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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), used for the cake and the frosting.
- 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
- Salted Butter
- Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
- Powdered Sugar
- Heavy Cream
- Sour Cream – Use full-fat sour cream rather than low-fat or “light”
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 the frosting. The frosting is really the shining star in this fudgy chocolate cake!! Melt the butter in a saucepan then add the chocolate chips, stirring until melted.
Add the sugar, cocoa and salt. It’ll be grainy at this point but don’t worry, it’ll smooth out soon! Add the heavy whipping cream and sour cream and cook on low until smooth. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla. Let cool completely to thicken before frosting the 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
Chocolate Cake Layers
- 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
Glossy Chocolate Frosting
- 3/4 cup salted butter
- 1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar sifted
- 3 tablespoons cocoa powder sifted
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 5 tablespoons sour cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
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.
Glossy Chocolate Frosting
- In a saucepan, melt the butter over low heat.3/4 cup salted butter
- Add the chocolate chips, heavy cream, powdered sugar, cocoa powder and salt; stir until melted and hot (but not boiling).1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips, 3/4 cup powdered sugar, 3 tablespoons cocoa powder, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
- Remove from the heat and whisk in the sour cream and vanilla until smooth.5 tablespoons sour cream, 1 teaspoon vanilla
- Pour the frosting through a sieve to remove any possible clumps.
- Cover the frosting with plastic wrap so a film doesn't form on top.
- Let the frosting cool in the fridge (it'll thicken a lot) until it's at the right consistency.*
- Stir the frosting until smooth and frost the cake.
Notes
Nutrition
NOTE: Recipe was updated in February 2025 after several comments of the frosting being “too runny.” I changed the recipe in order for the frosting to ensure setting up properly, yet maintaining a smoothy & glossy fudgy frosting!
Hello Kelsey. I have made this cake three times. The flavor is amazing but every time I make the cake the icing comes out runny no matter how long I let it sit even refrigerating it. My question is, is the sugar measurement supposed to be powdered sugar?
Hello! I’m so glad you like it! It needs to be granulated sugar. If you want it to be a little more thick, try reducing the heavy cream to 2/3 cup and see how it goes! ~Kelsey
I think Kelsey needs to correct it from powdered sugar to granulated sugar!!!
😉
Hi Paola! Good eye….I changed the recipe awhile back (as several readers had complained that that recipe with the granulated sugar was too runny). However, it’s just not the same….so I’m working on the old recipe to ensure I can add some helpful tips to make sure it’s great every single time. Stay tuned! 🙂 ~Kelsey
Definitely THE BEST chocolate cake ever! I made it for a friend last year & she requested it again this year. I decided to double the batch in hopes of increasing the “wow” factor. I’m a little nervous about cooking a double batch of frosting in one pan – have you had success with that?
Thank you
SO happy to hear that, Heather!!! I love that she requested the same cake this year – as long as the pan is big enough to hold it all, it should work great! ~Kelsey
My fiance requested I make her the Matilda chocolate cake as its been a childhood dream of hers to try it. This was my first time ever baking a cake ever so I followed the steps to a tee and it turned out amazing! Rave reviews from my fiance and her family.
Is this frosting pipable?
It’s really not. It’s not a runny frosting, but I don’t think it would be good for piping. ~Kelsey
The cake sunk in the middle… what caused this to happen?
Hi Katherine – I’m guessing the cake wasn’t cooked through. Did you use a toothpick to see if the center was done?
How many cupcakes will this recipe make and how long should I bake them?
Hi Beverly – I’m not sure I’ve made this recipe into cupcakes so I’m unsure! If you give it a try, let me know how it goes! ~Kelsey
This cake was so delicious! Was worth purchasing the ingredients we don’t normally keep on hand…sour cream, buttermilk, whipping cream. Was also the first time adding coffee to a cake. Made exactly as written, with no changes. Will certainly be making it again in the future. Thank you!
Absolutely Devine , I have a question, why do my cake layers stick to cooling rack
Hi Karen – these cake layers are super moist (the reason we love the cake, right?!)….It will likely always stick a bit to the cooling rack.
What can I do to get the frosting thicker, it’s been in the fridge over an hour and it’s like a pudding texture.
Hi Liz – Thank you for your feedback. After a few people mentioned the frosting not setting up, I did extensive recipe testing to ensure this doesn’t happen again. I’ve updated the post with the updated frosting. It’s still nice and glossy but thickens up much better! Hope you enjoy it! ~Kelsey
If you don’t like coffee can it be replaced with hot water or heat up a cola of choice? By the way I love your recipes. I’m an Iowa gal too and I enjoy your food segments on Hello Iowa.
Yes, hot water would work just fine! 🙂 I’m so glad you’ve found so many recipe you enjoy on the blog. And thanks for tuning into Hello Iowa! I always enjoy my time there! 🙂 ~Kelsey
Can this be made in a bundt pan?
Hi Stephanie – I’ve never tried making this one in a bundt pan. However, I do have Moist Chocolate Bundt Cake I LOVE! Give that a try and let me know what you think! 🙂
Cake is good but the icing recipe needs some serious work, it didn’t set up no matter what I did, even after adding extra dry ingredients it was so loose that it wouldn’t hold it’s shape on the cake at all. Do not recommend.
I just made the frosting and seems to be runny. Recipe calls for confectionary sugar, but your reply to another states regular sugar?
Which sugar is to be used? How can I thicken ?
Hi Jeanette! Thanks for asking. Did you wait until the frosting is completely chilled? (It thickens quite a bit as it cools!) ~Kelsey
The recipe states powdered sugar not granulated sugar.
Hello! I’ve made this cake many times and it’s always our family’s favorite!! I noticed this time that the frosting calls for powdered sugar which was never the case in the past. Is that correct? I always remember it being granulated sugar. If so, how much granulated sugar should the frosting need? Thank you!
Hi Michelle! This frosting has been SUCH a hot topic! The old recipe kept resulting in “runny” frosting for several readers so I changed it to be a little more “fool proof.” However, you’re not the first to notice the change…I’m working on the old recipe again and making sure I can give some helpful hints so everyone can nail it every time! 🙂 ~Kelsey
Hi!!
What happened if after I added the hot coffee my chocolate mixture got way too runny?? 🙁
What do I do!!???
Greetings from Texas y’all
Hi Paola – That’s to be expected. It’s definitely a runny batter but bakes up perfectly! ~Kelsey
This recipe looks so good, I will try it but could I bake it in just 1 pan(I don’t have two, just 1)?
Hello! You can bake it in a 9×13-inch pan – here’s the details of that recipe!! –> https://dancearoundthekitchen.com/chocolate-cake/
Enjoy! ~Kelsey
i am making this saturday 🤎
I hope you enjoy it, Savannah!!!
This cake was exactly what I was craving; it was perfect and delicious! You can’t beat the icing. I let the icing sit in the fridge almost 2 hours and I thought it might still be too runny. But it is was not; it was the perfect consistency!
the cocoa powder will not dissolve in a large amount of liquid
stir in small amount of liquid to make a smooth paste and then add to rest of ingredients. then not necessary to use sieve.