Hi everyone,
I am gathering the best Dark Chocolate Cake recipes from scratch, then I will pick one to use as my entry in a cake competition. The rules are very specific, must be from scratch (like they can really tell the difference- based on my experience)....

I thank you so much in advance..

I don't know if this is dark enough, but it is by far the best chocolate scratch cake I have ever had...it always tastes better with each day that passes..(gets more and more moist it seems). They have a dark recipe too, but I think all they change is the cocoa to dark cocoa. The frosting is very tasty too.

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.

That is the same recipe I use for a chocolate cake.. It is excellent - It would win any contest as far as I am concerned.

I totally agree, the Hershey's recipe is the only one I use for a deep chocolate cake......it's fabulous and really easy too!

Hmm, I remember making that recipe years ago. It was okay, but I wasn't quite right. I'm trying Martha Stewart's recipe soon. I'll let you know if it's any good. It's the one for Devils Food Cake. I downloaded it off her website. She has got a whole little section for cake decorators. There are some adorable things in there.

Hershey's wins the most raves whenever we serve it up! It hasn't had a bad day yet. My daughter (pastrypuffgirl) just made a huge one this weekend for my brothers B Day with peanutbutter mousse filling and chocolate ganache icing and the cake held it's own. It is almost black its so dark. And yes it seems to get more moist each day. Still eating the leftovers. YUM!

with the Hersheys cake what if i put a strawberry cream filling and a mocha frosting how do you think that would go? I'm not real good at putting flavours together.

Hi

I tried this last night and it turned out really well. It's moist and a good density. I'd probably decribe it as your classic, all american chocolate cake.

Next is Martha's recipe.