It’s been 25 years since the much-loved film Matilda graced our screens, so Juliette is here to help us recreate the incredibly wonderful chocolate cake from the famous scene, so we can all do like Bruce Bogtrotter and get stuck!
Mathilde chocolate cake
Makes a 23cm double layer cakeFor 8-10 people
Ingredients
Icing
450 g dark chocolate or finely chopped chocolate chips
330g double cream
120g salted butter
180 g icing sugar, sifted
Sponge
275g dark chocolate (70-72%)
275g salted butter
350 g of light brown Muscovado sugar4 medium eggs plus 2 yolks
2 teaspoons of vanilla extract or bean paste
125 ml sour cream
250g self-rising flour
50g cocoa powder
Method
1. Butter, melt and line two 23 cm round cake pans. Preheat the oven to 160 ° C hot air.
2. To make the ganache frosting, place the chocolate chips in a large heatproof bowl. Boil the cream and pour it over the chocolate chips, then place a large plate over the bowl, to lock in the heat. After a few minutes, use a wooden spoon to mix in one direction to bring the cream and chocolate together. Let cool.
3. To make the sponge cake, melt the chocolate, sugar and butter together in the microwave over medium heat, or in a double boiler, until everything is melted and smooth.
4. Whisk the eggs, vanilla and sour cream in a bowl.
5. Using a whisk or a fork, combine the flour and cocoa powder, making sure it is evenly distributed. Add the egg mixture to the chocolate mixture and mix well. Gently fold in the flour and cocoa mixture until blended.
6. Divide evenly into the lined cake pans and bake for about 20-25 minutes until just firm but there is still a bit of wobbling – don’t overbake, the secret absolute of a perfect chocolate cake is to bake it lightly (if you stick a knife inside there should still be some mixture sticking to it so it’s a bit hazy). Let cool in pan for 5 minutes before returning to a cooling rack and removing foil.
7. While the cake is cooling, melt the butter and let cool without setting.
8. Beat the icing sugar in the cooled ganache then add the melted butter and whisk.
9. To assemble the cake, the frosting should be set to a palatable consistency, not runny. If the cakes have a little bump from the rise, cut a little to level.
10. Place a cake on your plate or rack and spread it on a thick layer of frosting, then add the second layer of cake, with the smooth side that was at the bottom of the pan facing up. Stack the frosting and use a palette knife to spread the top and sides, you can give it a pretty rough finish – just make sure the whole cake is covered with a layer of fudge frosting. Eat before the Trunchbull grabs you!
adviceThis frosting can be made ahead and lasts up to 2 weeks at room temperature, and can be warmed gently for a few 10 second swings to bring it back to a spreadable consistency, so it’s something you can do if you want.
