Little Bites of Chocolate Heaven

As promised, I would give some recipes for my favorite desserts. This recipe comes from Hershey's. I was looking for a GREAT chocolate cake for my good friend's birthday. This recipe sure did not disappoint. I have used the recipe several times, but most recently as mini cupcakes. I made these mini cupcakes for a football party that the hubby and I had at our house to watch the Clemson/UNC game. The game did not turn out for my favor, but these little bites sure did!

The Chocolate Cake Recipe is:

"Hershey's 'Perfectly Chocolate' Chocolate Cake"

2 cups sugar
1 3/4 cups AP flour
3/4 cup Hershey's Cocoa ( I use the Special Dark cocoa)
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
"Perfectly Chocolate" Chocolate Frosting (recipe follows)

1. Heat oven to 350. Grease and flour two 9-inch round baking pans.

2. Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a 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.

3. Bake 30-35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely. Frost with "Perfectly Chocolate" Chocolate Frosting.

Variations:
One-Pan Cake: Grease and flour 13x9x2-inch baking pan. Heat oven to 350. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 35 to 40 minutes. Cool completely. Frost.

3-Layer Cake: Grease and flour three 8-inch round baking pans. Heat oven to 350. Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake 30 to 35 minutes. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely. Frost.

Cupcakes: Line muffin cups with bake cups. Heat oven to 350. Fill cups 2/3 full with batter. Bake 22 to 25 minutes. Cool completely. Frost.

Mini Cupcakes: Same as above. My baking time was about 8 minutes.

"Perfectly Chocolate" Chocolate Frosting:

1/2 cup (1 stick) Butter
2/3 Hershey's Cocoa
3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup milk
1 tsp 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.

This recipe is SOOO good, but very rich and very dark chocolately! My step-dad, who does not even like sweets, could not get enough of these "Little bites of Chocolate Heaven". So next time you need to whip something up in a hurry, give these a shot for all your chocolate lovers, and spectics too!