Remember Bruce Bogtrotter sitting in front of that enormous chocolate cake in Matilda, looking like he had just been handed the greatest and most terrifying assignment of his life? That cake has officially entered the internet’s obsession list.
How To Make The Matilda Chocolate Cake
The viral “Matilda cake” is essentially a very moist chocolate layer cake covered in an unapologetically thick chocolate frosting. It is richer and heavier than the average chocolate sponge, but the real difference is the texture. Cocoa gives it that dark chocolate hit, oil keeps the crumb soft, and hot coffee makes the chocolate taste considerably deeper without making the cake taste like coffee.
And then there is the frosting. Lots of it! This is not the cake where you delicately scrape frosting across the top with a palette knife. You want a thick, fudgy layer that looks slightly excessive. That is the whole point.
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Ingredients
For The Cake
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1½ cups granulated sugar
- ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1½ tsp baking powder
- 1½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 eggs
- ¾ cup milk
- ½ cup neutral vegetable oil
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- ¾ cup hot brewed coffee
- ½ cup hot water
For The Chocolate Frosting
- 200 g dark chocolate, finely chopped
- 200 ml heavy cream
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2 tbsp icing sugar, optional
Method
- Get the oven going. Preheat it to 180°C. Grease two 8-inch cake tins and line their bases with baking paper.
- Mix the dry stuff. Whisk the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl.
- Add the wet ingredients. In another bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, oil and vanilla until combined.
- Bring them together. Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and whisk until there are no large lumps.
- Pour in the coffee and water. Add them gradually while whisking. The batter will be quite thin. Do not panic and add flour.
- Bake. Divide the batter between the tins and bake for 30-35 minutes. A skewer should come out with a few moist crumbs attached.
- Let it cool. Leave the cakes to cool completely before frosting them.
- Make the chocolate frosting. Heat the cream until steaming, then pour it over the chopped chocolate. Leave it alone for two minutes.
- Whisk it smooth. Add the butter and whisk until glossy. Mix in icing sugar if you prefer a sweeter frosting.
- Build the cake. Put one cake layer on a plate and spread a generous amount of frosting over it. Place the second layer on top.
- Go big on the frosting. Cover the top and sides with the remaining chocolate mixture. Smooth it out or leave it slightly messy. Nobody is grading your frosting technique.
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Now cut yourself a properly enormous slice. If it looks like something Miss Trunchbull would confiscate on sight, you have probably done it right.
Cover Image Courtesy: blackcanyon/Canva Pro
FAQs
What is a Matilda cake?
Matilda cake is the giant chocolate cake famously eaten by Bruce Bogtrotter in Matilda, recreated as a rich chocolate layer cake with thick frosting.
How do you make Matilda cake at home?
Bake two layers of moist chocolate cake, then sandwich and cover them generously with thick chocolate frosting.
Why is coffee added to Matilda cake?
Hot coffee enhances the flavour of cocoa and gives the cake a deeper, richer chocolate taste.
How do you make Matilda cake moist?
Vegetable oil helps keep the cake soft and moist, while hot coffee and water contribute to its tender texture.
