Classic Hershey’s Chocolate Cake with Fudge Frosting

This Hershey’s chocolate cake is the one from the back of the cocoa box, and it stays in heavy rotation because it turns out moist and richly chocolatey every single time. No fussy steps, no specialty ingredients, just a reliable cake that actually tastes as good as it smells.

The cooked fudge frosting is the real reward. It spreads glossy and smooth, then sets with a soft sheen that slices clean without crumbling. This is the layer cake you bring when you want people to ask for the recipe.

Why This Hershey’s Cake Wins Every Time

The crumb is tender without being fragile, and the cocoa flavor is deep and chocolatey without any bitterness. Adding boiling water at the end sounds odd, but that thin batter bakes into an incredibly moist cake with a tight, even texture.

The frosting cooks in one saucepan while the cakes cool. It tastes like melted milk chocolate bars and thickens as it cools into a spreadable fudge that holds its shape but stays soft when you bite into it.

Ingredients

For the Cake

• 2 cups granulated sugar: plain white sugar gives the cake its structure and keeps the crumb soft.
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour: spooned and leveled, not scooped, so the cake doesn’t turn dense.
• 3/4 cup Hershey’s cocoa powder: natural or Dutch-process both work here.
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs: set them out early so they reach room temperature and blend in smoothly.
• 1 cup whole milk: buttermilk adds a nice tang if you have it, but whole milk is the classic choice.
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil: any neutral oil, like canola.
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup boiling water: the hot water blooms the cocoa and makes the batter thin, which keeps the cake moist.

For the Fudge Frosting

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
• 2/3 cup Hershey’s cocoa powder
• 3 cups powdered sugar: sift it if it’s lumpy.
• 1/3 cup whole milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Swap What You Have

• Use buttermilk instead of whole milk: the cake gets a slightly tangier, more tender crumb. Reduce the baking powder by 1/2 teaspoon and increase baking soda by 1/2 teaspoon to balance the acidity.
• Substitute coconut sugar for granulated sugar: the result is darker and a little less sweet, with a hint of caramel. The texture will be a bit more coarse.
• Add a teaspoon of instant espresso powder: to the dry ingredients if you want a bolder chocolate taste. It doesn’t make the cake taste like coffee.
• Swap half the vanilla in the frosting with almond extract: for a nutty layer that works well with chocolate.
• Make it dairy-free: use a neutral plant milk and a good vegan butter stick for the frosting. The cake itself only has dairy in the milk, so that swap is easy.

For a vanilla version, try my Vanilla Buttermilk Cake.

How to Make Hershey’s Chocolate Cake

Step 1: Mix the Dry Ingredients

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease two 9-inch round cake pans. Line the bottoms with parchment if you want extra insurance. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the 2 cups sugar, 1 3/4 cups flour, 3/4 cup cocoa, 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda, and 1 teaspoon salt until everything looks evenly blended.

The mixture will look like dark, sandy powder with occasional small lumps of cocoa. Drag the whisk through a few times to break those up, but don’t obsess over it. A few tiny specks won’t matter once the liquids hit.

Step 2: Add the Wet Ingredients

Crack the 2 eggs into the bowl, then pour in the 1 cup milk, 1/2 cup oil, and 2 teaspoons vanilla. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes. The batter will thicken and turn glossy, clinging to the beaters in ribbons. After 2 minutes, stir in the 1 cup boiling water by hand. The batter will thin out to the consistency of heavy cream, and you might worry it’s too loose. That thinness is exactly what makes the cake so tender later, so don’t second-guess it.

Step 3: Bake the Cakes

Pour the thin batter evenly into the two prepared pans. Slide them into the oven and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until a toothpick poked into the center comes out clean and the tops spring back when you press them lightly. The cakes will pull away from the sides of the pans just a bit.

The kitchen will smell deeply of chocolate right around the 25-minute mark. Let the cakes cool in their pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then turn them out onto the rack to cool completely before you frost them.

