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Matilda Chocolate Cake gets its name from the classic 1996 movie, “Matilda.” Its moist chocolate cake layers are covered in a smooth, glossy frosting making it a decadent dessert perfect for any celebration!
If there’s an iconic chocolate cake, the one from “Matilda” would have to be it! There’s a scene (and trust me, I remember it clearly as this is one of my favorite movies!!) where Bruce Bogtrotter eats an ENTIRE cake in front of the student body.
But not just any kind of chocolate cake. It’s gotta have dense, moist, chocolate-y cake layers with swirls of glossy chocolate frosting to really replicate that chocolate cake scene!
After some trial and error, I can honestly tell you that this is THE BEST chocolate cake I’ve ever eaten. Yeah, that’s a big statement…and I mean it 1000%. It starts with my Homemade Chocolate Layer Cake base, which has been my go-to dark chocolate cake for years. But what makes this delicious recipe extra special is that fudgy, glossy frosting! Mmmmm!!
Ingredients Needed (Amounts in Recipe Card Below)
- All-Purpose Flour
- Sugar
- Cocoa Powder – Unsweetened natural cocoa powder (not dutch cocoa powder).
- Salt, Baking Powder & Baking Soda
- Vegetable Oil
- Buttermilk – Store-bought or make your own buttermilk; for best results, bring the buttermilk to room temperature before mixing.
- Large Eggs – For best results, bring these to room temperature before mixing.
- Vanilla Extract
- Hot Coffee or Boiling Water
Why do you add coffee to the cake batter?
When you add a hot liquid to cocoa powder, it helps it “bloom,” meaning it enhances the flavor of the chocolate. You can “bloom” the chocolate with any hot liquid (milk, water, coffee, etc). However, I always choose coffee for my chocolate cake.
Why do I use coffee? Because coffee actually brings out even more chocolate flavor. Are you concerned you’ll taste the coffee? You won’t! I know it seems odd, but really it just helps deepen the flavor of the chocolate!
What pan size should I use?
You’ll see that this Matilda Chocolate Cake recipe calls for two 9” round cake pans. However, there are a couple other options, too, in case you don’t have the 9” round pans:
- 9×13” pan + 6 cupcakes
- Three 8×8” round cake pans (baking time will be several minutes less)
- Two square 9×9” pans
How to make Matilda Cake
You’ll start by making a homemade chocolate cake. Combine the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl (or bowl of a stand mixer) and the wet ingredients (all but the coffee) in a separate bowl. Add the wet to the dry and stir until mixed. Add the coffee in a slow steady stream and mix until combined.
Pour the cake batter into the parchment-lined pans and bake. Take a look at the cakes after about 30-35 minutes. If it needs more time, continue to bake. Let them cool on wire racks for a few minutes before removing to a wire rack.
When the cakes are cooled, make one batch of my Glossy Chocolate Frosting and spread it between the layers and on top! The frosting is really the shining star in this fudgy chocolate cake!!
How do you store the chocolate cake?
Matilda Chocolate Cake is really best at room temperature. Therefore, if I’ll be eating the cake soon after completing it (within a few hours), I’ll just leave it at room temperature.
If it’s much longer than that, I’ll carefully cover with plastic wrap and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Then, remove it from the fridge about an hour before serving so it comes to room temperature.
Can I freeze leftover cake?
Absolutely! I freeze leftover cake all the time. I typically cut my cake into slices and lay them in an airtight container with sheets of waxed paper in between. Then, when I want a piece of chocolate cake, I can easily just grab one and thaw it out!
Other Delicious Chocolate Dessert Recipes
Fellow chocolate lovers, you know I’ve got some recipes that’ll be right up your alley! Here are a few of the most chocolate-y and decadent!
Chocolate Cobbler – It’s like a chocolate lava cake, but wayyyy easier and just as delicious!
Chewy Homemade Brownies – These homemade brownies are dense, chewy, chock-full of chocolate and have a beautiful shine on top!
Hot Chocolate Poke Cake – This poke cake has all the elements of a delicious hot cocoa!
Cheesecake Brownies – Turn a box brownie mix into rich, fudgy brownies with a swirl of cream cheese filling!
Matilda Chocolate Cake
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups sugar
- 3/4 cup cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 cup hot coffee
- 1 batch Glossy Chocolate Frosting
Instructions
Cake Layers
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Grease two 9" round cake pans and line the bottom with parchment paper.
