Best Matilda Chocolate Cake

Zoha Malik

by Zoha Malik

Updated:

Rated 4.80 out of 5

323 Comments
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Whether you call it the best Matilda chocolate cake or the fudgiest chocolate cake is up to you, but what I can tell you is that you’ll never have a more scrumptious chocolate cake than this. It is rich, moist, fudgy and chocolatey, and what makes it extra special is my delectable and shiny dark chocolate fudge frosting. Bruce would have had no trouble finishing this up 😉

A rich Matilda style chocolate cake with chocolate frosting sits on a marble surface. A large slice has been cut out, revealing moist, dark cake layers and thick frosting inside. Crumbs are scattered near the cut section.

This Matilda chocolate cake will blow your mind

As a proud chocoholic and chocolate cake connoisseur, I’ve shared some incredible recipes already, including my Chocolate Malt Cake with an Ovaltine cream cheese frosting, and Easy Chocolate Cake with a ganache frosting that comes together in 15 minutes.

But I wanted to take it one step further and create the *ultimate* chocolate cake – especially inspired by the Matilda Chocolate Cake that has stuck with our whole generation. After a lot of testing, especially on the frosting, this cake made my (and your) Matilda dreams come true:

  • It tastes like chocolate. Not sugar, not cocoa powder, not anything else
  • It is rich, moist and fudgy without being heavy. It is a hard balance to strike – getting a rich texture without making the cake muddy or dense, and this cake gets it right. You’ll be able to eat a slice (or two) with no problem
  • The frosting is just pure perfection. It tastes like chocolate, not sugar, and has the perfect consistency which is spreadable but remains shiny and soft
  • Most importantly, this is a fuss-free recipe. You get all of the above without any complicated steps or unnecessary hassle. In fact, I’d venture to say less experienced bakers can get this cake right too!

This chocolate cake is to die for. Usually the icing layer can be cloyingly sweet – but in this one it is not. I don’t think I’ve ever had this chocolate flavor profile before!
– Momina, ★★★★★

Tried it as soon as I saw the recipe and oh my god! It is the BEST chocolate cake I’ve ever made and tasted. 100/10. Honestly, you’re a magician!
– Marium, ★★★★★

This cake tastes like luxury. Exactly what a chocolate cake should be. And that frosting – I could eat a whole bowl.
– Sarah, ★★★★★

A slice of rich, moist chocolate cake with chocolate frosting between three layers, served on a white scalloped plate.

A few secrets make the cake special

I know there are countless versions of chocolate cakes online, but here’s what I believe makes this specific recipe work so well:

  • A combination of white and brown sugar. The brown sugar adds depth of flavor and moisture
  • Dutch Processed cocoa powder and an optional hint of black cocoa. Dutch cocoa powder does not taste acidic and has a much more rich chocolate flavor. My favorite is the Rodelle Dutch processed cocoa powder from Walmart! For an even darker color, I love adding a small amount of black cocoa powder
  • A combination of buttermilk and sour cream. Both ingredients react with baking soda to give the cake a wonderful rise and add richness to the cake
  • Bloomed cocoa powder in hot water. The cocoa powder is mixed with boiling water and then folded into the batter. The direct contact with hot water blooms the cocoa powder very effectively, uncovering its bold chocolate flavor and aroma
  • Hint of coffee. You’ve heard it before: it enhances the chocolate flavor. Don’t skip it!

The frosting is to DIE for

Just like the Matilda chocolate cake, the star of this cake is the frosting! My Dark Chocolate Fudge Frosting is a hybrid of cream cheese frosting and chocolate ganache, and an absolute dream to work with. A generous amount of dark chocolate gives it a rich and chocolatey flavor, while the cream cheese and heavy cream keep it soft, spreadable and shiny. I’ve also updated the recipe to make it simpler, removing the corn syrup some people were having trouble finding.

A note on the frosting’s consistency

Because melted chocolate is a main ingredient in this frosting, its consistency will change with temperature. I find it best to use after resting for 20-30 minutes at room temperature. If it feels too soft or runny, chill it (usually just 10 minutes in the fridge will do the trick!). If it feels too firm (especially if you refrigerated it, which I don’t recommend), either let it warm up at room temperature, or remove about 1 cup, microwave for 20 seconds until runny and carefully fold through the rest of the frosting to make it softer.

Step by step photos

The detailed recipe is given in the recipe card below, but let’s go over the steps with photos to help you visualize everything.

