Hi, I tried searching for the changes to the Hersheys Chocolate Cake Recipe. It has sour cream added to it and adjustments to the leveners. Can someone please post the changes? Thanks.

Hersheys has lots of Chocolate Cake recipes .. which one did you wish to alter?
Examples:
Hersheys Chocolate Cake
AKA Hershey's "Perfectly Chocolate" Chocolate Cake
AKA Deep Dark Chocolate Cake
2 cups sugar
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup Hershey's Cocoa
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water

Hersheys Chocolate Sour Cream Cake
2/3 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 3/4 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
1 container (16 oz.) dairy sour cream

Hersheys Chocolate Sour Cream Cake
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1 3/4 cup sugar
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup milk
2 cups sifted all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 cup sour cream

Hersheys Chocolate Cake [vintage]
3 oz hersheys baking chocolate
1/2 c butter
1 c boiling water
2 c brown sugar packed
2 c flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 eggs
1/2 c sour cream
1 tsp vanilla

Hersheys Chocolate Decadence
3 ounces Hershey's Chocolate, melted
1 1/4 cups brown sugar
4 ounces butter
3 eggs
1 cup sour cream
2 1/4 cups flour
2 teaspoon baking soda
Vanilla, to taste
1 cup hot water (add late)

It sounds like you are looking for the modifications that I post.

The leaveners change to 1 tsp each and the sour cream is 1 cup.

I tried the perfectly chocolate cake and was seriously disappointed. Mainly because it didn't even bake a 2" cake. The taste to me, wasnt better than my chocolate WASC. I was prepared for the runny batter as the directions stated, but I should've known by looking at the ingredients that I was not gonna get a 2" layer. I baked 2-9" layers as directed. Got 2=1" layers.

I get full size layers. In fact, they may be a little bigger than average. But I'm OCD on proper baking methods and that may account for the great layers.

For a basic chocolate cake, I think the flavor is great, especially after 12 hours. The whole consistency changes to ultra moist.

I have premium chocolate cakes that call for Guittard and Scharffen Berger. These really pack a chocolate punch. But for classic chocolate, it's easy, has great taste that the public seems to love, and with the changes, it is reliable and has perfect crumb, even when baked in large pans.

WOW scp! Wonder what I am doing wrong...but I am not a scratch baker...and bless ya'll that are!!! I don't have the patience for the science and technique needed for scratch baking. I did like the crumb though.

ddaigle, if you used the original recipe, it is a sure failure in my opinion. I don't even know why they chose that recipe. It isn't balanced except for ideal conditions and then still not great.

Use my changes above, which really happen to be those of a phenomenal baker, LindaF144. I don't see her on CC very often anymore, but she did open a retail shop.

To clarify, 1 cup, or 8 oz sour cream instead of the milk. I also add about 3/4 tsp of espresso powder, but that is optional. If you do add it, drop it in the hot water. I do use hot tap, not boiling and it is fine. They just want the cocoa powder to melt into the ingredients. This way you don't get that powdery cocoa taste.

Have all ingredients at room temp, even the sour cream. Just pop it in the microwave for about 20 seconds. Eggs, run under hot water in a bowl. Sift ingredients. Add eggs, one at a time, fully incorporating each one before adding the next, maybe 15 seconds apart, on low. Once you add the rest of the ingredients, mix on med if a hand mixer, med low on a stand, ONLY until incorporated. You will be able to see the change, about 1 to 2 minutes.

I always use baking strips and a flower nail. Make sure your oven temp is correct.

Use the above method on most scratch cakes and you will have good results. Your box mixes will even benefit from room temp ingredients and slow egg additions. It helps make a homogenous batter.

If you really want to be OCD like me, use a chocolate thermometer and get your ingredients to 72 degrees. After awhile, it will be ingrained and you will just know room temp.

Another helpful scratch hint: Room temp butter is also 72 degrees. It is firm, but can be indented with your finger. If it is soft, it is usually not at the optimum temp for a cake recipe.

If you still have a problem, let me know. But this should come out perfectly for you. Susan

I should add that I always use parchment for every cake except angel food and I use the homemade cake release;

1 c flour
1 c oil
1 c shortening

Toward the end of the batch, I add flour to correct the consistency.

SCP----I used the first recipe you have listed--Don't see any difference from the one on Hershey's website. Am I missing something? Which changes are you talking about? I have a commercial oven and baked at 325. Is that too low for this recipe? I do like the way eggs crack at room temperature but don't remember if they were when I made this recipe.

I didn't list those recipes.

The Hershey's has milk and 1 1/2 tsp for both leaveners. This cake will sink in most cases. The sour cream replaces the milk and takes away the excess liquid. The leaveners that Linda gave me are correct for this cake.

325 is what I use to bake above a 9 inch cake. I'm not sure what it does in a smaller cake.

Does this help?

yes scp1127,that helps a bunch!! thank you!!

Ooops-sorry scp. Yes, that does help! I will try again.

I'm not much of a scratch baker either, but I've been trying lately and will keep trying...
I've had nothing but flops w/ cakes & cupcakes, except for the Hershey recipe.

(I don't like box mix cakes so please don't think I was raised on those and therefore can't know what good cake tastes like)

My successful change to the Hershey recipe was in the cocoa...I tried it using 6 different brands - regular Hershey, Hershey Special Dark, Ghiardelli, ScharffenBerger, King Arthur Double-Dutch Dark, and King Arthur Bensdorp Dutch Process

My least favorite and I would not make again were with the two Hershey's...
The absolute best, #1 was the King Arthur Bensdorp http://www.kingarthurflour.com/shop/items/bensdorp-dutch-process-cocoa-16-oz

I also used sour cream instead of milk, and a 1/2 tsp. coffee mixed w/ the water.

