This cake definitely earns its title.  Be sure to use Hershey’s Special Dark cocoa for a delicious, show-stopping cake!

The Most Amazing Chocolate Cake

  • butter and flour (or cocoa) for coating and dusting the cake pan
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour (9 oz.)
  • 2 cups granulated sugar (14 oz.)
  • 1 cup unsweetened Hershey’s Special Dark cocoa powder (3-1/2 oz.)
  • 2 t. baking soda
  • 1 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoons salt
  • 3 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
  • 1 cup very warm water
  • 1/3 cup vegetable oil
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and line two 9-inch cake rounds. Dust with flour or cocoa and tap out the excess.
  2. In large mixing bowl, whisk dry ingredients
  3. Add eggs, buttermilk, warm water, oil, and vanilla. Beat on a medium speed with hand mixer until smooth. This should take just a couple of minutes.
  4. Divide batter among the  pans.
  5. Bake for 20-25 minutes until done, but don’t overbake
  6. Cool on wire racks for 15 minutes and then turn the cakes out onto  racks and allow to cool completely.
  7. Slice cooled cake layers in half horizontally
  8. If you have time, wrap and freeze cake layers for easier frosting

    Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting:

    1-1/2  c. butter, softened
    8 oz. cream cheese, softened
    1-1/2 c. (6.6 oz)  Hershey’s Special Dark cocoa powder (or you can use regular)
    1 T.  vanilla
    2-5 c. powdered sugar, unsifted (start with 1 c.  and add more to taste)
    3-6 T. cream or Kahlua (more if needed)

    With an electric mixer, beat butter and cream cheese until fluffy (about 5 minutes)Add in cocoa powder and vanilla, and carefully beat until combined
    Beat in powdered sugar 1 cup at a time, adding cream or Kahlua as necessary to make spreadable consistency
    Taste as you go, adding more powdered sugar as to your liking (I like mine very bittersweet)
    Frosting should be very thick and fudge-like

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