1. Make the cake

A glass bowl containing flour, white granulated sugar, brown sugar, and flour sitting on a light countertop.

Add the dry ingredients except cocoa powder and coffee to a bowl.

A glass bowl filled with white dry ingredients sits on a light brown countertop. Some finger marks are visible on the surface of the flour.

Whisk to combine and break down any lumps.

A glass bowl with three raw eggs, a dollop of sour cream, and other creamy ingredients on a beige countertop, ready for mixing.

Add the wet ingredients except the hot water to a separate bowl.

A glass bowl filled with pale yellow mixture of eggs and wet ingredients sits on a light brown countertop. The batter is smooth with a few small bubbles on the surface.

Whisk until smooth and combined.

A glass bowl with flour and dry ingredients on top of yellow batter, and a whisk resting inside, ready for mixing on a light countertop.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients.

A glass bowl filled with smooth, yellow cake batter and a metal whisk resting inside, on a light-colored countertop.

Whisk slowly and gently until just combined, and no lumps are visible.

A glass bowl filled with a mound of finely ground dark brown cocoa powder sits on a light beige textured surface.

In a separate bowl, add the cocoa powder and instant coffee, and pour over the boiling water.

A clear glass bowl filled with glossy, dark chocolate mixture sits on a light-colored countertop. Some chocolate residue is visible on the rim and side of the bowl.

Mix until smooth and shiny. This step blooms the cocoa powder!

A hand holding a whisk stirs chocolate and vanilla batters together in a glass bowl, creating a marbled effect on a light countertop.

Add the bloomed cocoa mixture to the remaining batter.

A glass bowl filled with chocolate cake batter sits on a light countertop, with a wooden spoon resting inside the bowl.

Whisk gently until just combined; taking care not to over-mix.

Three round cake pans filled with chocolate cake batter are arranged on a light-colored countertop, ready to be baked.

Divide the batter evenly between 3 8″ or 9″ pans.

Three round chocolate cakes in white pans are arranged close together on a light, textured surface. The cakes have a smooth, dark surface and appear freshly baked.

Bake until just cooked; avoid over-baking as it can result in a dry texture!

2. Make the frosting

A glass bowl filled with smooth chocolate ganache with a metal spoon resting inside. The bowl is placed on a wooden surface.

For the frosting, start by microwaving the heavy cream and dark chocolate until they form a smooth ganache.

A glass bowl contains a pile of cocoa powder mixed with powdered sugar and a sprinkle of salt, sitting on a wooden surface

In a large bowl, add the cream cheese, powdered sugar, cocoa powder and salt.

A glass bowl filled with thick, creamy chocolate frosting sits on a wooden surface

Whisk until the mixture is smooth and creamy with no lumps.

A glass bowl with chocolate frosting being mixed, while more chocolate ganache is being poured in from another container on a wooden surface.

Add the warm (NOT hot!) ganache into the frosting.

A glass bowl filled with smooth, glossy chocolate frosting is being mixed with a pink spatula on a wooden surface.

Whisk for ~60 seconds or until the ganache is fully mixed in. The frosting will be soft and runny at this point.

A glass bowl filled with smooth, rich chocolate frosting being mixed with a pink spatula on a dark wooden surface.

Let the frosting rest at room temperature for 30 minutes and it will become spreadable.

3. Assemble

A round chocolate cake layer on a marble surface with a large dollop of chocolate ganache in the center, ready to be spread

When the cake and frosting have cooled, trim the domes from the cakes and layer them generously with the frosting.

A round chocolate cake covered smoothly with glossy chocolate ganache, sits on a white marble surface.

Cover the whole cake with the frosting. You can use a spatula to create a rustic look like pictured below!

Serve & enjoy!

A round chocolate cake with glossy chocolate fudge frosting sits on a marble and wood cake stand, with chocolate crumbs scattered around.

