Recipe for Deep Dark Chocolate Cake

Valentine’s Day is synonymous with chocolate, just view the seasonal aisle of any supermarket or gift shop. And while I love a box of chocolates as much as the next gal, what I really love is something homemade and decadent.

Here is one of my favorite chocolate cake recipes from my Hershey’s Make It Chocolate! cookbook. Please share your favorite indulgence in the comments section.

Deep Dark Chocolate Cake

• 2 cups sugar
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup Hershey’s Cocoa
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup boiling water

One-Bowl Buttercream Frosting (recipe follows)

Heat oven to 350º. Grease and flour a rectangular 13-by-9-by-2-inch pan. In a large mixing bowl, combine dry ingredients. Add eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla. Beat on medium speed 2 minutes. Remove from mixer; stir in boiling water (batter will be thin). Pour into prepared pan. Bake 30 to 40 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting.

One-Bowl Buttercream Frosting

• 6 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
• Hershey’s Cocoa (choose one of the following):
  • 1/3 cup for light flavor
  • 1/2 cup for medium flavor
  • 3/4 cup for dark flavor
  • 2 2/3 cups confectioners’ sugar
  • 1/3 cup milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a small mixing bowl, cream butter. Add cocoa and confectioners’ sugar alternately with milk; beat to spreading consistency. Additional milk may be needed. Blend in vanilla.