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This Matilda chocolate cake recipe is a rich, ultra moist chocolate fudge cake inspired by the legendary Bruce Bogtrotter cake scene from Matilda. It features soft chocolate cake layers covered in a glossy fudge frosting that melts right in your mouth! This cake is easy to make, packed with deep chocolate flavor, and looks just like the iconic cake from the movie.
I have been on a quest for about a year to make the ultimate matilda’s chocolate cake recipe. After relentlessly watching that iconic scene from Matilda, I did a lot of testing (if you follow in instagram, you know). Like too many to count. BUT… the second I pulled this cake out of the oven, I knew I finally nailed it.
This is THAT cake. And honestly, this is the best chocolate cake I’ve EVER made.
The BEST Matilda Chocolate Cake
This cake is outrageous in the best way. I brought to life the ridiculously fudgy chocolate cake from Matilda that haunted all of us as kids. It’s an easy chocolate cake that’s brushed with a brown sugar vanilla bean coffee simple syrup (this intensifies the chocolate flavor and keeps the cake moist for DAYS) and a chocolatey glossy frosting that glides on the cake like a dream.
The cake itself is incredibly plush while the frosting sets into a silky, fudgy finish. I couldn’t stop eating it!
Chocolate lovers, this recipe hits every note. And if you’ve been searching for the Bruce Bogtrotter cake – this is the one.
Table of Contents
Recipe Development Notes: Why This Recipe Is The Best
- No stand mixer needed! All you need are a few mixing bowls and a saucepan to make the frosting and coffee syrup.
- Key to a super moist cake: Wrapping the warm baked cake layers immediately fresh out of the oven traps in steam and keeps the crumb incredibly soft and moist.
- The frosting sets like soft fudge while still staying silky and smooth. It’s similar to chocolate ganache with melted chocolate and heavy cream, but also uses cocoa powder and corn syrup for deeper flavor and shine.
- The chocolate coffee syrup is one of the biggest flavor builders in this recipe. It deepens the chocolate flavor while keeping the cake moist for days.
For more chocolate cake recipes, try my triple chocolate cake, black velvet cake and chocolate donut cake!
Ingredients and Substitutions
(full list of ingredients can be found in the recipe card)
- Unsweetened Cocoa Powder (22–24% Fat): Using a high-fat cocoa powder is one of the secrets to getting that ultra moist chocolate cake. A cocoa powder with 22–24% fat creates a deeper chocolate taste and helps keep the cake soft and tender instead of dry or chalky. Also, don’t confuse this with Dutch-processed cocoa powder. They are not the same!
- All Purpose Flour provides structure to the cake.
- Buttermilk adds moisture and creates a super soft, plush crumb. Its acidity also works with the baking soda to help the cake rise beautifully while staying incredibly tender. You can make homemade buttermilk with whole milk and lemon juice (or white vinegar) if you can’t find any at the grocery store.
- Hot Coffee intensifies the chocolate flavor without making the cake taste like coffee. It helps bloom the cocoa powder for a deeper, richer chocolate flavor. If you don’t have coffee, hot water with espresso powder or instant coffee powder works too.
- Vegetable Oil keeps this cake incredibly moist for days and gives it that soft, melt-in-your-mouth bakery-style texture.
- Corn syrup helps create a glossy, silky smooth fudge frosting that spreads beautifully. You can also use honey in its place.
- Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips makes the frosting rich, fudgy, and super accessible. No fancy baking chocolate needed here. Just simple ingredients that still deliver big, rich chocolate flavor.
How To Make Matildas Chocolate Cake
Step 1: Prepare the chocolate fudge frosting first and refrigerate until thickened and ready to spread. This helps the frosting set properly before assembling the cake.
Step 2: Preheat the oven to 325°F and prepare three 8-inch pans with nonstick baking spray. Whisk together the dry ingredients in a large bowl, including flour, cocoa powder, milk powder, leavening agents, salt, and sugars.
Step 3: In a separate bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients then gently mix the dry ingredients and add hot coffee. The batter will be watery – this is exactly what we want! Divide the chocolate cake batter evenly between the cake pans and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. Once baked, wrap the warm cakes tightly in plastic wrap and chill completely to trap in moisture and create an ultra soft crumb.
Step 4: While the cakes bake, make the chocolate coffee syrup by simmering coffee and brown sugar until dissolved, then stirring in cocoa powder and vanilla bean paste.
Step 5: Assemble the cake by poking small shallow holes in the cake and brushing each layer with the chocolate syrup. Add a generous layer of frosting, then place the second layer on top and repeat.
Step 6: Finish frosting the outside of the cake and refrigerate or serve immediately.
Pro Baking Tips
Use a food scale/kitchen scale to measure your ingredients. This creates the more consistent results as opposed to when using a measuring cup.
Be careful not to overmix the batter: Once you add the flour, gently fold the ingredients. Overmixing can incorporate too much air, making the cake crumbly instead of fudgy.
Don’t Overbake: Check early, Start testing the cake 5 minutes before the recommended baking time. The cake is ready when a toothpick comes out with moist crumbs, not completely clean. A clean toothpick means the cake is overdone.
