Viral Matilda Chocolate Cake

This viral Matilda chocolate cake is extra moist thanks to a hot chocolate milk soak that gets poured over the cake right after baking. It’s finished with a thick, glossy chocolate ganache, giving you a rich, fudgy cake that looks and tastes like the famous chocolate cake from the movie Matilda.

Why I Had To Make The Viral Matilda Chocolate Cake

Matilda is one of my wife’s favorite movies. She watched it all the time growing up, and it’s still her go-to comfort movie today. She actually hates flying, and watching Matilda is one of the things that gets her through a flight, so the movie has become a pretty familiar one in our house.

So when I started seeing Matilda chocolate cake videos going viral, I knew I had to make one for her. My recipe is based on the viral version from @dayana_bakes, with that super-moist chocolate cake, hot chocolate milk soak, and glossy ganache poured all over the top. Now my wife and I are obsessed with this extra-moist chocolate cake, and we keep finding excuses to make it for friends and family.

What Is The Matilda Chocolate Cake?

The Matilda chocolate cake comes from one of the most memorable scenes in Roald Dahl's Matilda. Miss Trunchbull accuses Bruce Bogtrotter of stealing a piece of her chocolate cake, then forces him to eat an enormous chocolate cake in front of the entire school. Instead of giving up, Bruce finishes the whole thing while the other kids cheer him on.

That ridiculously rich, fudgy-looking cake has become known as the Matilda cake or Bruce Bogtrotter cake, and it’s the inspiration behind all the chocolate cakes going viral on social media now. This version leans into that over-the-top look with an ultra-moist chocolate cake, chocolate milk soak, and glossy ganache poured over the top.

Ingredients You'll Need

For the chocolate cake:

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 and ¼ cups unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 and ½ teaspoons salt
• 3 large eggs
• 1 and ½ cups whole milk
• ¾ cup vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• 1 and ½ cups hot coffee

For the chocolate milk soak:

• 1 cup whole milk
• ½ cup sugar
• ¼ cup cocoa powder
• 2 tablespoons butter

For the ganache:

• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• ½ cup heavy cream
• 3 tablespoons butter

Ingredient Notes That Make This Viral Chocolate Cake Better

• Unsweetened cocoa powder: Use regular unsweetened cocoa powder so you can control the sweetness of the cake and still get a deep chocolate flavor.
• Hot coffee: The coffee strengthens the chocolate flavor without making the finished cake taste strongly like coffee. Add it hot so it blends easily into the cocoa-based batter.
• Vegetable oil: Oil keeps this cake especially soft and moist, which works well since the cake also gets soaked after baking. Another neutral oil, like canola, will work too.
• Whole milk: Whole milk is used in both the cake and the chocolate soak. Its extra richness helps give the cake that soft, almost fudgy texture once the soak is absorbed.
• Semisweet chocolate chips: I like semisweet chocolate for the ganache because it keeps the topping rich without making the already-sweet cake overly sugary. Chopped semisweet baking chocolate will work too.
• Heavy cream: This melts into the chocolate to create the smooth ganache topping. I wouldn’t substitute regular milk here since it won’t give you the same thick, glossy finish.
• Butter: A little butter in both the chocolate soak and ganache adds richness, and the butter in the ganache gives it that glossy finish you see on top of the viral Matilda cake.

How to Make Matilda Chocolate Cake

Step 1: Make the Chocolate Cake Batter

Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and sugar, then add the whole milk, vegetable oil, and vanilla. Sift in the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt and whisk until combined. Pour in the hot coffee and whisk until the batter is smooth. The batter will be fairly thin.

Step 2: Bake the Cake

Grease a deep 9-inch round cake pan and pour in the batter, leaving about ½ inch of space at the top. Bake for 45-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs and no wet batter.

Step 3: Make the Chocolate Milk Soak

While the cake bakes, add the milk, sugar, cocoa powder, and butter to a microwave-safe measuring cup. Microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring well after each one, until the butter is melted, the milk is very hot, and the cocoa is completely incorporated.

Step 4: Soak the Warm Cake

Let the cake rest in the pan for about 5 minutes after it comes out of the oven. Slowly pour the hot chocolate milk soak evenly over the warm cake. Let it sit in the pan for another 10 minutes so the cake has time to absorb the liquid.

Step 5: Make the Chocolate Ganache

Add the chocolate chips to a heat-safe bowl and microwave for about 45 seconds to begin softening them. Heat the heavy cream in a small saucepan until very hot but not boiling. Pour it over the chocolate and let it sit briefly, then whisk until completely smooth. Add the butter and whisk again until the ganache is glossy.

