Hershey’s Chocolate Syrup Cake is a beautifully simple and delicious cake that is perfect for any celebration. There are no fancy techniques, this cake bakes with a surprise center.
When my in-laws moved to an independent living facility, I was the benefactor of my mother-in-law’s recipe box. This box is a piece of art. It was made by my father-in-law who still whittles at 93 years of age. He also hand-carved the lettering. He made one for me years ago too.
The thing that I love about my mother-in-law’s recipe box is that it is full of recipes that represent the dishes that she made for her family. Some of these recipes come from the family that spans more than 90 years, and some recipes are those that we copied from our favorite brands, such as this Hershey’s Chocolate Syrup Cake. She also gave me her heavy metal bundt pan that she purchased just for this recipe. Nothing sticks to that pan! 
My husband John stated that this was often his mother’s go-to cake, so I thought it would be a special surprise when we had them over on Father’s Day. I went to the Hershey’s website and didn’t find this particular cake. The recipe card has her friends name on it so either Hershey’s retired it or it was created by her friend.
Don’t have time to make it now? Pin it for later!
Either way, it was definitely a great surprise to them. This cake was easy to make and delicious to eat. It can be just dusted with a simple powdered sugar or as I did, a simple chocolate ganache that I used previously as seen here. I also served it with a bit of vanilla ice cream. How can you have cake without ice cream? Don’t answer that. I don’t intend on trying anyway. When you cut into this cake, you get the two toned crumb that makes it look like you went to a lot of work. Go ahead, dab that brow and bake this cake for your loved ones.
Hershey Syrup Chocolate Cake
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter room temperature
- 2 cups sugar
- 3 eggs
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1-1/2 tsp vanilla
- 1 cup milk
- 3 cups flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 8 oz Hershey's Chocolate syrup
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour bundt pan.
- Cream butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla together.
- In a separate bowl combine flour, and baking powder. Whisk together to mix.
- Alternate adding milk and flour mixture to butter mixture. Pour 1/2 of the batter into the bundt pan. Add Hershey's syrup and salt to remaining batter. Mix to combine. Pour over the top of the white batter.
- Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake 40 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely in the bundt pan on a wire rack.
Nutrition
If you’re still looking for some other cake ideas, check out these!
Raspberry Chocolate Pound Cake
Prize Mahogany Chocolate Cake
Black Russian Cake
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Linda Wiseman says
July 13, 2015 at 4:15 pmThis looks really, really good! I know lots of people that will be begging me to make this cake for them!!
Julie Menghini says
July 13, 2015 at 8:51 pmThank you Linda! It was fun to make and yummy to eat.
Nicky Corbishley says
July 13, 2015 at 3:35 pmGreat story and recipe Julie. Love that recipe box. I still have various grease-spattered bits of paper with old recipes on from my mum and grandad, but I need a recipe box like this!
It’s strange to think that the recipe boxes we’ll be passing down will be in the form a recipe blogs!
Julie Menghini says
July 13, 2015 at 3:52 pmThank you Nicky! I still like the old paper and recipe boxes, but you are right that most of my recipes are being converted to an on-line version. That is one of the reasons I began blogging. My daughter complained that I never wrote down what was in some of the dishes she enjoyed. I appreciate you stopping by!
Claudia | Breakfast Drama Queen says
July 2, 2015 at 8:30 pmThe box – and what lies inside – are definitely works of art 🙂 And your photos of this cake look so good!
Julie Menghini says
July 2, 2015 at 8:51 pmI agree Claudia! Thank you so much.
[email protected] says
June 28, 2015 at 8:58 pmSounds like an “old school” FABULOUS recipe! Your recipe box sounds like a goldmine! 🙂 I have some of my grandmothers typed index card recipes too. The best 🙂
Julie Menghini says
June 29, 2015 at 7:10 amAwesome Josette! It’s a good thing I have a blog. If I had to hand type my recipes, they would never have made it to the box!
[email protected] says
June 29, 2015 at 7:11 amI know- can you imagine? No wonder recipes used to be repeated each week!
SweetRevelations says
June 27, 2015 at 5:05 pmWhat a lovely box! I too have my great grandfathers cookbook and I cherish it! The cake looks yummy too.
Lili says
June 26, 2015 at 2:24 pmLovely cake and recipe box Julie! 🙂
Julie Menghini says
June 27, 2015 at 8:46 amThank you Lili! I love having that recipe box!
