prep time: 30 min | bake time: 30 min | total time: 2 hrs
If you’re looking for a moist, eggless Matilda-style Chocolate Cake that’s rich, fluffy, and easy to bake at home this recipe delivers every time. Made with simple pantry ingredients and no eggs, it still creates an incredibly soft crumb and deep chocolate flavor, thanks to the addition of boiling water or freshly brewed coffee. The result? A melt-in-your-mouth chocolate cake that tastes like it came straight from a bakery.
Topped with a silky chocolate fudge frosting, it’s the ultimate chocolate cake for any celebration. Egg-free, easily dairy-free, and so indulgent, you’ll never want store-bought cake again.
Matilda’s Chocolate Cake refers to the famously rich and indulgent chocolate cake featured in the 1996 film Matilda, based on the book by Roald Dahl. In one iconic scene, a boy named Bruce Bogtrotter is forced to eat an enormous, ultra-fudgy chocolate cake in front of the entire school as punishment but instead, he finishes it triumphantly. The cake became legendary for its over-the-top richness, dense texture, and glossy chocolate frosting basically, the ultimate chocolate lover’s dream.
Begin by preheating your oven to 350°F (175°C). Prepare three 6-inch (15 cm) round cake pans by greasing them thoroughly and lining the bottoms with baking paper. This ensures your cakes release easily after baking and maintain their perfect shape.
In a medium bowl, combine the milk with vinegar and let the mixture rest for about 5 minutes. During this time, the milk will curdle slightly, creating a natural buttermilk substitute that adds tenderness and a subtle tang to your cake.
Next, add the cane sugar, oil, and vanilla extract to the curdled milk. Whisk gently until the sugars dissolve and the mixture becomes smooth and uniform.
Sift together all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt to evenly distribute the dry ingredients and prevent lumps.
Slowly incorporate the dry mixture into the wet ingredients, whisking until you achieve a smooth, lump-free batter. Finally, pour in the freshly brewed coffee or boiling water and stir until fully combined. The hot liquid not only deepens the chocolate flavor but also contributes to the cake’s moist texture.
Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans, smoothing the tops with a spatula. Tap each cake pan gently to remove excess air bubbles if needed.
Bake in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and the surface springs back when gently pressed.
Once baked, allow the cakes to cool in their pans for 10 minutes to set, then carefully transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. Cooling the cakes thoroughly before frosting ensures a smooth, even finish and prevents the frosting from melting.
In a saucepan, combine the whipping cream, dark chocolate, and butter.Warm gently over low to medium heat, stirring constantly until everything is melted and smooth.
Do not let it boil, just heat until fully combined and glossy. Remove from heat and whisk in the sifted cocoa powder, vanilla extract, and sifted powdered sugar until smooth and well blended.
Strain the frosting into a bowl for an extra silky texture, then press plastic wrap directly onto the surface.
Let it cool in the fridge for 1 hour 30 minutes (don’t let it set too firm), or ideally overnight at room temperature, until thick and spreadable.
No mixer needed! This recipe is simple enough to mix by hand with a whisk or spatula.
Yes, you can easily skip the coffee if you prefer. Simply substitute the coffee with the same amount of boiling water. While coffee enhances and deepens the chocolate flavor, it doesn’t make the cake taste like coffee, so you won’t miss it if you omit it.
They react with baking soda to help the cake rise and stay soft without eggs.
Dutch-processed cocoa powder is preferred here because it gives the cake a richer, smoother chocolate flavor and a darker, more appealing color. However, natural unsweetened cocoa powder works fine too; just note the flavor will be a bit more acidic and bright.
Absolutely! Use plant-based milk (like almond or oat), dairy-free butter sticks, dairy-free chocolate, plant based whipping cream in place of dairy, and it works perfectly.
Absolutely! You can bake the cake layers up to two days in advance. Once cooled completely, wrap them tightly in plastic wrap and store in an airtight container at room temperature.
Yes! You can make it up to 3 days in advance. Store in an airtight container in the fridge and let it soften at room temperature before using.
It may still be too warm. Chill it in the fridge for 1–2 hours, or let it rest in a cool room temperature until it firms up enough to spread..
