Matilda (1996) – Chocolate Cake
“Matilda” is a 1996 American fantasy comedy film directed by Danny DeVito, based on the 1988 children’s novel of the same name by Roald Dahl. The story revolves around a young girl named Matilda Wormwood, who possesses extraordinary powers but faces neglect and abuse from her parents and the school principal.
One of the most memorable scenes from the movie is when Matilda’s father, played by DeVito himself, forces her to eat an entire chocolate cake as punishment for sneaking a piece. Despite being intimidated by the enormous cake, Matilda bravely takes on the challenge and devours the whole thing in front of her astonished family.
This scene showcases Matilda’s resilience and determination, as well as her ability to overcome obstacles through her intelligence and supernatural abilities. The chocolate cake itself is also a symbol of indulgence and pleasure, contrasting with the harsh and oppressive environment in which Matilda finds herself. Overall, the scene is a memorable and iconic moment in the film, demonstrating the power of human will and the importance of standing up for oneself.
Matilda’s chocolate cake is made with moist one bowl chocolate cake layers that are topped and filled with the most luscious and glossy chocolate fudge frosting that is swirled onto the cake beautifully.
How to make a sweet and creamy Chocolate Cake
Course: DessertDifficulty: XXXIn the movie “Matilda,” the chocolate cake is a rich and decadent dessert that plays a pivotal role in the story. The cake is a towering confection of moist chocolate sponge layers, generously slathered with creamy chocolate frosting and topped with a dusting of cocoa powder. It looks absolutely delicious, with its glossy exterior and irresistible aroma.
The cake is first seen when the tyrannical headmistress, Miss Trunchbull, offers a slice to her students as a reward for good behavior. When one of the students, Bruce Bogtrotter, sneaks a slice, Miss Trunchbull becomes enraged and punishes him by forcing him to eat an entire cake in front of the entire school. The scene is both comical and suspenseful, as the audience watches with bated breath to see if Bruce can successfully finish the daunting task.
Despite the high stakes, the cake itself is a mouthwatering treat that is sure to make anyone’s sweet tooth ache. Its rich chocolate flavor and creamy texture make it a dessert that is almost impossible to resist, and it serves as a symbol of the power of determination and perseverance.
Ingredients
2 ½ cups Flour
1 ¾ cups Granulated sugar
2 teaspoon 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 Coffee hot
315 g Butter unsalted
400 g Dark chocolate about 60%-70%
⅓ cup Cocoa powder
⅓ cup Cocoa powder
1 ⅓ cups Powdered sugar
½ teaspoon Kosher salt
1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 180 (350f) and prep two 8-inch baking pans withparchment paper.
- Into a large mixing bowl, add the flour, granulated sugar, kosher salt, baking powder, and baking soda, sift the cocoa powder, and mix with a whisk.
- Add the buttermilk, vegetable oil, vanilla extract, and eggs, and mix until almost combined.
- Add the hot coffee and mix until just combined and there are no lumps of flour visible. The batter should be pretty runny and smooth.
- Divide the mixture into two 8-inch baking pans, we suggest using cake strips for even baking. (weight the batter for better results) and bake in a preheated oven for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. (You can also use a 9 inch cake pan)
- Let the cake cool completely before frosting so the frosting won’t melt off the cake.
- Start making the chocolate fudge frosting. Into a saucepan, add the butter, heavy cream, and dark chocolate, and sift the cocoa powder and powdered sugar, and kosher salt.
- Heat all the ingredients over medium-high heat mixing constantly until the mixture is smooth and melted.
- Strain the mixture into a large bowl or baking pan to speed up the cooling process.
- Cover the top with plastic wrap so that the plastic wrap is directly touching the top of the frosting. This will prevent skin from forming.
- Let it cool at room temperature for 30 minutes, and then transfer it to the fridge to cool for another 1-2 hours. (depending on the thickness you are looking for)
- Remove the frosting from the fridge and assemble the chilled cake.
- Pipe a small dollop of the frosting on the surface that you will frost on. Lay the first cake layer over the frosting dot.
- Top the first cake layer with about ⅓ of the frosting and spread an even layer using a spatula.
- Top it with the second cake layer. Frost the cake with the remaining frosting and make a wave pattern using an offset spatula. If it seems like it’s too much frosting, feel free to remove some and save it for your next chocolaty bake.
Recipe Video
Notes
- Use room temperature ingredients.It is important that you use room-temperature ingredients like eggs and butter. This step ensures that your mixture mixes into a homogenous mixture and bakes perfectly. you don’t want to place cold batter into the oven.
- Don’t overmix the batter,you don’t want to develop the gluten in the flour. This step ensures you have a moist cake and not a dense and dry cake.
- Don’t overmix the batter,you don’t want to develop the gluten in the flour. This step ensures you have a moist cake and not a dense and dry cake.
- A fun fact about the Matilda chocolate cake scene is that the massive cake that Bruce Bogtrotter had to eat was actually made of a special chocolate truffle cake that was much easier to eat than it appeared on screen. According to reports, the cake was made with a secret ingredient to make it moist and easy to swallow, and the chocolate frosting was made with whipped cream instead of buttercream to prevent the cake from being too heavy for the young actor to eat.
