion, try tinting with food coloring, like pink or yellow!
Sprinkle on multi-colored sprinkles or chocolate jimmies. This is the best chocolate cake recipe for birthdays, so get some fun candles and celebrate someone special! They will love this yummy birthday treat!
Got Leftovers?
If you can’t finish it in one sitting, no worries! Chocolate cake will keep covered at room temperature or sometimes you can put it in the fridge for a cold, tasty treat with a glass of milk at the end of the day!
To Freeze Chocolate Cake: Of course, this cake freezes beautifully but there’s never any left to freeze in my house!
More Amazing Cakes You NEED!
- The Best Carrot Cake – incredibly moist and easy to make.
- Easy Chocolate Cake – so rich & decadent
- Mini Cheesecakes – delicious handheld portions!
- Oreo No Bake Cheesecake – perfect for hot summer days.
- Tres Leches Cake – so moist, we can’t get enough!
- Chocolate Poke Cake From Scratch – chocolate + chocolate + chocolate!
Ingredients
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup milk
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup boiling water
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Grease and flour your baking pan (see size information in the notes below) or line your muffin pan with paper liners for cupcakes.
- In a large bowl, combine sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
- Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla to dry mixture and mix with an electric mixer on medium for about 2 minutes. Gently mix in boiling water. Note: Your batter will seem thin, it's ok.. it's supposed to!
- Pour into pans and bake. Cool on wire racks.
Video
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Dessert
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Original recipe from Hershey’s!
How long should I bake the cake if my pan is 6.5×9? I’m avoiding the cake to rise in the middle
The volume should be about the same as an 8-inch round pan so I would follow those baking directions. Let us know how it goes Ana!
Super fast and easy to make and tastes delicious!
I made a 9×13 and it took 33 mins at 350.
This is the first chocolate cake I’ve ever made and am very impressed with how it turned out!
I loved this cake. Even without frosting! It was the best cake texture. We served it with whipping cream on top and it was perfect. Thank you for this recipe!
This cake almost set my house on fire. Rose over a 9 x 13 pan, exploded all over my oven. Baking powder AND baking soda?? Water?? What??
Oh my! I am sorry to hear that Erik, that does not sound fun. The recipe is correct as written and we have never had results like that! Did you use 1½ teaspoons of baking powder and 2 teaspoons of baking soda?
I made this as a Bundt for my daughter’s birthday. I used gluten-free flour (King Arthur measure for measure) and it came out wonderfully!
Great recipe with easy to follow instructions. I am not much of a baker but this turned out well!
My 12 year old daughter made this for a family dessert. So delicious! The best chocolate cake. The only thing she did different was to use buttermilk in place of the plain milk.
She made a homemade cream cheese frosting for it.
We will be adding this to our family recipe box. ♥️♥️
Oh boy, that sounds so delicious Lisa! Thanks for sharing.
I tried this and I filled it up less than 2/3 and it overflowed in my oven.
Oh no, I am sorry to hear that Shayla! That has never happened to us :(
Hi I live in the UK, do I use plain or self-raising flour? Also how long is for a loaf tin size? Thanks Becky
This recipe uses plain (all-purpose) flour. I have not tried this in a loaf tin so I can’t say for sure.
This cake turned out perfect! It was a very easy recipe to follow! My first time ever making a cake from scratch! I made a vanilla buttercream icing to top it!
Is there a icing recipe to go with the cake
I love Chocolate Buttercream.
our care turned out super water and didnt stick togther very well
Sorry to hear that Danica! I am not sure what went wrong. This cake always turns out light, fluffy and spongy for us.
How many cup cakes does this recipe make I need to know ASAP
This should make 36 cupcakes filled ½ full or 24 cupcakes filled about ⅔ full.
This cake is so delicious! It’s so moist, the top is shiny! It’s soft and SO tasty. We ate it without frosting even :) Thank you!
I have baked this cake twice today. Both times it fell in the middle about 25-30 minutes into baking. After the first time I went back to the store and purchased new baking powder. Something is wrong with this recipe. Maybe one or more ingredient is printed wrong. Any other ideas would certainly be welcomed. I have rarely had a cake fall on me in the 40+ years I have been baking.
Hi Susan, I’m sorry to hear that! This recipe has worked great for many readers. I would say that is may be over beating the batter, or possibly too hot of an oven but I doubt that is the case with your cake experience. Sorry I can’t be of more assistance.
Can you please verify the amount of baking soda.? The recipe above states 2 teaspoons. This seems like alot.
Hi Susan, the recipe is correct at written. Let us know how it turns out for you!
My cake fell in the middle too. But I realised I forgot the boiling water. Still yum though.
Same thing happened to me . . I did use a bundt pan – not sure if that’s why, but very disappointed :(
Did you add the cup of boiling hot water at the end and mix it in well? Follow the directions step by step it worked for me. I did cook it longer that’s all.
Super rich and moist chocolate cake. I always use this one and only recipe for chocolate cake !
What if i have everythinf but baking soda?
Hi Megan, we have only made this recipe as listed but the baking soda does help the cake rise so I would cautious leaving it out. However, you could try this chocolate chip chocolate sheet cake which is made without baking soda though!
I have been using this recipe for years….it is on the back of the Hershey’s Cocoa box.
This s a good recipe if you want to eat it out of the pan. To decore it was really hard. Not to use with fondant! Also tasted ok.. thanks tho!
This cake is much too soft and moist to use with fondant.
Wonderful recipe. Was concerned about the boiling water at the end, turned out great . Really moist cake.
I made this cake and I had to throw it out the eggs got cooked when I added the hot water now it just tastes like eggs with chocolate cake and it may have also been burned and I did follow all of your directions so maybe it was a bad run but I would like to try this again in a smaller trial
I can’t say for sure what went wrong as I’ve never had that problem. Were your eggs mixed into the batter when you added the water?
I did not like this at all. I threw it away. I wasted my ingredients on this recipe.
Oh no! So sorry to hear that Marsha! We love this chocolate cake recipe.