Store leftover cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days to maintain freshness. If you want to keep it longer, freeze the cake layers for up to two months—make sure to wrap them tightly in plastic wrap and aluminum foil to protect from freezer burn. Thaw completely before frosting or serving.
There’s nothing like a chocolate cake that’s downright moist, tender, and packed with rich cocoa flavor. Whether you threw it together for a birthday, a chill night at home, or just because you were craving something sweet, I hope it hit the spot.
If you grabbed a pic, send it my way! Tag me @pastrybysaloni and let me see how yours turned out. It’s always awesome to see your baking come to life in real kitchens.
And if you found yourself going back for seconds (or thirds), don’t worry—you’re in good company. Keep the good vibes going with more recipes that bring bold flavor and easy baking straight to your table. Up next in your baking lineup:
Looking to build confidence in the kitchen without relying on eggs or dairy? My cookbook Vegan Baking Made Simple is packed with recipes that taste just as good as the classics—maybe better. It’s available now on Amazon. Grab your copy HERE.
36 Responses
Best cake
Hey Saloni 😊 what are the measurements?
Hello
Great question! The recipe card is located at the end of the blog post.
can this be made into 1 layer instead of 2/3 layers?
thanks
Hi
You can make it in a 9×13-inch sheet pan.
Thanks a lot for the recipe, I am going to try this for my daughter’s birthday. I have couple of questions though.
1. For frosting also Dutch processed cocoa powder is preferable?
2. Does dark chocolate frosting makes the cake bitter? We all have a sweeter tooth so just want to make sure before I make.
3. Can we pipe with this frosting ?
Hi Sweetie
Thanks so much —
Yes — Dutch-processed cocoa is recommended for the frosting.It gives a richer, darker chocolate flavor and smoother taste that pairs beautifully with the cake.
No — the dark chocolate frosting shouldn’t be bitter. Because it’s balanced with powdered sugar and cream, it tastes rich and sweet rather than bitter. If your family prefers extra sweetness, you can add a bit more powdered sugar, but the original balance is usually a nice, dessert-level sweetness.
Once the fudge frosting firms up (chilled to a spreadable, thick consistency), it holds its shape well enough for piping “simple” decorations like rosettes or borders. Just make sure it’s not too soft or too warm when you’re piping. For a highly decorative cake I will recommend to use chocolate buttercream.
Writing this review after falling in love with this cake. i loved the cake and so do my friends and family. cake is so moist and so full of flavour. i usually dont like chocolate cakes. but this one is remarkable recipie. thank you once again Saloni❤️
Hello Isha
Thank you so much for your kind words.
Best n best recipe
Thank you so much!
I would say that it might be the best chocolate cake recipe that I have found on the internet.
Instructions are easy to follow and in général it is not à complicated cake to make. All the tastes are here. I did not have a vanilla extract so for the frosting I have used à Coffee extract and for the cake I have used à vanilla sugar of very high qualité. The cake is very rich and tasty.
Hello Agnieszka
Thank you so much for your kind words.We appreciate the detailed feedback.
Hi Saloni, this Matilda chocolate cake looks amazing and I can’t wait to try it ☺️. Could I use the same amount of buttermilk instead of using milk + vinegar/lemon juice? Thanks so much x
Hello Sam
Yes, you can use the same amount of buttermilk in place of the milk + vinegar/lemon juice. It should work the same way and give softer,richer crumb.
Thanks so much!
Hi Saloni.
Your cake looks delicious.
I’m thinking to make it in one pan and after baking, cut it in three pieces. What do you think?
Would it be ok?
Thanks from Athens, Hellas.
Hello!
You can bake all the batter in one pan, but just a note: a thicker cake can bake unevenly the outside may cook faster while the center stays under-baked. It also needs a longer baking time, which can dry out the edges, and it can be harder to slice into even layers afterward.
For the best result, I recommend baking the layers individually. They bake more evenly and are much easier to handle.
I just made this cake for my husbands birthday which is tomorrow! I’ve put the cake itself in the fridge in a plastic wrap and the frosting in sitting, ready on the kitchen counter (cooling down overnight per the instructions). Tomorrow i will assemble the cake. Is it recommended to whip up the frosting before i do? Would that perhaps make it a bit more fluffy in terms of texture?