Pro tips before you make it

A few important tips:

  • Weigh the dry ingredients, especially the flour, for the best results. I love this inexpensive scale from Amazon
  • Use Dutch Processed cocoa powder
  • Never overmix the cake batter. Always whisk slowly and only until the ingredients are combined and you don’t see big lumps
  • Don’t overbake the cakes. Check with a toothpick around the 20 minute mark, you want it to have light, moist crumbs on it. Overbaking will cause the cake to become dry and crumbly
  • Let the cakes fully cool down before you handle and frost them. They are quite soft and delicate. I like to keep them in the fridge for 1 hour before I work with them
  • Use high quality dark chocolate for the frosting. I have the best results with Callebaut 55% dark chocolate!
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side picture of matilda chocolate cake on a marble cake stand with a few slices taken out revealing what the cake looks like inside. it has 3 layers of moist and rich chocolate cake and shiny fudge frosting

Best Matilda Chocolate Cake Recipe

by Zoha Malik

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.80 stars from 86 reviews

The best Matilda chocolate cake you’ll ever have: rich, fudgy, moist and chocolatey with a silky and delectable chocolate fudge frosting

Yield:12 servings

Prep Time:
45 mins
Cook Time:
22 mins
Chilling Time:
30 mins
Total Time:
1 hr, 40 mins

Ingredients

Chocolate Cake:

  • 2 cups all purpose flour (260g), sifted
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1 cup granulated sugar (200g)
  • 2/3 cup light brown sugar (135g)
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 3 large eggs
  • ⅔ cup vegetable oil (133g)
  • 1/3 cup buttermilk (80g) – mix 1/3 cup whole milk (80g) + 1 tsp vinegar to make your own
  • 1 cup sour cream (240g)
  • 3/4 cup cocoa powder, Dutch Processed preferred (75g)  
  • 2 tsp instant coffee
  • 3/4 cup boiling water (180g)

Dark Chocolate Fudge Frosting:

  • 300g dark chocolate, chopped – I recommend 55-60% like this one
  • 1 1/4 cup heavy cream (300g)
  • 8 oz cream cheese, room temperature (226g)
  • 1/3 cup cocoa powder (33g)
  • 1 cup powdered sugar (100g)
  • 1/4 tsp salt

Instructions

Chocolate Cake:

  1. Preheat oven to 350F (no fan) and prepare 3 8″ pans with parchment paper and butter
  2. In a bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, granulated sugar, light brown sugar and salt. Whisk together until no lumps remain
  3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, vegetable oil, buttermilk and sour cream until smooth
  4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet in 2 additions, and gently whisk and fold until they are just combined and no big lumps remain. Do not over-mix
  5. In a separate small bowl, add the cocoa powder and instant coffee. Pour over the boiling water and whisk until a smooth shiny mixture forms
  6. Pour the cocoa mixture onto the remaining batter, and gently fold until a chocolate cake batter forms
  7. Divide the batter evenly between the 3 prepared cake pans
  8. Bake for ~22-24 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with light moist crumbs attached
  9. Let the cakes cool in the pans for 20 minutes, then carefully remove them and place on a wire rack. Let them cool completely (I recommend at least 1 hour)

Dark Chocolate Fudge Frosting:

  1. While the cakes cool, make the frosting. Add the dark chocolate and heavy cream to a microwave safe bowl. Microwave in 20 second increments, stirring in between, until the chocolate melts and a smooth, shiny ganache forms. Make sure there are no chocolate lumps in it. The ganache should be warm, not hot. Let it cool down for 5-10 minutes
  2. To a separate bowl, add the room temperature cream cheese and sift in the cocoa powder, powdered sugar and salt. Whisk on medium speed until the mixture becomes smooth and creamy (1-2 minutes). Scrape the bowl once or twice as you do this
  3. Pour in the warm ganache, and whisk on low speed for about 60-90 seconds until a smooth mixture forms. Scrape the bowl in the middle to ensure everything is well combined. Do not over-mix
  4. At this point, the frosting will be very soft and runny. Just cover the bowl and let it rest at room temperature for 20-30 minutes, and it should reach a firmer, spreadable consistency. I don’t recommend chilling this frosting in the fridge as it can easily become too firm. If that happens, remove about 1 cup and microwave it for 20 seconds or until runny, then slowly fold through the rest to make it softer

Assembly:

  1. Once the cakes and frosting have cooled down, it’s time to assemble
  2. Use a large serrated knife to carefully trim off the domes from the cakes
  3. Layer them on top of each other with a generous layer of the frosting in between (don’t be stingy!). Cover the cake with a thin layer of frosting (crumb coat) and refrigerate for 20 minutes. Then slather on the remaining frosting all over
  4. Serve & enjoy! This cake is best eaten at room temperature