Recipe FAQs
Coffee enhances the flavor of chocolate cake without making the cake taste like coffee. Hot coffee helps bloom the cocoa powder, creating a deeper, richer chocolate flavor and more intense chocolate taste.
Yes! You can also use 2 9-inch cake pans, but keep in mind it’ll take a little longer to bake.
Yes, Matilda chocolate cake can be made ahead of time. Simply wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or store it in an airtight container to keep it moist, and frost it just before serving for the best texture.
To store chocolate cake, place it in an airtight container (like a cake cloche) to prevent it from drying out. It can be kept at room temperature for 4-5 days or refrigerated for up to a week. For longer storage, freeze the cake layers (without frosting) for up to 3 months, thawing them in the fridge before frosting and serving.
. No, I do not recommend using Dutch-process cocoa powder in this recipe because it can affect how the cake rises and change the final texture. Natural unsweetened cocoa powder works best here because its acidity reacts with the baking soda to create an ultra soft, tender crumb.
More Chocolate Cake Recipes
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If you make this recipe, please leave a star rating on the recipe card and comment below! You can also tag @BritneyBreaksBread on Instagram and hashtag #britneybreaksbread so I can celebrate your beautiful creations!
Matilda’s Chocolate Cake
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 batch Chocolate Fudge Frosting
Matilda Chocolate Cake
- 3 cups (375 g) All Purpose Flour, (sifted)
- 1 cup (85 g) Unsweetened Cocoa Powder, (sifted), Note: Please cocoa powder that's 20-24% fat.
- 2 tbsp Milk Powder
- 2 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
- 1 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
- 1 1/4 tsp Kosher Salt
- 2 cups (400 g) Sugar
- 1/2 cup (110 g) Brown Sugar
- 1 1/2 cups (334 g) Vegetable Oil
- 3 large (150 g) Eggs
- 1 1/2 tbsp Vanilla Extract
- 1 1/2 cups (360 g) Buttermilk
- 1 1/2 cup (360 g) Coffee, (hot)
Chocolate Vanilla Bean Simple Syrup
- 1/4 cup (60 g) Coffee
- 1/4 cup (55 g) Brown Sugar
- 1 tbsp Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
- 1 tsp Vanilla Bean Paste, (or vanilla extract)
Instructions
- Begin by making a batch of my chocolate fudge frosting. It needs time to cool and set so prepare the frosting first and cover with plastic wrap. Place into the refrigerator until the cakes have cooled and are ready to assemble. 1 batch Chocolate Fudge Frosting
- Preheat the oven 325 degrees F. Spray 3 8-inch cake pans with nonstick baking spray.
- In a large bowl, sift all purpose flour, cocoa powder, milk powder, baking soda, baking powder, and kosher salt. Whisk together, then add sugar and brown sugar and mix until combined. 3 cups All Purpose Flour 1 cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder 2 tbsp Milk Powder 2 1/2 tsp Baking Soda 1 1/2 tsp Baking Powder 1 1/4 tsp Kosher Salt 2 cups Sugar 1/2 cup Brown Sugar
- In a separate bowl, mix together vegetable oil, eggs, vanilla extract, and buttermilk. Whisk for about 1 minute, until combined. 1 1/2 cups Vegetable Oil 3 large Eggs 1 1/2 tbsp Vanilla Extract 1 1/2 cups Buttermilk
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and whisk until just combined, then pour hot coffee into the bowl. Whisk until just combined and smooth. 1 1/2 cup Coffee
- Divide the cake batter equally among the prepared pans. Bake for 35-40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out with just a few moist crumbs.
- While the cakes are baking, prepare the cake soak. Combine coffee and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir together and cook until the sugar is just dissolved, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and mix in cocoa powder and vanilla bean paste. 1/4 cup Coffee 1/4 cup Brown Sugar 1 tbsp Unsweetened Cocoa Powder 1 tsp Vanilla Bean Paste
- Allow the cakes to cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Spread a piece of plastic wrap onto a flat surface (your counter top). Turn one of the cakes over onto the plastic wrap, remove the cake pan, and wrap the cake with the plastic wrap. Repeat with the remaining 2 cake layers. Allow the cakes to cool completely, then place into the refrigerator for at least 2-3 hours, until completely cold. (this traps the steam in the cake and makes for a very moist cake)
- Once cooled completely, unwrap one of the cakes and place onto a cake stand. Pro Tip: Handle the cakes with care, they're very soft and delicate!!
- Use a toothpick to poke shallow holes in the cake (do not poke all the way through, just enough to make a hole in the top layer of the cake), then brush the cake with the chocolate simple syrup. Spread a generous layer of the chocolate frosting on top. Repeat with all three layers.
- Frost the entire cake with the remainder of the frosting. Enjoy immediately or place into an airtight container until you're ready to serve.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This cake is a 10/10. I made this for my family and they loved it. My grandma is a choco-holic like me and she said it tasted amazing. My son requested that I made this for his classes Christmas Party 😭. So I will be making this again next week.
Thank you so much, so happy to hear this!
Where can I find metric measurements so I can use a kitchen scale as is suggested?
Hi! There’s a metric tab in the recipe card where you can switch between customary and metric measurements. It’s just below the list of ingredients. Please let me know if you’re able to find it, happy to help!