Hershey’s Perfectly Chocolate Cake with Fluffy White Icing

This Hershey's perfectly chocolate cake is incredibly moist with a deep cocoa flavor. Topped with fluffy white marshmallow icing - the best birthday cake combination.

If you love a chocolate layer cake, also try my chocolate espresso layer cake and my Italian chocolate cake.

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This is the chocolate cake I make for birthdays. It has been on the table for more birthdays than I can count now, and it never disappoints. It is the Hershey's Perfectly Chocolate Cake - the one that has been on the back of the cocoa box for decades - and there is a reason it is a classic.

Two layers of deeply chocolatey, incredibly moist cake, made with both Dutch process cocoa and melted chocolate chips and finished with boiling water that gives the batter a loose, silky consistency that bakes into something impossibly tender.

I pair it with my mom's fluffy white icing - the marshmallow-style frosting she made for every birthday when we were growing up - and together they are one of those combinations that is greater than the sum of its parts.

My son Luca has been my most enthusiastic baking helper since he was very small. He runs to the kitchen the moment he hears me say I am baking something, grabs the eggs from the fridge, and asks if he can crack them. Every time we bake together he asks, 'I'm a chef, right mommy?' And I always answer the same way: 'Yes baby, you're a chef - just like daddy.' I made this cake for his birthday and it was gone before the day was over.

Why You'll Love This Chocolate Cake

• Incredibly moist. The combination of Dutch process cocoa, melted chocolate chips, buttermilk, and boiling water gives this cake a texture that stays tender for days.
• Deep chocolate flavor. Using both cocoa and semi-sweet chocolate chips doubles the chocolate intensity without making the cake heavy or dense.
• The classic for a reason. This is the Hershey's recipe that has been passed down for generations. If you grew up with it, it will taste like exactly what you remember.
• The frosting makes it. The fluffy white marshmallow icing is the perfect contrast to the dark, rich cake - light and cloud-like against the intense cocoa layers.
• Birthday-crowd proof. This cake travels well, slices cleanly, and has never once had leftovers at any party I have brought it to.

Ingredients

For the Cake

• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 1¾ cups all-purpose flour
• ¾ cup Dutch process cocoa powder
• 2 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1½ teaspoons baking powder
• 1½ teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 cup buttermilk (see tip below)
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup boiling water

Buttermilk shortcut: no buttermilk on hand? Add 1 tablespoon of white vinegar to a liquid measuring cup, then fill to the 1-cup line with milk. Let it sit for 5 minutes until slightly curdled. Done.

For the Frosting

This cake uses Mom's fluffy white icing - the full recipe is here:

See the complete frosting recipe in the chocolate espresso layer cake post - the marshmallow frosting (seven minute frosting) used there is the same style as the fluffy white icing here.

How to Make Hershey's Perfectly Chocolate Cake

Step 1: Prep the Pans

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray two 8-inch round cake pans with baking spray, or butter and line the bottoms with parchment paper. If using the butter/parchment method, dust the pans with cocoa powder after buttering, shake out the excess, and set aside.

Step 2: Make the Chocolate Mixture

In a medium bowl, combine the cocoa powder and chocolate chips. Pour the boiling water over them and stir until smooth and glossy. Set aside to cool slightly while you prepare the batter.

Step 3: Mix the Dry Ingredients

In the bowl of a stand mixer (or a large mixing bowl), combine the sugar, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix on low speed until combined.

Step 4: Add the Wet Ingredients

In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs, buttermilk, vegetable oil, and vanilla. Add the buttermilk mixture to the flour mixture a little at a time, mixing on low and stopping to scrape down the sides with a spatula as needed.

Step 5: Add the Chocolate

Slowly pour in the chocolate mixture and mix until just combined. The batter will be thin - this is correct. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to make sure everything is fully incorporated.

Step 6: Bake

Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared pans. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Start checking at 28 minutes - ovens vary. Cool the cakes in their pans for 20 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.

Step 7: Frost

Once the cakes are completely cool, frost with the fluffy white icing. Apply a thin crumb coat first, refrigerate for 15 minutes, then apply the final layer. The marshmallow frosting sets on the outside while staying soft inside - serve the same day for the best texture.

