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.
Made the amazing chocolate cake for my husband ‘s birthday. It was a huge hit with my foodie friends. I added heavy Cream to the frosting which made it easier to work with and even more luscious
Followed this cake recipe to the tee and it came out PERFECT! I skipped the frosting with another straightforward recipe, but got exactly what’s shown in the pictures! So happy! I hate baking so do it once every few years but made this at midnight with hubby and it turned out amaaaaazing! Used high end cocoa powder, and organic eggs at room temperature. Buttermilk and hot water appeared in other recipes too so they are crucial. So glad I now have a foolproof recipe guaranteed to please our choco addiction! Thank you for sharing xoxoxoxo
This is incredibly the most delicious chocolate cake I have ever had. I’ve become gluten intolerant and finding good recipes is so hard. I used my own GF flour mix and it was amazing. I made a regular one for my husband & daughter, then cut the recipe in half and made it GF for me. Yes I ate the whole thing over the next week. Yes I gained 5 lbs! I thought I’d lost the recipe, so glad I found it again. Making it for my grandson’s B-day. I’m sure it will be a hit.
This cake is the most amazing, so moist and velvet like.
has anyone wondered to use stout instead of water in this recipe? just asking since I tried a chocolate cake with stout in it, and it was pretty good.
Made this delightful chocolate cake today. Was easy and turned out perfect. The frosting is killer. We don’t eat that much cake so I kept one layer for us and sent the other 2 layers with my husband at work. Got a big ole thumbs up from them too.
This cake is amazing moist and chocolatey ….fabulous 😃 and so easy
I have been using this recipe for chocolate cake for years. This is the only chocolate cake that I actually like, I’m not a big chocolate cake lover. I recently tried it with coffee instead of water, and it was 100 times better. Everyone that I served it to had no idea there was coffee in it, just a really intense chocolate flavor.
We used 2 round cake pans and used the remaining batter for cupcakes. The cake is firmer and not super crumbly, so easier to ice. We followed the directions and cake came out perfectly including bake time. Cupcakes took approx 15 minutes.
Rich and chocolatey. This will be a staple dessert in our house.
I made this on Friday for my husbands birthday dessert Saturday. It was absolutely the best chocolate cake I’ve ever had, and this was echo’d by all our guests. I used about 2/3’s of the frosting and it was plenty! We’re still eating it on Monday and it’ still really moist. The only complaint I have was it was too high for my covered cake plate!!