Description

This Best Matilda’s Chocolate Cake is a rich, moist, and intensely chocolatey dessert featuring a tender crumb infused with coffee for enhanced cocoa depth. It is layered and coated with a smooth, luscious chocolate fudge frosting made from dark chocolate, cocoa powder, and cream, creating a perfect balance of sweet and bittersweet flavors. Ideal for celebrations or an indulgent treat, the cake is straightforward to bake and decorate with detailed instructions to ensure a tender texture and flawless frosting.

Ingredients

Scale

Cake

2 ½ cups Flour
1 ¾ cups Granulated sugar
2 teaspoons Baking powder
1 teaspoon Baking soda
½ teaspoon Kosher salt
½ cup Cocoa powder
⅔ cup Vegetable oil
1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
3 Eggs
⅔ cup Buttermilk
1 cup Hot coffee

Chocolate Fudge Frosting

11.11 oz Unsalted butter
14.1 oz Dark chocolate (60%-70% cocoa)
⅓ cup Cocoa powder
1 ⅓ cups Heavy cream
1 ⅓ cups Powdered sugar
½ teaspoon Kosher salt
1 teaspoon Vanilla extract

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Instructions

Prepare Oven and Pans: Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) and prepare two 8-inch baking pans by lining them with parchment paper to ensure even baking and easy cake release.
Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, kosher salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Sift in the cocoa powder and incorporate fully for an even chocolate flavor.
Add Wet Ingredients: Add the buttermilk, vegetable oil, vanilla extract, and eggs to the dry mixture. Mix until just combined, being careful not to overmix to avoid a dense cake.
Incorporate Coffee: Pour in the hot coffee and mix gently until the batter is smooth with no lumps, resulting in a runny, smooth texture ideal for rich chocolate cakes.
Divide and Bake: Evenly divide the batter between the two prepared pans, using cake strips if available for uniform baking. Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Cool the Cake: Remove the cakes from the oven and allow them to cool completely before applying frosting to prevent melting and sliding of the frosting layer.
Make Frosting – Combine Ingredients: In a saucepan over medium-high heat, melt together unsalted butter, heavy cream, and dark chocolate, then sift in cocoa powder, powdered sugar, and kosher salt. Stir constantly until the mixture is smooth and fully melted.
Strain and Cool Frosting: Strain the hot frosting into a large bowl or pan to remove any lumps, cover with plastic wrap directly on the surface to prevent skin forming, cool at room temperature for 30 minutes, then refrigerate for 1-2 hours until desired thickness is reached.
Assemble Cake: Start by placing a small dollop of frosting on your serving surface to stabilize the first cake layer. Place the first cooled cake layer on top, then cover it evenly with about one-third of the frosting.
Add Second Layer and Frost: Place the second cake layer on top and use the remaining frosting to cover the entire cake. Use an offset spatula to create a decorative wave pattern. If frosting is too much, reserve extra for other bakes.

Notes

Use room temperature ingredients like eggs for a smooth, homogenous batter.
Ensure baking powder and baking soda are fresh for proper leavening and rise.
Measure flour accurately by spooning and leveling to avoid dense cakes.
Do not overmix the batter to keep the cake moist and tender.
If frosting is too soft, refrigerate for about 30 minutes before spreading.
Line baking pans with parchment paper for even baking and easy removal.
Serve cake at room temperature for optimal flavor and texture of frosting.
Allow cake to cool completely before frosting to prevent frosting melting and crumbling.
Avoid very high heat when melting frosting ingredients to prevent grainy texture and burnt chocolate.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 slice (approx. 1/14th of the cake)
Calories: 420 kcal
Sugar: 36 g
Sodium: 240 mg
Fat: 27 g
Saturated Fat: 15 g
Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
Trans Fat: 0 g
Carbohydrates: 44 g
Fiber: 4 g
Protein: 5 g
Cholesterol: 85 mg