Video Tutorial

Notes

  • Cocoa powder: If you can’t find Dutch processed cocoa powder, you may use natural, 100% unsweetened cocoa powder. If you want a deep, dark chocolate cake, you can also substitute 10g of the Dutch processed cocoa powder with 10g of Black cocoa powder
  • Sour cream: If you can’t find sour cream, you can try making it at home with my homemade sour cream recipe. Some readers have also had success with full fat yogurt
  • Chocolate for the frosting: This frosting recipe has been especially developed for dark chocolate and has a beautiful flavor which complements the cake. I recommend anywhere between 50-60% for the perfect sweetness and consistency. If you use a higher dark chocolate (e.g., 70-80%) for flavor preference, I recommend increasing the heavy cream to 1 1/2 cups (360g) – this will definitely be a dark frosting! On the flip-side, I do not recommend using milk chocolate as the frosting will not firm up properly. If you still want to use milk chocolate, reduce the heavy cream to 1 cup (240g)
  • Shiny frosting: As the chocolate in the frosting sets, it might start to look dull. Before serving, use a blow dryer at the lowest setting and gently wave it 1 foot away from the cake. This will warm up the frosting enough for it to become shiny!
  • Coffee: I do not recommend skipping the coffee as it enhances the chocolate flavor. You won’t taste it! However, if you have an intolerance, you may skip it
  • Storage: This cake is best eaten at room temperature, or even slightly warmed up in the microwave (by the slice). You can keep it in an airtight container in a cool place for 2-3 days. Any longer and transfer to the fridge for up to 1 week combined. If refrigerating, I recommend microwaving for 10-20 seconds before eating
  • Make ahead: You can prepare this cake in advance and keep it at room temperature (~70F) for 1-2 days! Just make sure it is properly covered. I let it chill for 15-20 minutes so the frosting sets, then wrap in cling wrap and keep at room temperature

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Comments

  1. Vedanti

    Thank you so much Zoha for oyur recipes. I only trust you when it comes to chocolate. My husband and I made this aboslutely amazing cake and didn’t share it with anyone. The cake was so moist and fluffy that it melted in the mouth.
    I was scared the frosting will be too heavy and sweet but it was perfection. Our desi tastebuds don’t like the american level of sweetness.

    1. Zoha

      I am crying happy tears! Thank you!

  2. Monica

    My frosting got pretty hard and dried matte not shiny and creamy like your pictures. I tried heating it and it helped with the spreading but it still dried matte at room temperature. Should I have put more cream?

    1. Zoha

      Hi Monica! Any frosting that has this much chocolate in it (including chocolate ganache) becomes matte when it cools down. The trick is to use a blow dryer to gently warm it up and it gets shiny again 🙂

  3. Manar

    There’s nothing I hate more than leaving a bad review on a fellow female baker’s page but the truth is, I have never had to troubleshoot a cake as much as I did with this one! Let me clarify, the cake itself is pretty straight forward but that frosting was a nightmare! I wasted so much chocolate in the process, and lord knows chocolate ain’t cheap, and hate to say that the end result just was not worth the money or the effort. My chocolate kept seizing during the melting process. Perhaps you should change the recipe and ask that the chocolate be melted on its own before adding the corn syrup? Not sure if that would help fix the problem or not but in my case, after throwing away the equivalent of 600g of Lindt chocolate, and attempting the frosting for the third time, only to end up with the same result (I switched to a double boiler for attempt no. 3 and a microwave for no.2), I ended up adding a 1/4 cup of the heavy cream into the chocolate and that helped bring it back to life. That said, after whipping the chocolate into the cream and waiting for it to become more spreadable, I found lumps of what looked like butter throughout the frosting, and to add insult to injury, I barely had enough frosting to cover the outside of the cake. After tasting the frosting, I found that it was grainy, lumpy and not very pleasant. Sorry Zoha, but this was a no for me.

    1. RA

      hiZoha , how can I substitute sour cream ?

    2. Zoha

      Hi Manar. I am sorry you had so much trouble melting the frosting, but I am not sure how that could be a recipe problem. Could you describe a bit more what chocolate you were using, how you were melting it, and when you were running into the seizing issue? Also, if you end up with unmelted lumps of chocolate in a frosting, you can always take a little bit, microwave it to heat it up, then mix it in the remaining to make it smooth again.

  4. Alex

    I baked the cakes and they smell good but I haven’t been able to get the frosting to come together.

    I have used three different kinds of chocolate and three different methods of melting it down and combining it with the corn syrup. It seizes every time. What a waste of chocolate 🙁

    I read in the comments that I can sub honey for corn syrup but at this point why bother? Just gonna melt more chocolate and add to cream cheese mixture and be done with it. Won’t be making this recipe again even if omitting corn syrup/honey works okay.

