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 we’ve 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.
Amazing cake! My partner loved it. I hand whisked things because i don’t have a standing mixer and was a little harder. So had way too much frosting leftover. We added baileys and kahlua to the frosting. Super tasty.
Plan on making again but was wondering if I can use a bundt pan for this? Would it be the same temp and time?
We actually have a recipe for this meant just for the bundt pan. Enjoy! https://thestayathomechef.com/chocolate-bundt-cake/
This is an awesome cake, did a bit of a tweak by replacing the vanilla with Grand Mariner 2 tbsp and added 1 orange zested. Great taste.
This must be my all time favourite chocolate cake!
This makes a HUGE cake that is moist and delicious. I’m a novice baker and this is the first cake I’ve ever made from scratch – I will never do a boxed cake after making this one.
I did cut the sugar for the frosting down to 5 cups based on the comments, and it was perfect (and I love sweet frosting).
This cake was incredible!!! Easy recipe and absolutely delicious. Also made the frosting and added fresh raspberries in the layers. This will become my new chocolate cake standard.
This was a hit with the family! My one question to other bakers: did anyone else feel like it tasted a little baking soda-y? I could taste a tinge of that baking soda burn at the end of my bites. Could this still make a fluffy cake with cutting the baking soda in half?
My husband is all for anything chocolate so I decided for the first time I would bake him his birthday cake. At a loss of the perfect chocolate cake, light-bulb moment Matilda. The bruce bogtroter cake is the chocolate cake I would want if ever I craved one. As this was during the pandemic I could only think of baking him just the bestest cake I possibilly could and OMG was it a hit. I have been asked to bake it again for his friends partners 21st birthday (a chocolate lover herself). Although it took me awhile to make it it was definitely worth the effort.
FINALLY A homemade chocolate cake that does not fall in the middle! Thank you so much for all the time that you put into creating the perfect recipe. I got nice tall layers with no syncing it’s moist and it is not crumbly
Hello guys,
What setting did you use to bake this cake? Just wondering if setting used was convection oven or just bake. Thank you.
I made this cake in April for my birthday. I usually don’t like chocolate cakes because the ones I had were either dry, dense or just not outstanding, as more detail were given to the presentation than the actual taste. I had made slight alterations, not deviating from the recipe much, I did not have buttermilk, so made a substitute with milk and lemon juice. I also used less cocoa, and added Cadbury Whole Nut chocolate slabs. This is by far THE BEST CHOCOLATE CAKE IN THE WORLD. I was so proud of it, but disappointed because I could not boast about the masterpiece by sharing it with my family due to Lockdown. The batter was plenty and the cake lasted for two months. I am so not sharing this recipe with anyone because it is now my signature crowd pleaser. A had however sneaked a few pieces to my niece, and her friend later even said it reminded him of the cake in Matilda. Although, this cake is BY FAR BETTER than Matilda’s.