I Tried Hershey's and Ina Garten's Famous Chocolate Cake Recipes—Here's the Winner

My quest for the perfect chocolate cake with chocolate frosting began in 1996 when I first saw the movie Matilda. A larger-than-life triple chocolate cake is presented to an auditorium of school-aged kids, and one student must finish the entire cake as punishment. All I noticed was the deep, rich, double-layered cake I had to have.

Fast forward 30 years and a baking and pastry degree later, and I’m still searching for that ideal chocolate cake I can bake whenever the craving strikes. I asked a few friends for recommendations, and the same two recipes kept coming up: Hershey’s “Perfectly Chocolate” Chocolate Cake from the back of the Hershey’s cocoa powder canister and Ina Garten’s Beatty’s Chocolate Cake.

Recently, I hosted a cozy movie night (Matilda, obviously) and had the perfect opportunity to make and taste the two recipes side by side. One recipe emerged as my go-to chocolate cake.

How To Make Hershey’s “Perfectly Chocolate” Chocolate Cake 

Hershey’s chocolate cake starts with a simple mixture of dry ingredients: all-purpose flour, sugar, Hershey’s cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. A wet mixture of eggs, whole milk, vegetable oil, and vanilla is whisked together and added to the dry ingredients.

Finally, a cup of hot water is added to the thin batter, which is poured into two nine-inch baking pans. The cakes bake at 350°F for about 35 minutes.

Hershey’s “Perfectly Chocolate” Chocolate Frosting is unique because it starts with melted, not softened, butter. The cocoa powder is “bloomed” in the warm butter before vanilla and powdered sugar are mixed in. I added a pinch of salt out of habit. Once the cakes are fully cooled, they are filled and frosted.

How To Make Ina Garten’s Beatty’s Chocolate Cake

Ina Garten’s most popular chocolate cake recipe starts similarly to the Hershey’s box version: all-purpose flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Ina recommends using “good quality” cocoa.

Her recipe also includes a wet mixture of eggs, vegetable oil, and lots of vanilla, but it uses buttermilk instead of whole milk. The wet and dry ingredients are combined with a cup of strong, hot coffee. The batter goes into two cake pans and is baked at 350°F for about 35 minutes.

Ina’s frosting is more traditional. It starts with softened butter, which is beaten with an egg yolk, powdered sugar, and “high-quality” semi-sweet chocolate. Finally, a tablespoon of espresso powder and a few teaspoons of water are added to finish the frosting.

The Clear Winner: Ina Garten’s Beatty’s Chocolate Cake

As I made the cakes, they seemed nearly identical. Both were easy to make and baked well. Though I knew Ina’s inclusion of buttermilk would affect the rise and final texture, I underestimated just how much. Ina’s cake has a much softer, tender crumb, and the combination of coffee and buttermilk keeps the cake from being overly sweet.

But the frosting is what sets one cake apart.

I have to say, I was impressed with how rich Hershey's frosting turns out with just four ingredients. It tasted similar to the canned chocolate frosting I loved as a kid. It definitely earned a spot in my recipe notes for future use—and it would be easy to make vegan by swapping out the butter.

However, Ina’s chocolate frosting, while paler in color, delivers an undeniably rich chocolate flavor. The hint of coffee in the frosting echoes the flavor in the cake, creating a perfect balance that tastes like great chocolate without the sweetness of a candy bar. When I make her cake again, I plan to double the frosting recipe to achieve the Trunchbull effect.