This Chocolate Matilda Cake is rich, moist and unapologetically fudgy! While it’s not quite as enormous as Bruce Bogtrotter’s chocolate cake, this easy copycat version absolutely delivers on the same fudgy texture and over-the-top chocolatey goodness. Chocolate Matilda Cake is the perfect recipe for birthday celebrations, Easter, or anytime you’re craving something seriously chocolatey!
This recipe is kindly sponsored by Menier Chocolate. I only ever recommend products I personally use, love and trust!
Your Ingredients List
Don’t be put off by the long ingredients list — this cake’s an absolute breeze to make, I promise!
- Sugar: This recipe uses a blend of white caster sugar and light brown sugar to sweeten the sponge and lock in moisture.
- Menier 100% Cocoa Powder: Menier cocoa powder is brilliant for baking because it’s completely unsweetened and super rich in flavour. Perfect for Chocolate Matilda Cake where you want a deep, chocolatey taste.
- Self-raising flour: Gives the cake structure and rise. If you’re using all-purpose plain flour, just add 2 teaspoons of baking powder.
- Bicarbonate of soda: Helps the sponge rise and makes it light and airy.
- Espresso powder: An optional ingredient that’s highly recommended to deepen and draw out the chocolate flavour. Don’t worry, your cake won’t taste of coffee!
- Vegetable or sunflower oil: Using oil instead of butter gives the chocolate cake a soft, moist and tender crumb.
- Buttermilk: Buttermilk makes Matilda cake extra moist, tender, and rich, while enhancing the chocolate flavour and helping it rise.
- Eggs: This recipe uses either 4 medium eggs (or 3 large eggs) for richness and structure. Use free-range organic eggs and make sure they are at room temperature.
- Vanilla extract: Enhances the overall flavour of the cake by adding warmth and depth, and it subtly boosts the richness of the chocolate.
- Boiling water: Intensifies and ‘blooms’ the cocoa powder for a deeper chocolate taste and a super moist texture.
- Chocolate fudge frosting: My simple recipe uses just 5 ingredients – unsalted butter, Menier 70% Dark Chocolate, icing sugar, condensed milk and salt.
- Chocolate chips: I dotted them around the base and on top for a little ‘bite’.
Why you’ll love this Chocolate Matilda Cake
- FLAVOUR: Chocolate, chocolate and more chocolate! It’s rich but not sickly – just pure, chocolatey bliss.
- TEXTURE: Moist chocolate sponge layered with melt-in-the-mouth fudgy chocolate frosting, and chocolate chips for a bit of ‘bite’.
- EASE: The Chocolate Matilda Cake from the movie has three HUGE layers, but I decided to keep things simple and make this an easy two-layer cake. Less layering, less decorating, less wastage(!).
- SERVES: Although not as gigantic as Bruce Bogtrotter’s cake, you’ll still get 10-12 thick slices from this cake!
How To Make Chocolate Matilda Cake
Step 1: Bake the fudgy chocolate sponge cakes
This recipe uses the easy two-bowl method. In one bowl, whisk together all the dry ingredients (flour, sugars, cocoa powder, bicarb and espresso powder). In a separate bowl, mix the wet ingredients (oil, buttermilk, eggs and vanilla). Now, whisk the dry ingredients into the wet in stages until almost combined, before whisking in the boiling water. Don’t worry if the mixture looks runny, that’s what makes the sponge so moist.
Divide the mixture between two lined 8-inch cake tins and bake at 160°C fan for 30-35 minutes. Leave to cool in the tins for 15-20 minutes, then carefully turn out onto a wire rack. The cakes are very soft and moist, so be gentle when handling to avoid breaking the crumb.
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Step 2: Make the Chocolate Fudge Frosting
This glossy chocolate fudge frosting is pure chocolate indulgence! It’s smooth, silky, melts in the mouth and perfect for coating this Chocolate Matilda Cake. It’s made with unsalted butter, Menier 70% dark chocolate, condensed milk, icing sugar and salt.
- Add the ingredients to a saucepan: Measure everything into a non-stick saucepan. making sure to sift the icing sugar and chop the chocolate finely so it melts faster.
- Melt gently: Heat on low, stirring constantly until the mixture is smooth and fully combined. Be patient and don’t be tempted to turn the heat up. Scrape from the bottom to prevent it from catching.
- Cool the frosting: Pour into a shallow bowl and press a piece of clingfilm directly onto the surface to stop it drying out. Leave to cool for 30 minutes.
- Check the texture: Once it’s thickened, stir the frosting. If it looks split or oily, add 1-2 tablespoons of cold milk or condensed milk and stir until smooth and glossy again.
