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 weโve 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.
My family loves their chocolate-chocolate birthday cake. Then I married and my new husband did not like the cake recipe. I tried many other recipes but still, he was not convinced, and asked me to make other cakes for occasions. Until I made this one. My husband loves the moist crumb and delicious flavor of this cake!! Thank you! Now I can make our chocolate-chocolate cake and everyone will be happy and enjoy
I made this recipe exactly as written. I am a huge chocolate fiend and never thought I’d find a cake recipe that was chocolaty enough for me. This one fit the bill. My daughter even claimed it was “too chocolaty” and then ate a gigantic piece. ๐ I especially loved the very creamy frosting. I was skeptical about using cream cheese in frosting because I didn’t know how I’d like the flavor, but you can’t even taste any cream cheese flavor when you are done. It just makes for a really creamy buttercream that leaves everyone wondering how you made such good frosting. And again sooooo chocolaty. I was flipping out about how good it was as I was making the frosting and tasting it. Another great thing about this recipe is that it is also easy to execute. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe. It is a family favorite for us now, and I will be making it for every birthday.
This cake is delicious. Love making my own cake – no need for a cake mix. All these ingredients are staples in the kitchen and so easy to throw together. So did those ingredients out of the back corner and bake. You have everything to gain, stay away from the scales.
Thank you for the recipe, its yum and easy to make..
Everyone just loved it ๐
I made this over the weekend, it was so soft, moist and tender my husband enjoyed every bite. The funny thing I took a slice to work for one of my colleagues and she said ” oh my this looks like the chocolate cake from Matilda” then I knew I had done it right. This is the only recipe I will use for chocolate cake from now on.
Iโve made this cake several times now and it is AMAZING!!
Cannot believe how amazing this cake tasted. Moist, dense, rose beautifully! I had all ingredients on hand except buttermilk, I subbed for milk and lemon juice (you can make buttermilk* with 1 tbls lemon juice / 1 cup milk) I also halved your recipe and used a bundt pan, ratio was again perfect. And for a little extra flare I used coffee left over from the morning for half the water amount. I love adding coffee to chocolate cakes! No coffee flavor really noticible just adds depth to the flavor. I made a frosting with 1 pack cream cheese, 1 stick butter, 1 cup melted white chocolate chips, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup milk, 1 cup powdered sugar, 1 tsp vanilla extract. Keeping this in the fridge and frosting tastes like cheese cake! I also topped with fresh cherries because I had them and it’s pretty. Saving this for all future use!! Awesome job !
I just made this cake and it is absolutely amazing!
I’m planning on making it again but this time in two 9ร13 pans.
To make a giant delicious chocolate 2 layer cake.
Would I need to double this recipe? Or increase by one half?
Your help would be greatly appreciated! Thank you!
OMGoodness!!!! This is my first try at making a homemade chocolate cake from scratch. Iโm not that great a cook, hubby loves your website, but I said why not. I am proud to tell you that this was the easiest recipe to follow. It came out fantastic! The chocolate cake is rich and I used the chocolate buttercream frosting. Hubby doesnโt care for cream cheese ?. Thank you for this wonderful recipe, itโs a keeper!!! ??โ???
I’ve tried over a dozen recipes and this one is the most loved. Its perfect. Not too sweet, chocolatey and moist. A never fail every time!