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.
I tried this recipe today for a friend’s birthday and the cake ended up tasting a bit salty, which was most unexpected, considering the amount of sugar used. I used the metric measurements and followed the recipe religiously. However, the only brand of unsweetened cocoa available on my side of the Earth is Nestle. The cake was not as moist as I expected it to be. I have tried to make up for the saltiness with an oreo cream cheese frosting. Given the positive comments, I really want to understand where I went wrong.
Hi. This cake looks amazing. Thank you for having metric quantities as I’m always put off making American recipes as having to convert them to metric is a pain.
This recipe is SO delicious! I am the office birthday-cake-baker, and this has quickly become the office favorite! I keep trying various recipes off of Pinterest, but I think I’m done exploring! I did add two teaspoons of instant coffee grounds to the warm water, as I think it enhances the flavor of the chocolate. And because we are such chocolate nuts in my office, I use a mix of King Arthur’s Double Dutch Dark Cocoa along with regular cocoa. About 1 cup regular and a half cup of the double dutch dark. SO GOOD! And the frosting is amazing!!!! Thank you so much for this delicious recipe!!!!
Help! Is a cup a standard measure? Is it different for liquids, flours, butter etc?
The metric measurements are written as notes in the recipe card.
I am making the cake but using the chocolate ganache for the frosting. Since the ganache recipe is for the cupcakes, would I double the recipe for the cake? I tried to look in the comments for the answer but couldn’t find anything. Thanks for your help!
Yes, you may need triple actually. A 3 layer cake is quite large.
Hi Rachel,
I loved this recipe, but when I baked it for my daughter’s 6th birthday, it came out too dry. Any tips on what I could have done wrong? Anything I should add to make it more moist? I tried scrolling through the comments to answer my question, but there were so many, 10 mins later, I was still scrolling and scanning. Thanks for the help!
The most likely candidate is that you over baked the cake. It’s the only possible explanation I can come up for how this cake could end up dry.
DOES NOT convert to English measurements,awful mess,,so much icing,doesn’t look right,all of your recipes are in American,which I understand,but you are also on other countries media platforms,I know it’s a pain but would it be possible to put both quantities up,I hope it thickens up,not happy,have made this for my hubbys birthday,in future will use my own icing recipe sorry.
I think you may have missed that the metric measurements are written in the recipe card notes.
I am excited to try this recipe! The only concern I have is the amount of sugar..3 cups seem an awful lot. Does the cake taste very sweet? I do want to add, this cake looks amazing though. Thank you for sharing!
Like most cakes, it is sweet. It’s quite a large cake though so 3 cups seems appropriate.
Can I add almonds in the layer chocolate cake?
Like to the batter? That might be odd. It depends on how you do it.
This cake is stunning! Delicious and decadent! You’ll want to eat the whole thing, but you’ll be lucky to get through a single slice! The extra dark frosting is gorgeous and dramatic. This is my new go-to!