Recipe: Hershey's Cakes Celebration Chocolate Cake, Chocolatetown Special Cake with One-Bowl Buttercream Frosting, Hershey's Perfectly Chocolate Chocolate Cake

CELEBRATION CHOCOLATE CAKE

3/4 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
1 cup boiling water
1/2 cup (1 stick) plus 2 tablespoons butter or margarine
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup dairy sour cream

1. Heat oven to 350 F. Grease three 9-inch round baking pans. Line bottoms with wax paper; grease and flour paper. Mix cocoa with boiling water in small bowl; stir until smooth. Set aside to cool.

2. Beat butter and sugar in large bowl until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in vanilla. Gradually add cocoa mixture, beating well.

3. Stir together flour, baking soda and salt; add alternately with milk and sour cream to butter mixture, beating until blended. Pour batter into prepared pans.

4. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes. Remove from pans to wire racks; carefully peel off wax paper. Cool completely. Frost as desired. 10 to 12 servings.

CHOCOLATETOWN SPECIAL CAKE

1-3/4 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1-1/3 cups buttermilk or sour milk*
1/2 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa or HERSHEY'S Dutch Processed Cocoa
2/3 cup shortening
2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
ONE-BOWL BUTTERCREAM FROSTING (recipe follows)
2 eggs
1/2 cup boiling water

1. Heat oven to 350 F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round baking pans.

2. Stir together cocoa and water in small bowl until smooth. Beat shortening, sugar and vanilla in large bowl until fluffy. Add eggs; beat well. Stir together flour, baking soda and salt; add to shortening mixture alternately with buttermilk, beating until well blended. Add cocoa mixture; beat well. Pour batter into prepared pans.

3. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely. Frost with ONE-BOWL BUTTERCREAM FROSTING. 8 to 10 servings.

* To Sour Milk: Use 4 teaspoons white vinegar plus milk to equal 1-1/3 cups.

ONE-BOWL BUTTERCREAM FROSTING

6 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
2-2/3 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa or HERSHEY'S Dutch Processed Cocoa
1/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Beat butter in small bowl. Add powdered sugar and cocoa alternately with milk; beat to spreading consistency (additional milk may be needed). Stir in vanilla. About 2 cups frosting.

HERSHEY'S "PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE" CHOCOLATE CAKE

1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup boiling water
2 cups sugar
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
2 eggs
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
"PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE" CHOCOLATE FROSTING (recipe follows)

1. Heat oven to 350 F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round baking pans.

2. Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of mixer 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin). Pour batter into prepared pans.

3. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely. Frost with "PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE" CHOCOLATE FROSTING. 10 to 12 servings.

VARIATIONS:
ONE-PAN CAKE: Grease and flour 13x9x2-inch baking pan. Heat oven to 350 F. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 35 to 40 minutes. Cool completely. Frost.

THREE LAYER CAKE: Grease and flour three 8-inch round baking pans. Heat oven to 350 F. Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake 30 to 35 minutes. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely. Frost.

BUNDT CAKE: Grease and flour 12-cup Bundt pan. Heat oven to 350 F. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 50 to 55 minutes. Cool 15 minutes; remove from pan to wire rack. Cool completely. Frost.

CUPCAKES: Line muffin cups (2-1/2 inches in diameter) with paper bake cups. Heat oven to 350 F. Fill cups 2/3 full with batter. Bake 22 to 25 minutes. Cool completely. Frost. About 30 cupcakes.

"PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE" CHOCOLATE FROSTING

1 stick (1/2 cup) butter or margarine
2/3 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Melt butter. Stir in cocoa. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating to spreading consistency. Add small amount additional milk, if needed. Stir in vanilla. About 2 cups frosting.

HERSHEY'S "PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE" CHOCOLATE CAKE

1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup boiling water
2 cups sugar
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
2 eggs
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
"PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE" CHOCOLATE FROSTING (recipe follows)


1. Heat oven to 350 F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round baking pans.

2. Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of mixer 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin). Pour batter into prepared pans.

3. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely. Frost with "PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE" CHOCOLATE FROSTING. 10 to 12 servings.

VARIATIONS:
ONE-PAN CAKE: Grease and flour 13x9x2-inch baking pan. Heat oven to 350 F. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 35 to 40 minutes. Cool completely. Frost.

THREE LAYER CAKE: Grease and flour three 8-inch round baking pans. Heat oven to 350 F. Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake 30 to 35 minutes. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely. Frost.

BUNDT CAKE: Grease and flour 12-cup Bundt pan. Heat oven to 350 F. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 50 to 55 minutes. Cool 15 minutes; remove from pan to wire rack. Cool completely. Frost.

CUPCAKES: Line muffin cups (2-1/2 inches in diameter) with paper bake cups. Heat oven to 350 F. Fill cups 2/3 full with batter. Bake 22 to 25 minutes. Cool completely. Frost. About 30 cupcakes. "PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE" CHOCOLATE FROSTING

1 stick (1/2 cup) butter or margarine
2/3 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Melt butter. Stir in cocoa. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating to spreading consistency. Add small amount additional milk, if needed. Stir in vanilla. About 2 cups frosting.