Sunday, June 8, 2008

The Chocolate That Binds Us!

Yesterday we celebrated J Sarah's (my best friend's) thirtieth birthday! Since her home was built in 1928, she hosted a cocktail party a la 1920's style! The menu included deviled eggs, canapes, Caesar salad, and lots of classic cocktails prepared by her husband. I volunteered to make her birthday cake. One of my favorite memories with J. Sarah is our weekend at the Hershey Hotel and Spa, and it was fitting to make her a Hershey chocolate cake since Hershey's dates back to the 1880's! The cake was delicious - perfectly moist and a crowd pleaser. The title of the recipe summed it up! I used the bundt cake variation and filled the middle with Hershey chocolate kisses!

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

Directions: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.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

OMG, it looks devine...

sparringK9 said...

mmmmmmmmm. i have to go to the store now. im loving the 20's theme. very nice.

Middle Ditch said...

Hey, I might try this one say. It looks absolutely delicious. First though I have to make an orange drizzle cake, I tasted it and wanted the recipe at once.

The Phosgene Kid said...

I'm going into insulin shock just looking at it - Send me a slice!!!!!!

Leigh of Tales from Bloggeritaville said...

YUMMMMM! I think I gained 3 lbs just staring at it!

darkfoam said...

if i knew that breaking my computer screen apart would result in that cake, i'd do it..

The Java Junkie said...

Looks fabulous! The Hershey's cookbook is one of my favorites - jam packed with chocolate delight!