Expert Tips

• Room temperature eggs matter. Cold eggs can cause the batter to seize slightly when the chocolate mixture is added. Pull them out of the fridge 30 minutes before you start.
• The batter is supposed to be thin. When you add the boiling water and chocolate mixture, the batter becomes quite loose. This is what gives the cake its incredibly moist crumb. Do not add more flour.
• Do not skip the chocolate chips. Adding melted semi-sweet chips alongside the cocoa deepens the chocolate flavor significantly and adds richness the cocoa alone cannot achieve.
• Cool completely before frosting. Even slightly warm layers will melt the marshmallow icing. If you are short on time, cool the layers in the freezer for 20 minutes after they come out of the pans.
• The marshmallow icing is best day-of. Fluffy white icing is at its most beautiful the day it is made. It holds its shape but starts to weep slightly on day two. Make the frosting and assemble the cake the same day you plan to serve it.
• Dutch process vs. natural cocoa. Dutch process cocoa gives a darker color and smoother, less acidic flavor. Natural cocoa works too but the cake will be slightly lighter in color and a touch more bitter.

Variations

• Chocolate on chocolate - skip the marshmallow icing and use Hershey's classic chocolate buttercream instead. The recipe is on the back of the cocoa box.
• Cupcakes - this batter makes about 24 to 30 cupcakes. Fill liners two-thirds full and bake at 350°F for 18 to 22 minutes.
• 9x13 sheet cake - pour all the batter into a greased 9x13-inch pan and bake for 35 to 40 minutes. Great for a crowd.
• Make it gluten free - a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend works well in this recipe. The texture will be slightly denser but still very good.

How to Store

Store the frosted cake covered at room temperature for up to 2 days. After that, refrigerate for up to 5 days total - let it come to room temperature before serving for the best texture. The unfrosted cake layers freeze well: wrap each layer tightly in plastic wrap and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before assembling.

FAQs

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Hershey's Chocolate Cake with Marshmallow Frosting

This Hershey's perfectly chocolate cake is incredibly moist with a deep cocoa flavor. Topped with fluffy white marshmallow icing - the best birthday cake combination.

Prep Time20 minutes mins

Cook Time30 minutes mins

Cool1 hour hr

Total Time1 hour hr 50 minutes mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Diet: Vegetarian

Keyword: cake

Servings: 8

Calories: 496kcal

Author: Lora

Ingredients

For the Cake

• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 1¾ cups all-purpose flour
• ¾ cup Dutch process cocoa powder
• 2 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1½ teaspoons baking powder
• 1½ teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs room temperature
• 1 cup buttermilk see tip below
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup boiling water

Marshmallow Frosting

• 1 cup of granulated white sugar not powdered sugar
• 4 egg whites room temperature
• ⅓ cup of water
• ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray two 8-inch round cake pans with baking spray, or butter and line the bottoms with parchment paper. If using the butter/parchment method, dust the pans with cocoa powder and shake out the excess.
• In a medium bowl, combine the cocoa powder and chocolate chips. Pour the boiling water over them and stir until completely smooth. Set aside to cool slightly.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the sugar, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix on low until combined.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs, buttermilk, vegetable oil, and vanilla. Add to the flour mixture a little at a time, mixing on low and scraping down the sides as needed.
• Slowly add the chocolate mixture and mix until just combined. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl to make sure everything is incorporated. The batter will be thin - this is correct.
• Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Start checking at 28 minutes.
• Cool the cakes in their pans for 20 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely before frosting - at least 1 hour.
• Frost with fluffy white marshmallow icing. For the full frosting recipe, see the Notes section below.

Nutrition Disclaimer

Please keep in mind that the nutritional information presented below is an approximation and may vary depending on the exact ingredients used.

Nutrition

Calories: 496kcal | Carbohydrates: 81g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 4mg | Sodium: 611mg | Potassium: 267mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 54g | Vitamin A: 53IU | Calcium: 98mg | Iron: 3mg

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