HERSHEY'S DISAPPEARING CAKE

Hershey's Disappearing Cake was my sons favorite when they were younger. It is rightly named because it doesn't last long after you bake it. According to my slightly stained recipe card, the first time I made it was January 11, 1986.

A number of months ago I wanted to make it, but couldn't find my card. Since I remembered the name, I decided to do a search online. I couldn't believe that I couldn't find it. Hershey has a couple of more recent recipes for chocolate cake (that I also have) and those kept coming up. I did finally find it, but I also found my recipe card so didn't bother printing it off the internet.

I needed a second dessert Saturday night for my NNL's Dinner Club and decided to make it. Always before I have made it (as Hershey expected) as a 2-layer cake. I decided it would be easier to serve if I made it in a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. So that is what I did.

The recipe called for 2 cups of sugar -- something I have a hard time doing now. I decided to use 1 cup of sugar & stevia blend. Otherwise I followed Hershey's original recipe. The frosting is thinner than I like, especially if covering a layer cake. It was okay with the cake in the rectangular pan. If you are making a 2-layer cake, I would add more powdered sugar so that the frosting will be thicker.

HERSHEY'S DISAPPEARING CAKE

1-3/4  cups unsifted all-purpose flour
3/4     teaspoon baking powder
3/4     teaspoon baking soda
1/8     teaspoon salt
1/4     cup butter (or margarine)
1/4     cup shortening
2        cups sugar (or 1 cup sugar & stevia blend)
1        teaspoon vanilla
2        eggs
3/4     cup cocoa
1-3/4 cup milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Generously grease and flour two 9 - inch round cake pans OR a 9 x 13 - inch baking pan. (I used my 2- quart Anchor Hocking Fire King glass dish -- it is slightly less than a 9 x 13 - inch pan)

Cream butter, shortening, sugar, & vanilla until fluffy.

Blend in eggs.

Combine cocoa, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl.

Add alternately with the milk to batter beginning and ending with the flour mixture.(I take three times to complete this.) Blend well after each addition.

You will need to scrape the sides of the bowl during this process.








Pour batter into pan(s).

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until cake tester inserted in center comes out clean.






Cool 10 minutes on wire racks. Remove from pans and continue cooling. (Since I planned to ice my cake in the dish, I just let it cool in the dish on the wire rack.)

Prepare frosting and ice when cooled. (This frosting will ice 3-1/2 dozen cupcakes or a 2-layer 9 inch cake.  It will more than ice the cake in a 9 x 13 - inch pan.)

CHOCOLATE FROSTING

1/2     cup (1 stick) butter or margarine
1/2     cup cocoa
1/3     cup milk
1        teaspoon vanilla
1        package (1 - pound box) confectioners' sugar, sifted
1/4    teaspoon salt

Melt butter or margarine in a large saucepan

Stir in cocoa, milk, and vanilla until smooth. (The spoon didn't last long and the whisk came out to blend it together well.)

Remove from heat.  Beat in powdered sugar and salt until smooth. (I just used a whisk)

and whisk...









and whisk

until it is smooth.

I poured the frosting on my cake in the dish. As I said, I would use at least 4 cups of sifted powdered sugar for cupcakes or to ice a layer cake...my 2 lb bag said it was about 7-1/2 cups so I used almost 3 -3/4 cups and I think it needed more.