I love the hersheys chocolate cake recipe. Love the texture and how long it stays moist. I am wondering if I can also make a vanilla cake using the same recipe. The only ingredient I can see that wld need substituting would b the cocoa powder. Does anyone know how I would do it. I was thinking maybe using cornflour instead.

I wouldn't use cornflour as that has quite a strong taste (which isn't very nice at all!). Best thing to do is just do a test run and see what it's like just omitting the cocoa powder. Then see what the result is like and ask questions from there.

Is there a reason you aren't using normal vanilla cake recipes? I would recommend trying Sylvia Weinstock's yellow cake recipe, it's moist and delicious.

I trialled a batch with 1/2 a cup of flour in replacement of the 3/4 cup cocoa powder when making cupcakes and the resulting texture was a little bit too spongey and not flavorful enough.

I think it might be better as a whole cake, but I'd add a bit more vanilla and up to the extra 1/4 cup flour depending on consistency and give it a shot :s HTH

how about adding a little extra sugar, and increase the vanilla ..ohh and u can add one table spoon of corn starch it actually makes it moist.

Re-post from previous topic:

Things to think of:

1. that much cocoa is supplying structure as well as taste to the completed product. Adding flour as a substitute for cocoa is also adding more gluten .. cocoa has no gluten. Gluten gives elasticity and strength to baked goods. But cake should be soft and light - that means not adding more gluten. Too much causes a tough, dry cake.

2. cocoa in a baked product is very drying - more liquid is required to balance this tendency. Removing the cocoa will unbalance the moisture content

3. natural cocoa is acidic in nature: to balance this, there is usually an alkaline item in the recipe: bicarb soda, buttermilk, sour cream, yoghurt etc. The chemical reaction neutralizes but it also acts as a secondary leavener. Removing the cocoa, means that another item will have to be introduced to counter the alkaline ingredient

4. if there is no primary leavener, and you remove one of the catalsyts of the acid/alkali reaction, you will have to add some type of leavener or the item may not rise ..

Suggestion: look for another recipe ..