Didn't know about the leaveners but will make that change...my test cakes were little 6" rounds and they rose beautifully.

I replace the milk with sour cream and add espresso powder, but I haven't changed the leaveners yet, and it sinks in large pans. Thanks - I'll definitely give those leavener switches a try next time!

FlourPots, I have never tried replacing the chocolate because it's my recipe I use for my less expensive chocolate cake. I'm not a chocolate fan and this recipe is a mild chocolate flavor.

If you change the chocolate, I'm guessing the intensity goes up. I'll have to try this. But boy, do those other chocolates really hike up the price. I remember having a Scharffen Berger cake sink on me three times!

Oh yeah, the intensity goes up, along with the price. It's an arm & a freakin' leg.

It does make perfect sense to offer a less expensive alternative to customers...
I'm not in business, so my goal is to just acquire a bunch of recipes that I absolutely love. I'm not worried about the cost, NOT because I'm loaded, but because I won't be making these desserts often, so when I do, it's ok to splurge...besides, if it's for a relative I can pawn the cost off on them!!

Thanks scp1127. Those are the modifications I was looking for. Did you ever try baking this cake in 2 8 inch pans instead of the 2 9 inch pans?

Kathy, it will work in every pan. You may need to bake a little longer. When I use big pans, I overfill them, so it works.

I have not had weather issues with this cake, but maybe my climate is different. But I definitely have candy issues with the weather. I also don't have sinking problems or problems with the crumb being too delicate.

FlourPots, I'm like you, especially with family. I always use my best recipes on them. Except my niece wants a plain, normal chocolate cake for her wedding because her in-laws like more simple food. I'm using this recipe with the Hershey's for her.

What problems are faced when you bake this cake? as i want to bake it. Thanx. would be really helpful if you tell me the cake pan size and how much to fill the pan. Thanx a ton.

I always use the Hershey recipe and it is the most persnickity recipe I know --but it's delicious. Weather plays a huge role for me in how much it rises.

I ALWAYS fill my pans 2/3 full if I want a full 2". I recently did a 9" round chocolate cake and used a one full recipe for each pan. It was hot and humid so it only rose to the top of the pan...but at least I got the full 2"! There have been times too when it's overflowed big time so I always keep a pan on the level underneath just in case. Generally I make sure to have fresh baking soda and baking powder so those are not issues.

I've used flower nails, but have discovered that the cores do a better job of baking the center.
My variation on it is also coffee but also a tiny pinch of cinnamon.

I may have to try the sour cream version and see if that may give some consistency.

I love this recipe but I never get 2" layers out of it either. I am glad it is not just me.

Thanks for bringing this back to the top! I used this recipe last week and swore that that was it! No more Hershey recipe! I'm so over having to bake it more than once to get a usable cake. It's always a crap shoot whether it will come out the first time or not. I've been replacing half the milk with sour cream but next time I'm going to do as suggested and replace all of it and adjust the leaveners.

Thanks again!

I made the Chocolate Decadence listed in this thread, which looks very similar to the Vintage Hershey's Chocolate Cake listed right above it. (different amts of brown sugar and sour cream).

It rose nicely, and ended up a milk chocolate color.  Does anyone else use either of these recipes?  Just wanted to know if my results were typical.  Will be using it for a milk chocolate/salted caramel cake, so the color seems like it will be nice for that.

Liz
 

Just wanted to update my own post.  I do not like the texture of the Hershey Hotel Chocolate Decadence cake.  I froze it overnight (as I usually do) after leveling, and filled and frosted my sample cake today.  The texture was very rubbery or pudding like - very offputting.  My mom described it as a "gelatin" texture.  There was no crumb to speak of.  I cooked it to 200 degrees, and it looked good when I leveled it, but I didn't like the end result at all.

Liz
 

So I felt that I needed to respond to this thread just because the modifications that sp1127 suggestion were spot on! I absolutely love the taste of the Hersheys 'back of the box' recipe, but mine always ALWAYS fell in the middle. Last night I made the recipe with the modifications suggestion - 1 tspn baking soda, 1 tsp baking powder, 8 ounce sour cream (instead of milk) - and it rose beautifully! I made a double batch of the batter, which just barely fit into my Kitchenaid mixer. The double batch allowed me to fill my 8 inch round pans with 4 cups of batter each, and left enough for about 15 cupcakes. I'll try to post pictures later on today before i slather on a bunch of frosting.

Can you tell me what exactly you do with the flower nail and when you use it? In each cake or only larger cakes? I am baking a two layer 6,10,and 14" cake for my sisters wedding cake and I am extremely nervous. The only other cake I ever baked fell apart on the way there. Needless to say I am scared to death. But she is pinched for money and is ok with whatever I come up with. Thank you so much for any help.

Can you explain what adding 1/2 tsp less of the leveners do to the cake vs. 1 1/2 tsp??? And how do you use a flower nail in a cake? Thank you

Hi all,

In substituting sour cream for milk, do I need to measure the sour cream in liquid measuring cup or dry measuring cup? 

Thanks :)

Just adding this note to this older thread since it is referenced in a 2015 thread - you probably don't realize that a lot of these recipes you are trying are from the 1940's or earlier to the 1970's.  In those times, the baking tins were only 1.5 inches deep, not the 2 inch deep pans that are more the standard today. In those times, only springform and tube pans were deeper than the 1.5 inch pans of the times. So when you complain that your cakes are not 2 inches deep, now you know why.  Additionally, in those times a cake recipe calling for cocoa powder meant natural unsweetened cocoa and not Dutch-processed cocoa. The two are not interchangeable.  Also in those times if a recipe called for milk it meant full fat milk not 2% or 1% or skim milk.