Hershey's Perfectly Chocolate Chocolate Cake and Frosting

Editorial: Are you tired of my food photography yet? I am getting bored with it. Enough with the half-cake off-center close-ups, right? Unfortunately I don't have a great camera (an upgrade is about 11th on our big-purchase priority list, after new car, furniture for every room, new kitchen and laundry appliances, college funds, etc.), or any Photoshop skills, so I'm not sure what else I can do.

I did invest in a Lowel Ego light awhile back so I can at least avoid using the flash (nice, see below), but sometimes it's still not great (not nice, see farther below.) I get ideas from cookbook pictures sometimes, but I gotta work with what I got - a black counter, a few decorative plates, a wooden coffee table, a white windowsill. I'm just saying, if you're annoyed, I want you to know I'm annoyed, too. Now happens to be one of those times.BUT. Let's please not let that distract us from yet another fabulous chocolate cake! This recipe from the back of the Hershey's cocoa box is my sister Maren's go-to chocolate cake for all occasions, and it's wonderful - a very reliable recipe for an outstandingly delicious, chocolately, rich homemade cake. NO cake mix taste, which, over the last few years, I have come to regard a bit of snobbish distaste.

This particular cake in the picture I was making for the birthday of a friend who is currently dairy-free. I chose the Hershey's cake because it calls for vegetable oil rather than butter. I substituted chocolate Silk for the milk, and used margarine in the frosting. Not my first choice, but better than no frosting at all! Especially when you usually have to pass up the treats...

Also. You may have noticed my subtle further use of ed-i-ble glit-ter on top. I simply love the stuff. I was going for sophisticated-festive. What do you think?Hershey's Perfectly Chocolate Chocolate Cake
2 cups sugar
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup Hershey's cocoa powder
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

1. Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans. (Wet, wring and wrap on your bake-even strips if you have them. What? You haven't seen these on my Well-Stocked Kitchen List? They're number 8.)

2. Combine dry ingredients in large mixing bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat in medium speed 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water. Batter will be thin. Pour into pans.

3. Bake 30 to 35 minutes (20 to 25 for cupcakes) or until inserted toothpick comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely before frosting.

Hershey's Perfectly Chocolate Chocolate Frosting
1/2 cup butter or margarine
2/3 cup Hershey's cocoa powder
3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla

1. Melt butter; stir in cocoa.

2. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating on medium speed to spreading consistency. Add more milk if needed. Stir in vanilla. Makes about 2 cups frosting.

Recipe from the back of the Hershey's cocoa can

Click here for printable recipe