    1. Zubi

      don’t waste your chocolate just add it to the cream cheese mixture after you have whipped up the cream cheese for 2-3 mins.The frosting whips up beautifully and tastes amazing.

    2. Zoha

      Hi Alex – I am sorry for your frustration, that doesn’t sound fun. But it also doesn’t seem to be recipe related. If your chocolate is seizing it’s because you are overheating it. May I ask how you are melting it? I would recommend a water bath for the safest way to melt chocolate without seizing.

  5. Angela

    My granddaughter said it was the best she had ever tasted !

    1. Zoha

      Aw I am honored!

  6. candace noel

    The cake is sooo good. I made a few tweaks that made it perfection. The frosting wasn’t sweet enough for me, so I added another 1/2 cup of powdered sugar & 1 tbsp vanilla extract & an extra splash of heavy cream. I also made a chocolate simple syrup to lightly rub on the cake layers. I subbed sour cream for light mayo & it was soooo moist and good omg . Perfect chocolate cake

    1. Zoha

      Thanks so so much for sharing your experience, Candace! Glad you liked the cake 🙂

  7. Amna

    hey zoha hope u are okay .i can’t find corn syrup from anywhere is there any other option to use instead of corn syrup.

    1. Zoha

      Hi! You can try honey!

  8. Zoe

    I love this cake! ive now made it twice once for christmas covered in white chocolate stars for my daughters 6th birthday covered in a rainbow of smarties. Everyone wanted a slice even those who had refused at first and many came back for seconds, it went down so quickly i didnt even get a slice! (its not that small!) beautifully moist i will make it again and again.

    1. Zoha

      THANK YOU SO MUCH!

  9. Rebeca

    I love this recipe! It’s a new favorite at home. Thank you, Zoha for sharing your gifts with the world. It makes a lot of us happier.

    1. Zoha

      Thank you for trusting my recipes! <3

  10. Asiyya Mamdani

    Hi zoha, what’s the substitute for corn syrup ?

    1. Zoha

      Honey will work!

  11. Muneeba Mir

    Makes the softest and most moist choc cake. If you follow the recipe properly, its always a successful outcome

    1. Zoha

      Thank you, Muneeba 🙂

  12. Sara

    Best chocolate cake recipe! My go to recipe basically now for a choc cake 💕😋

    1. Zoha

      :’) Thank you!

  13. Julia

    This cake is so good, it’s now a family favorite. I used mint chocolate flavored coffee in mine instead of instant and it still turned out fantastic.

    1. Zoha

      Aww, thank you so much Julia! Love the tip on mint!

  14. Uqra

    I have not made a better chocolate cake in my life. a bomb recipe. must try!

    1. Zoha

      Thank you!

  15. karel

    so goood!

  16. Hana

    Salaam, I’m not one to usually leave reviews but I have to take the time out to say thank you so much for this recipe! It went down a treat for Eid! May Allah swt bless you for sharing it and increase the in your like.

    I have made it twice and the only slightly modification was I mixed milk chocolate with the dark chocolate (50:50) ratio in the frosting as my palate is not refined enough. And it took a little longer in my oven but I think that’s just my oven.

    Thank you again! I look forward to trying more recipes.Xx

    1. Oluwaferanmi Ogundipe

      Hi Zoha
      I only have one pan, can I make the entire batter and then bake one by one will be batter be okay ?
      Also I couldn’t find sour cream anywhere so I am using plain yogurt, I hope it works out, I am making it for my friends birthday

      1. Zoha

        Yogurt will be okay! The cakes won’t rise as much if the batter is left out to sit so I recommend getting another pan and then making 2 layers instead of 3! Will need a few more min of baking

      2. Oluwaferanmi Ogundipe

        Omg it was good, we all couldn’t stop eating it, will def be making this again

        1. Zoha

          So glad you liked it!

  17. ZAINAB

    Hello! I wanted to know if I could bake the cake in a 13×9 inch pan instead of the three round pans? Do I use the same recipe or do I have to increase it?

  18. SG

    Helped my sister bake this for her best friend’s birthday this weekend. The cake was beautifully moist and turned out way better than we expected. The icing was a little harder to do, but overall excellent cake!

  19. Maria

    What can i use instead of corn syrup?

  20. Joy Olsen

    Can you use dark brown sugar instead of light?

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