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 this years ago and have been looking for the recipe since. This cake is DIVINE and indulgent.I don’t like chocolate cake typically. This is so moist. Thank you
I make this and then use my favorite peanut butter frosting and decorate with miniature Reese cups and sometimes a chocolate drizzle…this cake?? Chef’s kiss 🤌💋
This cake looks amazing, and I want to try it, but is the metric conversion you are using on your site correct? I ask this because 1 cup of granulated sugar is 200g, means 3 cups is 600g. The conversion says 650g. I’m assuming this will mean some of the other ingredients may be wrong as well. Are you using US/EU/Aus cups?
I only bake in metric for consistency.
Thank you.
Our metric measurements are hand-measured.
Can you cut down on the sugar or use applesauce instead? I love your recipes!
People have reported that you can reduce the sugar down to 2 cups and the cake still turns out well.
I cut is to 1 3/4 and was great.
It really is amazing! Everyone LOVES this cake and it’s very easy. I’ve used a dark chocolate buttercream frosting and also on occasion vanilla buttercream- delicious either way- just depends on the preference of who I’m making it for. (I use Ghirardelli Dutch Cocoa- it’s awesome! Might try Ghirardelli regular cocoa next time just to compare) A couple notes after reading other reviews: Your metric measurements are off for some reason- All purpose flour is either 120g or 125g per cup depending on the source- so three cups would be 360g or at the most 375g (that’s why someone’s cake was dry if she used 450g) And granulated sugar is 200g per cup so that should only be 600g for 3 cups (not 650g) Flour and sugar are the only things I typically bother weighing so I don’t know about the rest of the ingredients in metric… Also, for those that don’t keep buttermilk on hand there is a powdered buttermilk substitute that works great for baking- the package chart tells you how much powder to use and then you add the amount of water on the chart accordingly. For this cake it would be 1-1/2 cups water (in addition to the water already called for in the recipe) and then 6 tablespoons of the buttermilk powder. It’s available at most grocery stores, Walmart etc- comes in a little round tub in the baking aisle (it needs to be refrigerated once opened!)
Again- awesome recipe! So glad I came across it a few years ago- although I’ve caused myself work because everyone wants it when they want a chocolate cake!!
Absolutely amazing!
Can I use black cocoa powder so the cake is more of a black color?
I’ve made this recipe a kazillion times and it’s my favorite chocolate cake recipe. Just wondering if the black cocoa would work to change things up.
Yes you can. Hershey’s Special Dark works to produce a dark cake, and speciality black cocoa powders work great as well.
I’ve been making this cake for years now! Never fails to impress. Thank you!
My go to cake recipe! Love it..thanks
Just to check what can be done if we want the frosting (atleast the outer layer) to be a different colour. My daughter wants a purple cake. Will which choc powder work instead of cocoa powder?
I made this cake for my daughter who is a chocoholic and she loved it. It’s more involved to make but so worth the effort. I highly recommend you try it!
My coworker requested a vanilla/white frosting instead of a chocolate frosting for her birthday, do you have any suggestions on converting that chocolate cream cheese buttercream to a vanilla recipe? Just omit the cocoa powder or replace the cocoa powder volume with additional powdered sugar?
We sure do! https://thestayathomechef.com/buttercream-frosting/