Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 9x13 baking pan with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
Whisk together all of the dry ingredients in the bowl of a standing mixer: flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
Add the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients: milk, eggs, vanilla, and oil.
Beat together with a hand mixer or whisk. Gradually add in the boiling water while mixing to help break apart the batter.
Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan.
Bake for 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the cakes comes out with just a few crumbs.
Cool cake completely.
Meanwhile, prepare the frosting.
In the bowl of a standing mixer or with a hand mixer, slowly begin to beat together softened butter, vanilla, and cocoa powder.
Rotate between adding the powdered sugar and heavy cream until both are fully incorporated and the frosting is fluffy and smooth.
Spread the frosting over the cooled cake.
Cut and serve.
Notes
This is an original Hershey’s cake recipe. It is similar to the Black Magic Cake. Milk is used instead of traditional buttermilk in the Black Magic Cake, which makes a bit lighter, fluffier cake.
The boiling water is a traditional technique used to help break apart the dry ingredients in a cake batter.
The batter is prepared in one bowl and is super easy to mix up.
The frosting is a bit thicker and richer than the traditional Hershey’s chocolate frosting recipe. It’s a delicious chocolate buttercream.
You can also bake the cake in round cake pans for a layered cake or in cupcakes.