Basic Chocolate Cake Recipe

2 cups sugar
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water
PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE" CHOCOLATE FROSTING, recipe follows

Preheat your oven. Grease and flour cake baking pans.

Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt 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 batter into prepared pans.

Bake the allotted time or until wooden tooth pick inserted in center of the chocolate cake comes out clean. Cool chocolate cakes 10 minutes; remove chocolate cakes from pans to wire racks. Cool completely. Frost with "PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE" CHOCOLATE FROSTING.

CHOCOCLATE CAKE VARIATIONS:
ONE-PAN CAKE: Grease and flour 13 x 9 inch cake baking pan. Preheat to 350° F. Pour chocolate cake batter into prepared cake pan. Bake 35 to 40 minutes. Cool chocolate cake completely. Frost.

THREE LAYER CHOCOCLATE CAKE: Grease and flour three 8-inch round cake baking pans. Preheat oven to 350°F. Pour chocolate cake batter into prepared pans. Bake 30 to 35 minutes. Cool 10 minutes; remove cake from pans onto wire racks. Cool completely. Frost.

BUNDT CHOCOCLATE CAKE: Grease and flour 12-cup Bundt pan. Preheat oven to 350°F. Pour chocolate cake batter into prepared cake pan. Bake 50 to 55 minutes. Cool 15 minutes; remove from pan to wire rack. Cool completely. Frost.

CHOCOCLATE CUPCAKES: Line muffin cups (2-1/2 inches in diameter) with paper bake cups. Heat oven to 350°F. Fill cups 2/3 full with chocolate cake batter. Bake cupcakes 22 to 25 minutes. Cool completely. Frost. About 30 cupcakes.

"PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE" CHOCOLATE FROSTING

1/2 cup butter or margarine
2/3 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Melt butter. Stir in cocoa. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating to spreading consistency. Add small amount additional milk, if needed. Stir in vanilla. About 2 cups frosting.