Arl's World says
June 26, 2015 at 1:50 pmThis looks so delicious and simple Julie! Perfect! I like your little recipe box, btw. 🙂
Julie Menghini says
June 26, 2015 at 2:17 pmThank you Arl!
afracooking says
June 26, 2015 at 12:49 pmOh these pictures take me straight back to my childhood. My mum would usually bake a cake in the weekend so that there would still be a slice waiting for us when we got home from school during the week. A marbled vanilla and chocolate bunt made a regular appearance. Love you idea of using hershey syrup instead!!
Julie Menghini says
June 26, 2015 at 1:15 pmThank you! I used to bake treats for my children for after school too. At least I said it was for them :).
nancyc says
June 26, 2015 at 12:15 pmThis cake sounds wonderful, Julie! And what a treasure you have in that special recipe box!
Julie Menghini says
June 26, 2015 at 1:16 pmThank you Nancy! I love having that recipe box.
Loretta says
June 26, 2015 at 11:49 amWelcome to FF Julie, and wow what a wonderful treat you’ve brought to the Fiesta. Loving the two-toned bundt cake, will definitely be trying this out. What a beautiful treasure from your father-in-law. You are one lucky gal, and I’m sure baking the cake recipe made it all the more special for everyone on Father’s Day. You’ve reminded me to clean up one of my drafts I started a few months ago. When my mother-in-law’s sister passed away, we got together all her recipes from all the relatives (she was an amazing cook), and we published it, with some old photos and many of her recipes. We gave it to all the relatives as a Christmas present that year. Have a wonderful weekend.
Julie Menghini says
June 26, 2015 at 1:20 pmLoretta, that is wonderful! What a wonderful gift! My grandmothers recipes disappeared and are lost forever. When my niece graduated from college my sister asked several people for family recipes and made her a recipe box. I just think it’s a great way to share a part of your family and history, and to give someone a great start of their own.
coconutcraze says
June 26, 2015 at 11:31 amAhh, beautiful cake! I became a bit emotional looking at the hand-carved recipe box! I don’t know why! It is a wonderful gift to have all the family recipes…I envy you! Please include a picture of that bunt pan next time.
Julie Menghini says
June 26, 2015 at 1:23 pmThank you! I will cherish that box for the rest of my life, and I know my daughter will appreciate it when it’s hers. So much of history gets lost. Too bad we don’t appreciate some of this when we are young and can ask the questions that we wish we had the answers to now. The pan will make the next bundt cake post, I promise!
Angie says
June 26, 2015 at 10:00 amI love, love this cake, Julie!! And I’m so jealous of that recipe box 🙂 My MIL did give me her collection of pickle and relish recipes though. But no box! 🙂
Julie Menghini says
June 26, 2015 at 1:29 pmThank you Angie! I am so happy that I have this box. My FIL is such a sweet man and does so much for so many. He also carves birds that are amazing too. I can’t imagine using a sharp knife on wood at 91. I’d cut my arm off.
Jhuls says
June 26, 2015 at 8:21 amThat cake looks awesome! And what a beautiful box, too. Mmm, any pan I could use apart from bundt pan? Happy FF! x
Julie Menghini says
June 26, 2015 at 1:31 pmThank you Jhuls! My MIL said you could use other pans. I would guess the round might me a bit more impressive than the square? Just my opinion. Happy FF to you too!
lapetitepaniere says
June 26, 2015 at 8:02 amThis is a wonderful recipe box, a real gem Julie. The cake looks so tempting and is make me hungry! 🙂
Julie Menghini says
June 26, 2015 at 1:33 pmThank you! I cherish that recipe box and wish that I had recipes from my grandmother. That is one of the reasons I started blogging. My daughter wanted me to document how I made some of my dishes instead of just telling her to add a bit of this and a it of that.
Debbie Spivey says
June 26, 2015 at 6:32 amWhat a great family heirloom to have, Julie! This cake would sure satisfy all of David’s sweet teeth…lol!
Julie Menghini says
June 26, 2015 at 1:34 pmThank you Debbie, I agree. I let me hubby keep a couple of pieces and then he took it to work so I wouldn’t polish it off.
bitsofnice says
June 26, 2015 at 1:12 amThat box is really beautiful, real craftmanship. And the cake looks simply delicious Julie! Thanks for sharing this family recipe 🙂
Julie Menghini says
June 26, 2015 at 1:38 pmThank you! The corners of the box are all dove tailed inside. I didn’t take a picture of that because it has all of my pink post-it-notes marking all the recipes that I want to make.
tentimestea says
June 25, 2015 at 9:59 pmThis is such a pretty looking cake with the two different colours, and with such a fine and tender-looking crumb. I love the sound of that beautiful hand-carved recipe box and all the history and stories it must carry! What my family has is a three ring binder and plenty of plastic sheet inserts…but oh well, perhaps in a couple generations the binder will start to look a bit more elegant? Or at least charmingly retro?