Hello Rosina,
That sounds lovely your husband is in for a treat! For fudge frosting with a consistency like thick Nutella, there’s no need to whip it before assembling the cake. It’s meant to be rich, smooth, and spreadable just as it is. Whipping it could actually change the texture in a way that doesn’t suit this type of frosting. Just give it a good stir to make sure it’s nice and smooth. If the frosting still feels soft due to warm temperature, it’s best to keep it in a cool place so it can set properly (not firm) before you use it. Happy cake assembling, and happy early birthday to your husband!
Hi salony,
I have looked through 3 of your chocolate cake and chocolate cupcake recipes. how come the ratios are different across each recipe, for instance the baking powder is 1.5 tsp in one cake recipe and 3/4 tsp in the other, and similarly milk and brewed coffee measurements are also different. can you please help in understanding
Hi Gayatri
Great question! Each recipe is carefully tested and developed based on its pan size, texture, and purpose — so ingredient ratios may vary. We do the testing so you don’t have to!
Hi Saloni, i’m commenting again, i made the cake in 24cm cake pans for my birthday and it was so delicious everyone loved it. I’ll definitely make it again, i’ve had trouble finding a cake recipe that isn’t too sweet and this one is perfect, exactly what i was looking for, thank you so much.😊
Hi Ketelin,
Thank you so much for the feedback! I truly appreciate it. I’m really glad to hear that everyone enjoyed the desserts. I put a lot of care into making sure my recipes have the right texture and flavor; sweet but not overly so.
Hi dear can I make this in a 9×13 pan and how much of the recipe should I use ?
Hi Shenaz,
For 9-13 inch pan single layer cake you can make this recipe 2x (2 times).
Hey, the recipe looks so awesome. Can’t wait to try it. But I just want to ask may I use dairy cream of 20-25% fat (Amul cream blue pack)or do we need higher fat percentage?
Hi Surbhi
Thank you so much. For chocolate fudge frosting, I recommend using cream with at least 35% fat. The Amul blue pack (20–25%) might make it too soft and less stable. A higher fat cream will give you a richer, smoother texture that sets better. Hope you enjoy the recipe!
Hello! If i’d like to make the cake in 24 cm cake pans then how should i calculate the ingredients?
Hi Ketelin,
You can double the recipe (2x) for 2 layers of 24cm round cake pans.
first of all thank you for explain ever step so well. the recipie is simply awesome. can’t wait to try it. looks promising. And also thank you for sharing your wonderful recipies.
Thank you so much Isha. I hope you enjoy the recipe. I appreciate your kind words.
OMG this Matilda cake looks sooo good!. It’s moist with a lot of chocolate. I have a question: how can I replace part of the sugar without loosing moisture?.
I prefer cakes with less sugar but I don’t want to use sweeteners or reduce the amount of sugar without a good replacement in a dry cake.
pd. I apoligize for my english!
Thanks a lot for your hepl and any idea.
Hi
Thanks so much. this is the original recipe, so the texture is exactly like the Matilda cake!
If you want to reduce sugar without changing the texture, it’s tricky since sugar affects moisture and structure. Natural swaps like applesauce or banana can help, but they will change the texture slightly.
If you’re okay with just a small reduction, try cutting 10–15% of the sugar — the cake should still turn out moist!
And your English is great — no worries at all! 💛
Hi Saloni,
I dont have access to vegan whipping cream where I live. Do you think I can swap with ordinary soy cream (17% fat) ? I was checking for frosting instead but i find the recipes way too sweet with loads of powered sugar. Cant wait to have your advice 🙂
Hi Marion,
Absolutely! You can use ordinary soy cream (17% fat) as a substitute it should work fine, especially if you’re making a ganache-style frosting.Just keep in mind that it’s lower in fat than typical whipping cream (which is usually 30–36%),so your frosting may be a bit softer.
To make it work, use 120ml of soy cream with 160g of dark chocolate (as per recipe) the higher cocoa butter content in the chocolate will help thicken the mixture as it cools.This gives you a rich, smooth frosting without needing loads of powdered sugar. Let it chill until spreadable it firms up nicely!
Perfect❤️❤️ thanks