The Recipe For Matilda Chocolate Cake is a chocolate cake with a sweet, moist, but not a too dense crumb. Not overly rich or heavy, this is the perfect dessert to serve for any occasion. A crunchy, lightly-buttered bar of chocolate is sandwiched in the batter just before baking before drizzling with a dark, rich frosting. The cake is as easy to make as you can imagine, and it’s sure to be a crowd-pleaser.
What is Matilda Chocolate Cake?
The Recipe For Matilda Chocolate Cake was invented by a mysterious “Matilda” at the height of the Great Depression. The recipe, recently reprinted in a Women’s rights issue of Cooking Light magazine, states that Matilda used this to make her husband happy with less money but also because she needed to figure out what to make with some leftover ingredients.
How to make Recipe For Matilda Chocolate Cake?
- Prepare Time: 10 mins.
- Cook Time: 45 mins.
- The recipe serves 8 people
- Drying Time: overnight
- Difficulty Level: Easy
Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons (60 grams) of all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon table salt, plus additional for sprinkling the pan before baking
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces
- 3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon (135 grams) of granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature and lightly beaten with 2 tablespoons of milk or water until frothy
- 1 recipe Dark Chocolate Frosting (recipe below) OR 1 cup store-. Bought chocolate frosting
Special Equipment:
- 1 round 9-inch cake pan, lined with parchment paper*
- 2 Cooling racks
Instructions: Preparing The Cake Batter
Step 1.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter (or spray with a nonstick cooking spray) lightly on the bottom and sides of the prepared cake pan. Set aside on a wire rack while you prepare the batter. Whisk together a small bowl of flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
Step 2.
In a medium-sized saucepan over low heat, melt butter and sugar together until sugar dissolves, and the mixture is bubbly. Stir constantly. A few minutes later, the mixture should look caramel-brown. Turn off the heat but keep the simmering caramel on low heat while you prepare the rest of the batter.
Step 3.
In a small bowl, whisk together eggs and vanilla. Stir in the caramel mixture. Add in the flour mixture and stir until smooth, without any lumps. This should take about 5 minutes. Scrape batter into prepared pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Cool on a rack for 20 minutes before removing the cake from its pan. Continue cooling on a rack until completely cooled (about 1 hour).
Step 4.
Remove the cake from its pan and place it on a clean wire rack to cool completely.
Step 5.
Once completely cooled, it’s Time to prepare the frosting. If you don’t have Time to make your own, grab a bar of your favorite chocolate and use that as a substitute. The less chocolate you use, the more chocolate flavor you’ll get from using the store-. I bought frosting for this recipe. If you want less of a chocolate flavor without using store-. Bought frosting, you can substitute it with vanilla frosting.
Step 6.
To make the frosting, melt the chocolate in a large bowl over simmering water, stirring until smooth and glossy. Stir in 3/4 cup powdered sugar and the butter until soft (no lumps). Stir in 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract. Add more powdered sugar to thicken or thin out your frosting if you like (it should be pourable but thick enough to hold its shape).
For the frosting, add 3/4 cup powdered sugar and whip until fluffy.
Step 7.
To frost the cake, place 1/4 cup of frosting in the center of a round 9-inch cardboard cake-decorating base (similar to Wilton’s Cake Decorating Bases) or a platter and spread out evenly until smooth. Set aside extra frosting (about 2 tablespoons) for garnish on the cake. You can also choose not to frost the entire cake and leave the edges plain.
Step 8.
Using a large offset spatula, place the cake on top of the frosting (or side-by-side if you prefer). Top with about 1 1/2 tablespoons of extra frosting for a more even finish around the sides. Spread out evenly with an offset spatula or knife from each side going around to each end, ensuring no part is exposed without frosting.
Step 9.
Finally, you can also drizzle the sides of the cake with more melted chocolate for a smoother finish. Using a fork dipped in warm water, press lightly into your side-to-side drizzling to ensure it’s buttery and smooth.
Step 10.
Once completely cooled, you can store it in the refrigerator or at room temperature until ready to enjoy. However, I suggest keeping it at room temperature because it’s easier to slice and serve when slightly warm instead of cold.
Note:
- If you’re going to store it overnight, use a regular cake pan. You’ll need to cool it in the refrigerator and flip it over.
- You can also make the cake into a double layer by doubling the recipe and baking it in two 9-inch square pans.
- You can also quickly multiply this recipe by 2 or 3 to make extra 12-inch round pans of chocolate cake so you can have one in the freezer for future parties or occasions!