Step 6: Finish the Matilda Cake

Carefully turn the soaked cake out onto a serving plate. Pour the warm ganache over the top, letting it run down and completely coat the sides. Don’t worry if some ganache pools around the bottom of the cake. I actually like having the extra chocolate there to spoon over each slice when serving.

My Expert Tips for the Best Matilda Chocolate Cake

• Measure the flour and cocoa carefully. Both can pack into a measuring cup easily, which can throw off the texture of the cake. Spoon them into the cup and level them off, or use a kitchen scale if you have one.
• Line the bottom of the cake pan with parchment. This gives you a little extra insurance when it’s time to turn out such a moist, soaked cake.
• Don’t overmix once the flour goes in. Whisk only until everything comes together. Overmixing can make the baked cake heavier instead of soft and tender.
• Loosen the edges before turning the cake out. Run a thin knife around the inside of the pan after the soak has had time to absorb. This makes it much less likely that the sides will stick when you invert it.
• Adjust the ganache before pouring. If it looks too thin, let it sit for a few minutes to thicken. If it becomes too thick to pour, gently warm it for a few seconds and stir again.
• Use a warm knife for clean slices. Run a sharp knife under hot water, dry it, then slice the cake. Wipe and repeat between cuts so the ganache doesn’t drag through each piece.
• Spoon the pooled ganache over each serving. That extra chocolate around the base isn’t a mistake. I like adding some to the plate with every slice for the full over-the-top Matilda cake experience.

How to Store Matilda Chocolate Cake

• In the refrigerator: Store the cake covered or in an airtight cake container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. The chocolate milk soak keeps it especially moist, so it holds up really well in the fridge.
• Before serving: Let a slice sit at room temperature for about 20-30 minutes before eating. This softens the cake and ganache and gives you a richer, fudgier texture.
• In the freezer: Freeze individual slices tightly wrapped for up to 2 months. For the best texture, thaw them overnight in the refrigerator, then let them sit at room temperature briefly before serving.
• Make-ahead tip: You can make this cake a day ahead and refrigerate it overnight. I actually like giving the chocolate soak time to settle into the cake, then letting it come closer to room temperature before serving. Add the ganache topping right before serving.

Matilda Chocolate Cake FAQs

Is Matilda cake the same as Bruce Bogtrotter cake?

Yes, the names are commonly used for the same movie-inspired chocolate cake. Bruce Bogtrotter is the character who is forced by Miss Trunchbull to eat an enormous chocolate cake in front of the school, which is where the Matilda cake trend comes from.

Why is Matilda chocolate cake so moist?

This version gets its extra-moist texture from both vegetable oil in the batter and a hot chocolate milk soak poured over the cake after baking. The soak absorbs into the crumb and gives the cake a soft, almost fudgy texture.

Does the coffee make the cake taste like coffee?

No. The hot coffee mainly deepens the chocolate flavor rather than making the finished cake taste like coffee. If you’re sensitive to coffee flavor, it’s still very subtle underneath the cocoa and ganache.

Can I make Matilda chocolate cake without coffee?

Yes. You can replace the hot coffee with the same amount of hot water, although the chocolate flavor won’t be quite as deep. The cake will still bake and have plenty of chocolate flavor from the cocoa powder.

Why do you pour the chocolate milk soak over the cake while it’s warm?

The warm cake absorbs the hot chocolate milk mixture more easily than a completely cooled cake. Pouring it on shortly after baking lets the liquid soak into the crumb instead of mostly sitting on the surface.

Why is my chocolate ganache too thin?

Warm ganache naturally starts out fairly thin. Let it sit for a few minutes and it will thicken as it cools. If it becomes too thick to pour, warm it gently for a few seconds and stir until smooth again.

Can I use a regular 9-inch cake pan?

I recommend using a deep 9-inch cake pan because this recipe makes a lot of batter. A standard shallow 9-inch pan may overflow, so leave about ½ inch of space at the top. If you only have shallow cake pans, divide the batter evenly between two pans and bake them separately or at the same time if your oven has room. Start checking them earlier than the full-size cake since the thinner layers will bake faster.

Should Matilda chocolate cake be served warm or cold?

I think it’s best cool or slightly closer to room temperature. That gives the chocolate soak time to settle into the cake while letting the ganache soften enough to stay rich and fudgy.

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