And if that something sweet is a slice of decadent homemade chocolate cake with rich, fudgy frosting, that’s all the better, right?
A few months ago, I had the pleasure of flying to Hershey, Pennsylvania to visit The Hershey Company headquarters. (Yes, the town is named after the founder of The Hershey Company.) During my time in Hershey, I ate a ton of chocolate which was obviously a highlight of the visit, but I also had the chance to provide feedback to the company about some of their recipe development projects, one being this incredible gluten-free chocolate cake.
When I recapped my trip to Hershey on the blog back in July, a bunch of you requested the recipe for this chocolate cake once it made it through HERSHEY’S Kitchens testing process and was approved for public release. Well, my friends, that time is now and I am thrilled to be able to share it with you today!
This recipe is not only relatively simple for a made-from-scratch cake, but it’s also moist, rich and incredibly delicious. And please don’t opt for store-bought chocolate frosting. HERSHEY’S “Perfectly Chocolate” Chocolate Frosting is the best and I could not stop licking the bowl once I was done frosting the cake!
Gluten-Free HERSHEY’S “Perfectly Chocolate” Chocolate Cake
Prep time: 21 Minutes
Makes 12 servings
Ingredients
- 2 cups sugar
- 1-3/4 cups gluten free all-purpose baking mix
- 3/4 cup HERSHEY’S Cocoa
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 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 two 9-inch round baking pans; dust with cocoa.
2. Stir together sugar, baking mix, cocoa, salt, baking powder and baking soda 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 into prepared pans.
3. Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely. Frost with “Perfectly Chocolate” Chocolate Frosting.
Gluten-Free HERSHEY’S “Perfectly Chocolate” Chocolate Frosting
Makes 2 cups frosting
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine
- 2/3 cup HERSHEY’S Cocoa
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1/3 cup milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions
1. Melt butter. Stir in cocoa. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating to spreading consistency. Add small amount of additional milk, if needed. Stir in vanilla.
Note: Always read labels of each ingredient to ensure that they are gluten-free prior to use.
Enjoy!
***
Disclaimer: This blog post is sponsored by The Hershey Company as part of my participation in their Food Ambassador program. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I hope you enjoy the recipe!
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As a resident of PA this makes me happy! Glad you were able to come up and visit Hershey! It’s sad I live so close but it’s been so long since we’ve been there, sigh, I could use some chocolate world in my life hopefully this summer!
I love PA!! 🙂 I was actually born in Harrisburg! Both of my parents grew up in Gettysburg. And yes, more Chocolate World in my life sounds great right about now…
this cake looks amazing!! I am always looking for new gluten free dessert recipes!
If you decide to give it a try, I hope you love it! 🙂
Um my mouth is watering now…..this looks so yummy!
I wish we still had some leftover… I want cake for breakfast 😉
I don’t even like cake and that looks amazing! Thanks for sharing!
Usually I’m not all about straight chocolate cake, but I agree – it looks amazing!
Looks amazing! I’m loving all of the mouth-watering Valentine’s recipes popping up on my news feed this week.
That looks delicious!
I also love the precise prep time of 21 minutes! 😀
Well now I’m feeling a tad guilty for the lemon ice box cake I’m making (from the box, shhhhhh!). It is in a heart shape in my defense, lol
Haha!! I would still LOVE that!
This looks delicious! As a person who is gluten free due to Celiac disease I appreciate your note on the bottom about checking each ingredient to be gluten free. You can never be too safe and some products are subject to cross-contamination at the production level and therefore aren’t GF even when you would think they are, so it’s very important to do your research!
Going to try this out on Saturday for my Valentine!
Enjoy!!
This looks wonderful! I’m going to have to try it!
That cake looks so good!! I have a question–gluten free all purpose baking mix–could this be substituted for flour if gluten does not bother you? I’m semi new to all the ‘new-er’ baking ingredients, I’m not quite sure what “all purpose baking mix” consists of or what it could be substituted for…
Hi liz!! If you visit Hershey’s website, they have a non gluten free version you could make that uses regular flour!
Awesome, thank you!
I’m curious which gluten free baking mix you used. It looks like it turned out great!! I cant wait to try it 🙂
haha oh boy. i’ve been staying away from chocolate but….. i think i might have to make this SOON. Looks awesome!
i LOVE that you made this gluten free!! I can’t wait to make it!
What a great way to start out the day! That cake looks AMAZING! It’s so cool you got to go to Hersey’s headquarters! My dad grew up in PA and always brags about hanging out at Hersey Park. I still have yet to go, but it is certainly on my list!
This looks delicious! I love chocolate. I don’t know how I lived in NJ so long without going out to Hershey! Shame on me. 🙂
This cake looks amazing! I always make a red velvet cake for Valentines day for my sweetie but I think this cake may need to be added to the menu 🙂
Yum!
