The Stay At Home Chef’s recipe for The Most Amazing Chocolate Cake has been tried and loved by tens of thousands of people worldwide, all of whom agree that it is the most amazing chocolate cake ever. In fact, it has gained the nickname “The Matilda Cake” because it looks just like the decadent cake eaten by Bruce Bogtrotter in the movie Matilda.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- One Bowl – The batter is made in just one bowl, so no combining wet and dry ingredients separately.
- Rich Chocolate Flavor – This cake is rich and fudgy, making it a true indulgence for any chocolate cake lover.
- It’s Moist! – One of the key measures of a chocolate cake is whether or not it is moist. This one checks every box!
- Every Option – Not only is this cake the best, we’ve given you every option we can for various pan sizes, frosting options, and subtitutions.
Are you ready for the most heavenly chocolate cake you’ve ever tasted? After years of testing, we have finally perfected the ultimate chocolate cake recipe. This rich, fudgy chocolate cake will melt in your mouth with every bite. Its fluffy, moist crumb is coated in a thick layer of decadent chocolate frosting, making it a true indulgence for chocolate lovers. And the best part? It’s so easy to make, with just one bowl for the batter.
Indulge in the ultimate chocolate experience with The Most Amazing Chocolate Cake. Moist, rich, and made in a single bowl, this chocolate cake has received thousands of rave reviews. Satisfy your chocolate cravings with the chocolate cake of your dreams.
Substitutions
Buttermilk is a liquid that is left over after churning butter. It is an important ingredient in this recipe due to the way it interacts with other ingredients. Buttermilk can be easily substituted with a mixture of milk and vinegar or lemon juice, or with almond or soy milk and white vinegar. You can also find more in-depth information on how to make a buttermilk substitute in this post.
Yes, you can make this recipe dairy-free. Simply add 2 tablespoons of white vinegar to almond or soy milk, let it stand for 5 minutes, and use the mixture in place of the buttermilk. You can also use a dairy-free frosting option for the frosting.
Yes, you can easily adapt this recipe to be gluten-free by using a “Cup for Cup” gluten-free flour blend in the same amounts as the regular flour called for in the recipe.
There are several options that work well as egg substitutes in this recipe:
1/4 cup of plain yogurt per egg
1 tablespoon vinegar+ 1 teaspoon baking powder whisked together per egg
1/4 cup mashed banana per egg
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce per egg
Adapting the Recipe for Different Sizes and Shapes of Cakes
This chocolate cake recipe yields approximately 9 cups of batter total, or 3 cups for each of the 9-inch layers. Here are some popular pan sizes and the approximate amount of batter needed for each individual pan:
- 9×2-inch round pan: 3 cups batter
- 8×2-inch round pan: 2 1/4 cups batter
- 13×18-inch sheet cake pan: 6 cups batter
- 9×13-inch pan: 6 cups batter
- 12 standard cupcakes: 3 cups batter
- 10-12 cup bundt cake pan: 8 cups batter
As a general rule, cake pans should be filled 2/3rds of the way full for cake baking, unless otherwise specified in the recipe.
It’s always a good idea to check for doneness by inserting a toothpick or cake tester into the center of the cake. If it comes out clean or with just a few crumbs attached, the cake is likely done. You can also gently press the center of the cake with your finger – if it springs back, it is probably ready to be removed from the oven.
Keep in mind that these are just general guidelines and the actual baking time may vary depending on factors such as your oven’s temperature accuracy, the type of pan you are using, and the altitude at which you are baking. It’s always a good idea to keep an eye on your cake as it bakes and to make any necessary adjustments to the baking time as needed.
Types of Cocoa Powder
Cocoa powder is an important ingredient in many baked goods and can affect the flavor and texture of the final product. It is important to use the type of cocoa powder specified in a recipe, as using the wrong type can alter the balance of flavors and sweetness. There are several types of cocoa powder available, each with its own distinct flavor and properties.
