I'm soooooo hopefully someone here can help me with my search!! I'm trying to find a from scratch recipe for a cake that's dense & very moist, that almost melts in your mouth. I've used some of the "pudding in the mix" cake mixes that give me those results, but for my business I need a from scratch recipe. I remember growing up going to reunions & things like that eating these deliciously wonderful chocolate cakes that were made by the older generations that were EXACTLY what I'm looking for right down to the YUMMY chocolate frosting, unfortunately I didn't inherit a recipe like this

If anyone has a chocolate cake or a chocolate frosting recipe like this I would be soooo greatful!! Please help!!

Have you tried the "Perfectly Chocolate" cake recipe on the back of the Hershey's cocoa?

Hi,
I have one that I used this past Summer as my entry to the California State Fair where I won 4 awards(Best of Show, Best of Class & Best of Division) including Blue Ribbon Firat Place... but it has alcohol in it..
not a lot though...I used Chocolate Truffle w/ Grand Marnier as filling..
I can post it tomorrow.. It is very dark and moist..The Judges gave me a perfect score of 100 points...they thought that that's how Chocolate should be..

My favorite is the one on the Hershey's Cocoa box. I found this link that looks good. I imagine the buttermilk would make a nice dense cake. Good luck!
http://www.cooks.com/rec/doc/0,176,151185-255196,00.html

go to epicurious.com and do a search for 'double chocolate layer cake'. that is the only chocolate recipe I use now and it is excellent! It uses coffe and believe it or not you really do need it. You don't taste the coffee in the resulting cake. I have tried it without and it wasn't as good.

I love the Hershey's perfectly chocolate cake....but now I found one that is equally moist and delicious! It is a doctored up from cake...it tastes very "scratch" to me.

It is from the Cake Mix Doctor Chocolate Cake book - it is the Darn Good Chocolate Cake. I think it was in the first book too, but she might have modified it when she put it in the chocolate book...I can't remember.

Anyways, this is delicious. It has instant pudding, sour cream and chocolate chips in it. It is fabulous. I might not make the Hershey's perfectly chocolate cake again...its so good.

I also posted a recipe on this site from the Cake Mix Doctor book (the cupcake book) which is called Chocolate Syrup Frosting. It is awesome. I have never had a better chocolate frosting. It is rich and creamy and delicious. I highly recommend it!

Ooooh thank you all so much!! Finally I'm getting some responses on this one, as I have been diligently searching the for a recipe that I thought would be EXACTLY the one..and without feedback from others that can be overwhelming & well..like searching for a needle in a haystack!!

I'll definitely try the one from Hershey's..it's on the back of the container??

Oh & Mohara, I've tried the doctored up cake u're talking about also & yes it is great. That's the exact result I want, only I want it to actually really be from scratch.

Thanx again everyone!!

Here is the Hershey's recipe:

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.

I second the epicurious recipe. There is a whole thread on egullet.org to find the best chocolate cake(a lot of the people responding are pastry chefs). They are liking that recipe as well. For my birthday this weekend I baked 2 9" round cakes using the two recipes that are the most popular on that thread(I have made both before). I am going to compare them side by side to see which one I like best.

Sandra

awesome..thanx so much!! I'll definitely give these recipes a try. I'll start with the hershey's recipe I think, as I think it's probably a bit more cost effective for my business since I don't have to go out & buy any specialty chocolate, I can just use good ol hersheys.

I'll definitely try them both tho & Sandra I hope u'll let us know what u decide with your upcoming taste test

Don't know if you're still looking for more suggestions, but I'll go ahead and post my recipe anyway! It uses sour cream and is soooo good, I always get rave reveiws!


Luscious Chocolate Cake

8 (1 oz) squares unsweetened chocolate
1 cup butter or margarine (I use unsalted butter)
2 cups hot water
4 cups sifted cake flour
4 cups sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups sour cream
2 tsp vanilla
1 Tbs baking soda
4 eggs, beaten

Grease, flour and line pans.

Melt chocolate in top of double boiler over very hot water. Combine butter and 2 cups hot water in saucepan, bring to a boil. Stir in melted chocolate and remove from heat.

Sift together flour, sugar and salt. Pour chocolate mixture into flour mixture all at once, blend well. Mix in sour cream, vanilla and baking soda.

Add eggs, mix just until combined. Pour into prepared pans and bake.

Makes 10 cups of batter.

awesome!! thanx so much eden

HIya!
Can anyone tell me what the baking times would be on the last recipe posted? 375 or so? I'l be doing two 8" pans. Thanks in advance.
Ali