Delicious and Rich Chocolate Birthday Cake

I jump at any opportunity to bake, so realizing my Dad's birthday was approaching I knew I had to find a great recipe to celebrate. Once again I found myself looking through the Flour Cookbook (I highly recommend it!) for a chocolatey recipe per my father's request! So I decided on the "Midnight Chocolate Cake", in the book it was paired with a milk chocolate buttercream frosting, but that recipe alone called for six sticks of butter!!! I couldn't bring myself to use that much butter for the icing on the cake if you will! Instead I paired the cake with Hershey's Perfectly Dark Chocolate Frosting! My own spin on the cake was fabulous and regarded as "one of the best birthday cakes EVER!"
When it came time to frost I was running a little short so I decided to not frost the sides of the cakes, which added a welcome casual feel to the cake! Find any opportunity you can so that you can make this cake, it so moist and delicious...even days later (yes I am still enjoying it!).

(the lighting was prettier in reality than through the camera lens, it was natural light through a lacy curtain) 

Because of copyright...I am going to put up the recipes for the Hershey's Cake and Frosting, I am still trying to figure out if I am able to post recipes from a cookbook, do any of you know the answer? The Hershey's one is excellent I have made it before- and the recipes are very similar, the only real difference seems to be that Flour uses butter, while Hershey's uses oil!

Hershey's Perfectly Chocolate Cake 

"

• 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)

Directions

1. 1 Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round baking pans.
   
2. 2 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.
   
3. 3 Bake 30 to 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. 10 to 12 servings.
   
   VARIATIONS:
   ONE-PAN CAKE: Grease and flour 13x9x2-inch baking pan. Heat oven to 350° F. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 35 to 40 minutes. Cool completely. Frost.
   
   THREE LAYER CAKE: Grease and flour three 8-inch round baking pans. Heat oven to 350°F. Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake 30 to 35 minutes. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely. Frost.
   
   BUNDT CAKE: Grease and flour 12-cup Bundt pan. Heat oven to 350°F. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 50 to 55 minutes. Cool 15 minutes; remove from pan to wire rack. Cool completely. Frost.
   
   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 batter. Bake 22 to 25 minutes. Cool completely. Frost. About 30 cupcakes.
   
   
   "PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE" CHOCOLATE FROSTING
   
   1/2 cup (1 stick) 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."- Copied from http://www.hersheys.com/recipes/recipe-details.aspx?id=184