- Add flour, sugar, cocoa powder, salt, baking powder and baking soda to your mixing bowl (I use a stand mixer with the whisk attachment). Stir until combined.2 cups all-purpose flour, 2 cups sugar, 3/4 cup cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 2 teaspoon baking soda
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the oil, buttermilk, eggs and vanilla.1/2 cup vegetable oil, 1 cup buttermilk, 2 eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir slowly until combined.
- Add the coffee slowly. Then mix on high for two minutes, scraping the sides halfway through.1 cup hot coffee
- Distribute the batter between the two prepared pans.
- Bake for 35-45 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. (A few moist crumbs sticking to the toothpick is fine, but you don't want it gooey).
- Cool for a few minutes. Run a butter knife around the outside of each pan, and turn the cakes out onto a cooling rack.
- Make one batch of Glossy Chocolate Frosting (recipe link below) and frost the cooled cake layers.
Notes
Nutrition
NOTE: Recipe was updated in April 2026 after questions and comments about the frosting. After lots of testing, I decided to add a new blog post for the Glossy Chocolate Frosting (to help answer questions) and linked to that from this cake blog post!
This cake is to die for. I thought my chocolate cake recipe was the ultimate until I tasted this. Moist, fudgey, chocolatey, and the icing is tangy and rich and smooth. I was.in chocolate heaven. LOL Thank you so much, I got people begging for this recipe when I made it for a birthday party. I directed them to your site.
Oh my goodness, Deb!! Thanks for your review…..it totally made my day!!! 🙂 🙂 I LOVE a good chocolate cake and this one is definitely my go-to!
Have a great day!
Kelsey
I’n the frosting you say cream what kind do you mean?
Heavy Whipping Cream 🙂
I was looking for a good recipe for the Matilda cake and I am so glad I found yours. While I was dismayed that your cake had only two layers, I used 1.5 portions of your cake recipe and I now had 3 wonderful chocolate cake layers to play with. While I strayed just a tiny bit by using a chocolate mousse filling to sandwich the cake layers, the chocolate frosting that went with the cake recipe is truly divine. I have been looking for a cooked chocolate frosting recipe for some time now and this was absolutely the best one. Rich but not overly sweet. Thank you so much for sharing your recipe. It is definitely one of the best chocolate cake recipes I’ve ever tried.
I already posted the cake on my IG account but boy was I glad I found your recipe. While I was a bit dismayed that there were only two layers, I used 1.5 portions of your cake recipe and I had my 3 perfect chocolate cake layers. The cake had a beautiful crumb and was very moist. I did stray a bit by using a chocolate mousse filling to sandwich the cake layers but the chocolate frosting was so delicious. I was finally able to find a perfectly balanced cooked chocolate frosting. It was definitely the reason why the cake is so delicious. It matched so well with the very chocolate cake layers. Definitely one of the best chocolate cakes I have baked.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!!! It’s definitely my go-to chocolate cake…..so moist and rich!! Thank you SO much for the review!! -Kelsey
Sorry, I forgot to rate your recipe. 5 stars all the way to the moon and back! Wonderful wonderful cake.
I’m trying to find the right pan for this. I got 8×1.5 how many of those would I need to make from your batter?
I also have the rectangle 9X13X2in pan and can do the 6 cupcakes on the size but I’m guessing that just a one-layer cake?
Lastly you recommend 9in round pans are those 9X9? and that’s 2 layers right?
Hi Marissa –
You could use 3 of your 8″ cake pans – they’ll be slightly thinner and will take a few minutes less to bake.
And yes, the 9×13 is just a single layer cake.
And the 9″ round pans are 9″ in diameter and 1 1/2 – 2 inches deep and would give you two layers.
I hope that helps!!! 🙂
Kelsey
oh god this look delicious. If i dont have salted butter how much salt i need to put in the frosting?
For every stick (1/2 cup) of unsalted butter, I’d add 1/4 tsp salt.
I’m excited to try your recipe for my daughter’s 40th birthday dinner. Can I substitute applesauce for the vegetable oil?
Aww I hope she loves it!! I’ve never tried it, but I think it should work fine. Maybe do 1/2 oil and 1/2 applesauce to stay on the safe side! 🙂
This was THE best chocolate cake I’ve ever made and everyone loved it! I substituted applesauce for the oil and it turned out amazing. AND the most delicious icing ever! Not too sweet and complemented the cake wonderfully
Thanks SO much, Tracy!! Glad to hear you loved this chocolate cake…..we sure do!!! 🙂 And thank you for the five-star rating. Made my day!!! -Kelsey
I am hoping to make this cake for my sister in law using 8 inch pans. Will the icing be enough to ice this whole cake? And is there a specific amount to put in between the layers? Thank you so much!