Step 4: Cook the Fudge Frosting

While the cakes cool, make the frosting. Melt the 1/2 cup butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the 2/3 cup cocoa and cook for about 1 minute until it smells toasty and looks smooth. Whisk in the 1/3 cup milk and bring the mixture just to a boil, then remove the pan from the heat immediately.

Stir in the 3 cups powdered sugar a little at a time, then add the 1 teaspoon vanilla. Whisk until the frosting is completely smooth and glossy. It will look thin right now. Let it sit off the heat for about 10 minutes, and it will thicken to a spreadable consistency that stays put on the cake.

Step 5: Frost and Slice the Cake

Set one completely cooled cake layer on a serving plate. Spoon about a cup of the frosting onto it and spread it all the way to the edges. Place the second layer on top and spread the remaining frosting over the top and down the sides. The frosting sets with a soft shine after a few minutes, which makes slicing easy.

Cut big wedges with a sharp knife and slide the first slice onto a plate while the frosting is still at room temperature. The crumb stays moist and dark, and the fudge layer stays soft against the cake.

Tips for the Best Hershey’s Chocolate Cake

• Weighing the batter between pans: gives you two even layers that stack straight. If you don’t have a scale, use a big spoon and eyeball it, but err on making them equal.
• Give the frosting 10 minutes to cool and thicken: before you spread it, otherwise it will run off the sides. It should be glossy but no longer pourable.
• Slice the cake with a serrated knife: for the cleanest cuts. Wipe the blade between slices if you want tidy edges for a photo.
• Let the cake layers cool completely: before frosting, or the heat will melt the frosting into a puddle. About an hour on the rack is enough.

Bake times by pan:

Storing Leftover Cake

Cover the cake tightly and keep it at room temperature for up to 3 days. If your kitchen runs warm, refrigerate it instead for up to 5 days. Always bring it back to room temperature before serving so the frosting softens up again. The layers also freeze well unfrosted: wrap them in plastic and freeze for up to 2 months, then thaw and frost the day you need them.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use a different brand of cocoa powder?

Yes, any unsweetened cocoa works fine, but the flavor will shift. Dutch-process cocoa gives a darker, less acidic cake, while natural cocoa keeps the classic tang. The recipe works with both.

Why did my cake turn out dry?

The most common reasons are overbaking or scooping flour straight from the bag with the measuring cup. Check the cake 5 minutes before the earliest time, and always spoon flour lightly into the cup then level it.

Can I make this cake ahead of time?

You can bake the layers a day ahead and keep them wrapped at room temperature. For longer, freeze the unfrosted layers. Make the frosting fresh because it sets up fast, but you can reheat it gently with a splash of milk if it thickens too much.

How do I turn this into a sheet cake?

Use a 9×13 pan and bake 35 to 40 minutes. Skip the layering and spread all the frosting right on top. No need to double the frosting; this amount covers the top generously.

Hershey’s Chocolate Cake Recipe

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 25 minutes mins

Cook Time 35 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr

Servings: 12 servings

Calories: 460

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 2 cups granulated 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 large eggs
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup boiling water
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 2/3 cup Hershey’s cocoa powder
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 1/3 cup whole milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Method

 

1. Preheat oven to 350°F and prepare two 9-inch pans. Whisk sugar, flour, 3/4 cup cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
2. Add eggs, 1 cup milk, oil, and 2 teaspoons vanilla. Beat 2 minutes, then stir in boiling water.
3. Pour into pans and bake 30 to 35 minutes. Cool 10 minutes in pans, then turn out onto a rack and cool completely.
4. Melt butter, stir in 2/3 cup cocoa, then add 1/3 cup milk and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and whisk in powdered sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Let thicken 10 minutes.
5. Place one layer on a plate, spread with frosting, top with second layer, and frost top and sides. Slice and serve.

Notes

The cakes need to cool completely before frosting, about 1 hour. If the frosting becomes too stiff while you work, stir in a tiny splash of milk to loosen it.