- Unsweetened Cocoa Powder, specifically Hershey’s brand, was used in this cake recipe as it is the most widely available to readers. You can also use higher-quality cocoa powders such as Ghiradelli or those from specialty chocolatier shops, but they can be expensive. It is recommended to avoid using inexpensive store brands as they tend to not produce the best results.
- For the dark-colored frosting in these photos, Hershey’s Special Dark Unsweetened Cocoa Powder was used.
- Dutch-process cocoa powder is a type of cocoa that has been treated with an alkali to neutralize its acidity. It has a milder flavor and darker color than natural cocoa powder, and is also easier to dissolve in liquids. When using dutch-process cocoa powder in place of unsweetened cocoa powder in a recipe, it is important to consider that it may behave differently due to its lower acidity. However, in this recipe, dutch-process cocoa can be used without making any other modifications.
Frosting Options
Watch the video below where Rachel will walk you through every step of this recipe. Sometimes it helps to have a visual, and weโve always got you covered with our cooking show. You can find the complete collection of recipes on YouTube, Facebook Watch, or our Facebook Page, or right here on our website with their corresponding recipes.
I absolutely LOVE this cake! My second time making it and it turned out so good and super moist. The batter appears runier than in the video but baked and raised beautifully.
Great cake! I have made it several times now and it is always a huge hit! My question is can this recipe be converted to use as cupcakes? If so what changes other than time baking time would need to be made. Thanks in advance.
You would make no changes to the recipe. Just make the batter and scoop into cupcake papers and back at the same temp, but for a shorter time. Cupcakes generally take around 15-18 minutes to bake.
Most amazing cake. I use this recipe for all my kids birthdays
I made this cake for my husbands birthday and OMG it was so delicious!! My husband that declares her โdoesnโt like cakeโ had seconds!! Iโm making this again in 2 10โ pans for the bottom layer of my daughters 3rd birthday cake and was wondering if you would know how the cook time would vary? Any tips you have would be great! Oh and I used coffee instead of plain water and it was so rich and deliciously chocolate. Thanks for sharing the recipe and any tips for me changing the pan size would be great! Thanks!
I just did that last night and the timing was almost the same. Just keep an eye on it. I might have left it in a couple of minutes longer.
Could you taste the coffee when adding instead of water?
Super easy and amazingly delicious. I’ve been looking for a perfect chocolate cake recipe glad just found one. Thank you
I made this cake for my twins birthday. I decreased the sugar in the cake and the icing slightly and decorated with fresh raspberries on the top. My family loved it! Thanks for this fantastic recipe.
Five Stars! -it wonโt let me actually rate it (sorry!)
This was fantastic! My son and I have Celiac so I had to make this gluten free. I used Bobโs Red Mill Gluten Free 1 to 1 baking flour and doubled the baking powder (which is typical in GF baking). It was moist and the rise was fabulous! So many recipes in Gf baking call for these obscure ingredients and rarely ones found at a typical grocery store. I hope this comment helps someone GF, happy baking! On a side note, I baked this in a 9×13 cake pan for 45-50min.
Oh my gosh. I have finally found the perfect recipe thank you so much. This is the best chocolate cake Iโve ever made and I have several recipes even from my grandmother side of the family. I absolutely love this and everyone else did too this is my go to chocolate cake from now on. My question is can you master the carrot cake compared to the restaurant outback. I absolutely love their carrot cake and have so many recipes that donโt compare to theirโs. Iโm giving you a new challenge, I hope you except.
If i am making only one layer , what should be the baking temp? Same as 350?
The baking temperature remains the same.
My husband’s only request was a cherry chocolate cake. I tried several different recipes with cherries within the cake batter and couldn’t get the liquid ratio right. I decided to go with a regular chocolate cake and put cherries between and in the frosting. Everyone absolutely loved the cake. For another birthday party, I cut the ingredients to 2/3s and made about 20 cupcakes. This recipe is so easy and so deliciously light and fluffy. This will stay as my go-to chocolate cake recipe. Thank you!