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.
This is the best chocolate cake I have ever made! It is so moist and has an amazing chocolatey and bold flavor! Thank You! 🙂
Ok so, a caveat: I am NOT a baker. I find it too tedious, too meticulous, and too time consuming, especially considering the high quality of baked goods out on the market today (side note: support your local bakeries!). Dammit, Jim, I’m a home cook, not a mad scientist!
Buuuut this is a game changer. GAME.
CHANGER.
I’ve never cooked with buttermilk in my life, let alone made it with the lonely white vinegar that’s been sitting in my pantry for two unused years. But I followed EVERY step and measurement to a T. Busted out my equally lonely stand mixer (previously of homemade sausage making fame). And everything came out INCREDIBLY PERFECT!
The hardest part of the recipe was buttering/flooring the cake pans (reminder: not a baker). I also tasted the buttercream icing after each cup of powdered sugar/splash of milk I added, and we stopped at approximately 3-4 cups. (The first taste, after the first cup? Tasted like licking soil haha.) But, my family and I don’t love overly sweet frostings, so I’m glad we were able to tailor that measurement.
I’ve always revered bakers, so THANK YOU for making me feel like one today!!! Everyone we gifted slices to absolutely LOOOOVED the final product. Will be making again soon, when I feel like playing a superhero again!
I liked the cake. The frosting, not so much. Going to tweak the recipe a bit and see what happens.
I searched for the perfect chocolate cake for my nephew’s 15th birthday, as he is a chocolate cake lover, but has allergies. After days of searching and countless websites, I found yours. I made it 2 days ahead of time as I’d never baked a cake from scratch before and I wanted to sample it before I served it to my family.
I baked the cake exactly as you instructed, but had to put the layers on 2 different levels in my oven. I put 2 pans on the top rack and 1 on the middle rack. The single pan was ready after 30 minutes but the top 2 were still raw, so I moved them to the middle rack for another 10 minutes. They were perfect then. While the cakes were cooking, I had to make powdered sugar from my granulated sugar since I forgot to buy it and I used my blender to do it, one cup at a time. While making the buttercream, I had to add milk before the sugar because the consistency was a bit too thick and my mixer started to struggle. Also, I only needed 5 cups of sugar to sweeten it, but that could be because I started with granulated sugar.
I took 2 layers, put buttercream between them & on top of them & put it aside for my nephew & family, while I iced the last sungle layer for my husband and myself. My husbad said the cake was delicious and he doesn’t even like chocolate cake!
And while my entire family also loved the cake, the look on my nephew’s face, his contented “mmmm” and asking for a 2nd piece, was the highlight of my year! BTW, I have enough icing left iver for another cake, so thank you, thank you, thank you for posting this recipe!
Same here.. seeing the chocolate cake in the Matilda movie l was searching for one..and ended up here😀
Hey! I love this recipe!! I’m looking to make it into a 10” cake with 3 layers and aiming to have each layer about 1” in height. How would I adjust this recipe? Would I need to double or triple it?
My teen daughter wanted a death by chocolate cake. I have to say that this cake would have been enough for me without the icing. It was so rich, moist and just great tasting. I am not a baker but, this one goes in my file. Thanks!
Wow! This recipe really IS the MOST AMAZING CHOCOLATE CAKE ever! I am a TERRIBLE baker; yet, somehow, this recipe turns out perfectly every time! It is moist, delicious, flavorful, and soft. I have tried the “hack” in which I substituted coffee for the warm water, and I prefer it without the coffee–it makes the cake just a little too bitter.
This recipe is perfection ! I will never use another ever again!!
Is it possible to use this recipe to make cupcakes??
My grandaughter and I just made this cake and HOLY COW, no bakery that I have bought Choc. Cake from can match this moist, rich, creamy, light buttery frosting, OH MY HEAD MAKE IT!!!!!! I used 7 cups powdered sugar for frosting. To die!!