- You can also use this recipe to make a cake in your regular-sized cake pans by dividing the batter four ways and then adding 1 cup of frosting. You can do this before or after frosting to give a pretty pattern to your cake.
- You can also use this recipe to make a loaf cake. Divide the batter in half and bake in two-or-three- 8 by 4-inch loaf pans or divide the batter among three 9x5x3-inch loaf pans.
- You can also make cupcakes from this recipe by dividing the batter equally among 18 cupcake cups and then adding two tablespoons of frosting on top for each one.
Nutrition fact Recipe For Matilda Chocolate Cake
| Nutrition | Amount |
|---|---|
| Calories | 355 |
| Total Fat | 14.1g |
| Saturated Fat | 8.0g |
| Omega 3s | 4.9mgs |
| Omega 6s | 0.7mgs |
| Cholesterol | 105mgs |
| Sodium | 196mgs |
| Calcium | 88mgs |
| Protein | 5.1g |
| Carbohydrates | 42.8g |
| Fiber | 2.9g |
Serving ideas for Matilda Chocolate Cake Recipe
- This cake can be served alone or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Be sure to add fresh whipped cream on top and extra chocolate shavings on top!
- This cake can also be used as a layer and sliced into small pieces for party favors.
- You can also spread the frosting on your next slice of this chocolate cake onto a graham-cracker crust for an easy-made-from-scratch dessert!
- You can also use this recipe to make a cake in your regular-sized cake pans by dividing the batter 4 ways and then adding 1 cup of frosting. You can do this before or after frosting to give a pretty pattern to your cake.
- Use this chocolate cake as the foundation for different-shaped cakes like lemon-chocolate or chocolate-orange, for ice cream cakes, fruit cakes, cheesecake, etc.
- You can also use this recipe to make a cake in your regular-sized cake pans by dividing the batter 4 ways and then adding 1 cup of frosting. You can do this before or after frosting to give a pretty pattern to your cake.
- You can also use this recipe to make a loaf cake. Divide the batter in half and bake in two-or-three- 8 by 4-inch loaf pans or divide the batter among three 9x5x3-inch loaf pans.
- You can also make cupcakes from this recipe by dividing the batter equally among 18 cupcake cups and then adding two tablespoons of frosting on top for each one.
- You can also use this recipe to make other flavored cakes like Mocha, Pistachio, Coffee, Orange, Lemon, Carrot cake, etc.
- You can also use this chocolate cake recipe to make any other chocolate-based desserts like a chocolate pudding cake, brownies, and more!
Conclusion:
I hope you love this recipe for Matilda Chocolate Cake! You can enjoy it more by making a batch to share with friends, family, and loved ones!
I hope this recipe will inspire you to bake. If you get inspired, please share it with your loved ones using the social media buttons below.
I would be happy if you’d comment or share your experience in the section below.
FAQ:
What is the chocolate cake in Matilda made of?
The chocolate cake in Matilda is created with cocoa powder, eggs, and flour called confectioner’s sugar (also known as powdered sugar) to give it its signature chocolaty flavor.
Why does it take a long time to master the art of baking?
Whether you’re making cakes, cookies, or anything, baking takes practice. It’s nice to have a recipe that’s foolproof and goes well every Time, but with that also comes the possibility of dryness in your cake or cookies since they are so delicate and must be handled carefully.
Is the inside of a chocolate cake sweet?
The inside of a regular chocolate cake is sweet because it’s filled with sugar and contains a lot of frosting, which is also adorable. This recipe has no sugar but is filled with chocolate, which tastes sweet initially but turns bitter as you eat it.
Why does it take so long to bake a chocolate cake?
The baking times for chocolate cake are usually longer because the cake must be cooled before you frost it or add other toppings. You want to make sure that it cools at room temperature to avoid making it gooey on the inside.
Why does the chocolate cake need unsweetened cocoa powder?
Unsweetened cocoa powder has a robust flavor which goes well with cakes. That’s why if you want to make chocolate cakes, you are supposed to use unsweetened cocoa mix.
What is the difference between sweetened and unsweetened cocoa powder?
Unsweetened cocoa powder doesn’t have added sugar, but pure cocoa is mixed with powder. It has a robust flavor that doesn’t need to be altered. It would help if you only used unsweetened cocoa powder for baking chocolate cake. Sweetened cocoa powder already has sugar added to it, so it can be used for making chocolates or hot chocolate drinks.