Hi Dana –
That’s a great question. I’ve used this recipe many times as a 9×13″ cake pan and two 9″ round pans…however, I haven’t done a three-layer 8″ cake. To be on the safe side, I’d probably make 1 1/2 batches of the frosting. I typically put about 3/4 – 1 cup of frosting between each layer. I hope that helps!! -Kelsey
I’ve made this and I was worried about the same thing, I had a jar of hot fudge topping and warmed that up slightly l, just so it’s spreadable but not to tear the cake. It turned out really well.. I think next time I’m adding the fudge to the ganache
How long does your frosting usually take to thicken?
Hi Milli – I like to spread it out on a rimmed plate and refrigerate. Then it only takes an hour or two! 🙂
-Kelsey
Hi Kelsey, I made this beautiful cake yesterday for a party tonight. I made the frosting this afternoon and yikes!! It’s been in the fridge for hours, probably over 3 and it’s still more like icing than frosting. It’s beautiful and glossy but more pourable than spreadable. I just stuck the bottom layer covered in the glaze in my fridge and will hope that I can get it to set up enough to put the top on and frost the cake before our guests arrive. It would have helped me a lot to have a man idea of how long it takes to set up. I could have easily made it last night when I made the cake.
I can’t wait to try it though because everything looks and smells fantastic! And I did sneak some of the frosting and it’s divine. Thanks for a great recipe!!
Hi, Nancy. I’m so sorry you had an issue with the frosting setting up! Hopefully it set up in time for your party and you all enjoyed the cake! 🙂
Hi, we were all just talking about this cake last night!! We had some issues with the layers slipping but with some ingenuity and toothpicks we made it work. I would make the frosting first to give it plenty of time to set. The combo of cake and frosting was delicious. Definitely a keeper!!
What kind of cocoa powder do you use? Is it dutch process or natural?
Great question – I use natural cocoa powder!
Hi Kelsey
This cake looks fantastic can’t wait to make it, but just a question for the frosting do you use heavy cream or lower percent ? Thx
Hi Robert – I use heavy whipping cream. Hope you enjoy it!! -Kelsey
Hi Kelsey, we are name twins! I can’t wait to try this recipe. I was wondering if the flour you use is cake flour or all purpose?? Thanks!
Hi Kelsey – great name, by the way! 😉 Great question – I’ll update the recipe to clarify too, but I use all purpose flour.
Hope you love this cake as much as we do!!
-Kelsey
Do you use All purpose flour or Self rising flour?
Hi Pat –
I use AP Flour! Enjoy!! 🙂
Kelsey
Hi there! I want to double this recipe for a big square box cake … is it ok to double up the soda? 4tsp sounds a lot!
Yes! 4 tsp would be just fine if you’re doubling the recipe 🙂
Holds empty plate above head proudly*
It tasted good
Ha!! There’s just nothing like a Matilda Cake!!! 🙂
Would it turn out the same if I used bobs red mills 1 for 1 gluten free flour?
Hi Felicity – That’s so hard to say without trying it myself. My guess is that the texture will be a little different, but I really don’t know for sure as I don’t do a whole lot of Gluten Free baking. If you give it a try, let me know how it turns out! 🙂 -Kelsey
I have made the multiple times using gluten free and it works super well.
Can I omit the coffee, not a fan? is there a substitution?
Absolutely. You can use hot water will work great in place of the coffee! 🙂 -Kelsey
Hi! I made this cake yesterday (with 3 layers) and it was EXACTLY what I was hoping for. So delicious, and so easy! I’m even thinking of halving the recipe just for myself next time I’m craving chocolate cake! I just had one issue though, that I wonder if anyone else had: the frosting set very firmly in the fridge, and successfully softened again when I took it out–but by the time I was done frosting the cake, the layers were sliding all over the place! The frosting had become so soft/glossy again that the layers weren’t being held in place. I suppose it’s possible that 3 layers (rather than two) will “wobble” that much more…. but I’m thinking I might need to insert skewers next time to keep it together!
Hi
Can you substitute sunflower oil for the vegetable oil ?
thanks
Pauline