How To Assemble Chocolate Matilda Cake
Once your cakes are completely cool, it’s time to get stacking! Place one sponge on a cake stand and spread a generous layer of frosting on top. Pop the second sponge on top and press down gently to squish the sponges together. Now coat the top and sides of the cake. The best technique for coating the sides is to drag the frosting upwards in smooth strokes and use the spatula to smooth it all out. Don’t worry about perfection – Chocolate Matilda Cake can be a little messy. And when it comes to the frosting, more is definitely more!
Decorate with Chocolate Chips
Although the original Matilda Cake doesn’t have chocolate chips, I decided to add a handful for a bit of texture. They bring a lovely bite against the soft sponge and silky frosting. Press a few chocolate chips around the base of the cake to disguise any frosting mishaps, and sprinkle some more around the top edge for a decorative finish!
Recipe F&Q’s
This recipe uses two 8-inch cake tins.
Yes, absolutely! You can divide the batter between three 7-inch tins instead of two 8-inch ones. The layers will be a little thinner and may need slightly less time in the oven, so keep an eye on them. You’ll also want to increase the frosting slightly (or just spread it a little more thinly between layers) to make sure there’s enough to go around.
Most often, it’s due to underbaking, if the middle hasn’t fully set before coming out of the oven, it’ll collapse as it cools. Make sure the centre springs back when gently pressed, or use a skewer to test. Also, resist the urge to open the oven door too early! Sudden drops in temperature can make cakes sink.
Yes you can. In fact, when creating this recipe, I baked and froze the sponges for two weeks. Just defrost the sponges at room temperature for 3 hours before decorating.
Not at all, it just deepens the chocolate flavour, but you won’t actually taste coffee. Skip it if you like.
Store this cake in a baking tin, at room temperature, for 4-5 days.
Chocolate Matilda Cake
Ingredients
For the chocolate fudge cake:
- 200 grams White caster sugar
- 150 grams Light brown sugar
- 350 grams Self-raising flour or 350g plain flour plus 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 teaspoon Bicarbonate of soda
- 70 grams Menier 100% cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon Espresso powder optional but recommended!
- 200 millilitre Vegetable or sunflower oil
- 150 millilitre Buttermilk or 150ml whole milk mixed with the juice of 1 lemon. Let it sit for 10 minutes before using.
- 4 medium Eggs room temperature. Or 3 large eggs.
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract optional but recommended!
- 150 millilitre Boiling water
For the chocolate fudge frosting:
- 150 grams Unsalted butter room temperature
- 300 grams 70% dark chocolate finely chopped
- 150 grams Icing sugar sifted
- 397 grams (1 can) Condensed milk
- 0.5 teaspoon Salt
Instructions
Start by making the chocolate fudge cake:
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together all the wet ingredients (apart from the boiling water) until fully combined. Set aside.200 millilitre Vegetable or sunflower oil, 150 millilitre Buttermilk, 4 medium Eggs
- In a separate bowl, whisk together all the dry ingredients until thoroughly combined. Make sure there are no lumps hiding in the mix. Give it a proper stir, scooping right down to the bottom of the bowl to ensure everything’s evenly blended.200 grams White caster sugar, 350 grams Self-raising flour, 70 grams Menier 100% cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon Espresso powder, 1 teaspoon Bicarbonate of soda
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet in two stages, gently whisking after each addition until the batter almost comes together. Pour in the boiling water and whisk slowly until you have a smooth, glossy chocolate mixture. The batter should be runny and thin.150 millilitre Boiling water
- Divide the mixture evenly between the tins (using weighing scales helps with accuracy) and bake for 30–35 minutes, or until the sponges are well risen and spring back when lightly pressed in the centre. Leave the cakes to cool completely in the tins. Then carefully turn out upside down onto a wire rack and peel off the greaseproof paper.
Make the chocolate fudge frosting:
- Measure all of the ingredients into a large non-stick saucepan and place over very low heat.
- Stir continuously until the butter and chocolate melt and the frosting is smooth and glossy. It's important not to overheat the mixture otherwise the chocolate will start to separate and the frosting will turn oily. As soon as there are no lumps of chocolate, remove from the heat and pour into a shallow bowl.
- Cover the bowl with clingfilm, patting down the middle so the clingfilm touches the surface of the frosting (this stops it from drying out). Leave to cool for 30 minutes.
- Stir the frosting and check the texture. If it looks oily or split, add 1-2 tablespoons of cold milk or cold condensed milk, and stir to combine. This will bring the frosting back to a silky smooth texture.
Assemble and decorate:
- Place one sponge on a cake stand. Spread a thick layer of frosting on top and sandwich with the second sponge.
- Coat the top and sides of the cake in frosting using an icing spatula. The best technique for coating the sides is to drag the frosting upwards in smooth strokes and use the spatula to smooth it all out. Don’t worry about perfection – Chocolate Matilda Cake can be a little messy.
- Finish by pressing chocolate chips around the base and sprinkling some on top of the cake. Slice and enjoy!