Julie Menghini says
June 26, 2015 at 1:40 pmThank you! Just having the recipes is wonderful! So many on my side of the family have disappeared. This cake was so easy to make and was easy to eat. It isn’t sickly sweet like they can be.
apsara says
June 25, 2015 at 6:35 pmWhat a picture perfect Bundt cake! That recipe box is a real treasure, I look forward to more such lovely recipes from that box. 🙂
Julie Menghini says
June 25, 2015 at 6:47 pmThank you Apsara! I agree that it is definitely a keepsake that I will treasure. The inside of the box has all of my little post-it-note tabs on things I want to make, and there are a bunch! Thank you for stopping by!
Linda says
June 25, 2015 at 6:28 pmWhat a great idea! 🙂
Chitra Jagadish says
June 25, 2015 at 4:26 pmOh my this is absolutely divine and never used Hershey’s syrup before abd this is just making me drooooool at me screen. … yummm
Julie Menghini says
June 25, 2015 at 5:48 pmThank you Chitra! You are so sweet :).
Dawn says
June 25, 2015 at 1:44 pmOh, Julie! The family recipe box is a true family treasure!! We have my husband’s 92 year-old aunt’s recipe box filled with the all of the recipes from his mom and aunt. We love having the recipes for their favorite Greek cookies. Baking the Hershey Syrup cake was such a ‘sweet’ way to celebrate Father’s Day! What a lovely surprise for John and your in-laws, Julie! ♡
Julie Menghini says
June 25, 2015 at 5:49 pmThank you Dawn! My Dad’s mother’s box disappeared and so I was so very happy to have this one.
Dawn says
June 25, 2015 at 9:48 pmEnjoy all the treasures in your recipe box! I know you will, Julie! Wouldn’t it be fun to document the family stories that go with each recipe? Such special memories! ♡
Julie Menghini says
June 26, 2015 at 1:42 pmThank you Dawn. I have had some opportunities to do that but It will take years to get through many of these. I’ve even had to ask what the heck some of them are. Those are definitely the ones I want to try.
Freda @ Aromatic essence says
June 25, 2015 at 1:12 pmWow this looks beautiful Julie 🙂 and I love that priceless recipe box 🙂
Julie Menghini says
June 25, 2015 at 5:51 pmThank you so much Freda! I feel so lucky to have received this recipe box, and it’s true that sometimes the simplest gestures go the farthest.
Freda @ Aromatic essence says
June 25, 2015 at 6:07 pmTrue Julie! My mum has her handwritten recipe book , and I absolutely love That old notebook, I will have to visit India to get my hands on that, can’t wait to try those recipes 🙂
[email protected] says
June 25, 2015 at 12:04 pmI think even I could make this two toned cake. I would look like a fancy baker. Now I need a bundt pan that doesn’t stick. 🙁
Tracey
Julie Menghini says
June 25, 2015 at 5:52 pmThank you Tracey! I think she said that you could actually do this in other pans but I am not sure what it would look like?
skd says
June 25, 2015 at 10:45 amMy goodness! What a precious heirloom. You are lucky to have got such a wonderful gift from your in laws. It speaks volumes of the love they had for you. And what a talented man your father in law is. And your gesture of making the cake was very sweet too (pun intended ). It must have reminded them of beautiful memories. Very soul touching post. The cake looks marvelous. I wonder how the hershey batter didn’t sink to the bottom or go wild and out of shape. Maybe I will have to try to see. Thank you for sharing this precious recipe with us. Hope to see more of them from that box.
Julie Menghini says
June 25, 2015 at 5:55 pmThank you so much skd! My mother-in-law loved that I made this for them and she said it always turns out like this, and people always think it’s much trickier than it is. I am blessed to have received this box made by his loving hands and all of those recipes that, many of them were hand typed by my mother-in-law and made over the years. I didn’t show the insides because I have all of these post-it-note tabs all over it marking things I want to make LOL!
Natalie Browne says
June 25, 2015 at 8:59 amWhat a precious gift to have received. My grandma has an old cookbook that she carries with her where ever she goes. It’s filled with recipes and notes she written over the years. A treasure, for sure 🙂
Julie Menghini says
June 25, 2015 at 9:10 amOh Natalie, I sure hope you get that recipe book or a copy of it anyway. That is definitely a treasure.
chef mimi says
June 25, 2015 at 8:46 amWhat a beautiful box! I thought Hershey’s syrup was very sweet, but this cake looks fabulous!!! A very sweet gesture on your part!
Julie Menghini says
June 25, 2015 at 9:12 amThank you Mimi. It was so simple to make, and she definitely appreciated the gesture. We are both sentimental and she likes sharing that trait.