Chocolate, anyone?

HERSHEY'S Cocoa debuted in 1894 when Milton Hershey founded Hershey Chocolate Company. The item was initially sold as a beverage mix. In fact, "Great for Baking" was added to the can as a reminder that Cocoa could be included in baked goods as well. Today most HERSHEY'S Cocoa is used for baking... and it's still great!

Here are a couple of classic recipes. Cake making used to be the gold-standard by which a woman's culinary skills were measured. Now we open a box add a few things and pop it in the oven. Nothing the matter with that, but if you've never made a cake from scratch, now is the time to start! This is a fabulous, rich, moist chocolate cake with a dense, chocolatey flavor. the brownie recipe is listed on the Hershey website as a recipe that children can prepare.

CHOCOLATE SOUR CREAM CAKE

Ingredients:

1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1-3/4 cups sugar

3/4 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa

1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2/3 cup butter or margarine, softened

1 container (16 oz.) dairy sour cream

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

FUDGE FROSTING (recipe follows)

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour 13x9x2-inch baking pan.

2. Stir together flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Add butter, sour cream, eggs and vanilla; beat on medium speed of mixer 3 minutes. Pour batter into prepared pan.

3. Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack. Frost with FUDGE FROSTING. 12 to 15 servings.

FUDGE FROSTING
3 tablespoons butter or margarine
1/3 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa 1-1/3 cups powdered sugar
2 to 3 tablespoons milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Melt butter in small saucepan over low heat. Add cocoa; cook, stirring constantly, just until mixture begins to boil. Pour mixture into medium bowl; cool completely. Add powdered sugar alternately with milk to cocoa mixture, beating to spreading consistency. Stir in vanilla. About 1 cup frosting.

BEST BROWNIES
Ingredients:
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine, melted
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped nuts(optional)

CREAMY BROWNIE FROSTING (recipe follows)

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease 9-inch square baking pan.

2. Stir together butter, sugar and vanilla in bowl. Add eggs; beat well with spoon. Stir together flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt; gradually add to egg mixture, beating until well blended. Stir in nuts, if desired. Spread batter evenly into prepared pan.

3. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until brownies begin to pull away from sides of pan. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Prepare CREAMY BROWNIE FROSTING; spread over brownies. Cut into squares. About 16 brownies.

CREAMY BROWNIE FROSTING

3 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened

3 tablespoons HERSHEY'S Cocoa

1 tablespoon light corn syrup or honey1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup powdered sugar

1 to 2 tablespoons milk

Beat butter, cocoa, corn syrup and vanilla in small bowl until blended. Add powdered sugar and milk; beat to spreading consistency. About 1 cup frosting.