Random, but yesterday I read a comment here that some girl had a dream with you in it. So crazy (and not creepy) but you were in my dream last night too! Hahaha a bunch of friends + you went skiing in Breckenridge…it was fun!
Haha!! I wish that dream was true!
My mom has been using this recipe for years (non gluten free version) and it’s the only chocolate cake recipe I’ll use! I actually have two frozen chocolate cakes in the freezer. 🙂
The original version is soooo good, too! Love them both!
Looks delicious! Although I don’t eat a lot of chocolate, every once in awhile I get a big craving for it.
I live a few hours away from Hershey! I love how the whole town smells like chocolate 🙂
Oh my gosh, that looks AMAZING! Yummmmm.
I am not a big chocolate cake fan but that looks so good! Also you are so right about homemade icing. Store bought just can’t compare!
Hmmm staying in and cooking/baking on Valentine’s Day rather than going out is staring to look better and better…
I love staying in on Valentine’s Day! 🙂
Oh wow, that looks amazingly delicious!!!
Omg this looks amazing! I want! And really miss Hershey, PA. 🙁
Oh yum! This may have to be the dessert I make for Saturday! My friends and I are doing a Valentine’s dinner and I’m in charge of the sweets. 🙂
HO-LY cow that looks amazing! Definitely making this as soon as possible.
Did you take these photos yourself? And if so, was it with that DIY lightbox you posted about a few months back!? Thinking about making one! 🙂
I did! And yes, the light box is definitely coming in handy! It’s super easy to use — I’ve had a few requests for a tutorial on how I put it together, so stay tuned! 🙂
I should have never read this first thing in the am! Tooooooo yummy looking! I’ve gotta try this! Thanks for sharing! And glad you loved Hershey! It is such a great place and a little town us Pennsylvanian’s are proud of! 😉
ooooh my goodness this looks so good! I love the sprinkles on top 🙂
Lately I’ve been missing Portillo’s chocolate cake and this looks just as good. I might need to convince the husband to cancel any plans on Saturday so we can make this and turn it into Cake Shakes.
PORTILLO’S!!!! I miss that place soooo much!
I don’t even like cake and this looks AMAZING!!!
As another PA resident- love this post. I have great memories of Hershey from childhood :). This cake looks amazing! Side note- I just posted my favorite gluten-free vegan V-day recipe (Red Velvet Pancakes with Cashew Cream Glaze)- check it out if you’re interested!
xo, Lauren @ http://alovelysideproject.com
Also, my V-day lookbook is on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ymJ2Sb80zi4
I was recently diagnosed with celiac disease, and I was just thinking about how today is the first birthday in my life that I wont have a double chocolate cake, but now that may not be the case! Not that you planned it, but thank you for sharing this recipe on my birthday!! 🙂 I cant wait to try it!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!!
Ummm yes. Moist, chocolate and delicious, right? YES!
Yum yum! Who couldn’t use a bit more chocolate in their lives??
Yay for GF baked goods!!! This looks SO good, Julie!
Anyone ever heard of replacing the water with coffee? I hear it increases the flavour of the chocolate without the actual taste of coffee. I wonder how it would work with this recipe??
The cake already looks so moist, I’d be worried to ruin it! 😛
Oh that sounds amazing!!!! I’ve never done that before but really want to try now…
It is!! I’ve tried it with amazing results in a chocolate-peanut butter cake! It’s so simple! Like replacing water with 7UP in a pie crust.
I don’t know how it works, but it just made the chocolate flavour stand out without overpowering the PB…
Mhmmm… I feel a baking extravaganza coming on!!
Okay now I am drooling and totally can’t get this cake out of my mind!!!
I am not a huge cake fan in general but that looks pretty delicious. My mom makes cakes as a side business, so I got spoiled to her cakes but also got pretty burnt out on them in general since they were always all over the house!
omg. all I want now is a big slice of chocolate cake and a glass of milk!
i just took a bite out of my computer screen.
hahaha, gosh I miss both of you.
Haha!!
This looks SO delicious! It’s a good thing I don’t live enough to invite myself over and steal some of the desserts that make this blog. <3
I love this recipe! I made a version of this delicious cake last year using coconut oil, skim milk and added cookie dough to the frosting! So so good.
Yum! Thanks for the recipe! I think I will actually try this out on Valentine’s Day. Or maybe the day before…or today.
I just want to eat the frosting! Thanks for sharing!
I definitely need chocolate after reading this. Who wants to bring me some chocolate?
Yay! I am SO excited about this post!! Their original recipe has been my go-to chocolate cake for years, and I thought I’d never get to enjoy it again after finding out about my wheat allergy!
I have an important question for you. Did your all-purpose GF baking mix have xantham gum in it? Some do and some don’t, but it is typically required for baking to act as a binder. Thanks in advance!!
This looks delicious. I’ve never made a GF cake before, but I might need to try this one!
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