Miss Trunchbull’s Chocolate Cake

by Jillian
The cake from "Matilda" that we all swooned over! Like The Trunchbull, I'm sure you'll agree that this is "the most scrumptious cake in the entire world."

The cake from “Matilda” that we all swooned over! Like The Trunchbull, I’m sure you’ll agree that this is “the most scrumptious cake in the entire world.”

miss-trunchbulls-chocolate-cake-abajillianrecipes.com

One of my favorite movies of all-time is Matilda. I remember when it was about to come out in theaters, and I could NOT wait to go and see it. Since it was released to theaters almost exactly 20 years ago (O my G, I’M OLD), I’ve probably seen it about 92,000 times. In fact, I even own two copies–the DVD version and good ol’ VHS. 

So I’m sure you could imagine just how massively excited I was to meet little miss Amanda Thripp (AKA, the talented Jacqueline Steiger) in a self-management class for actors when I lived in Los Angeles… 

Amanda Thripp

And yes, Jacqueline is just as sweet as her character, but she’ll also school you when it comes to Star Wars trivia 😉

AmandaThripp1

Along with the infamous pigtail hammer throw, when it comes to Matilda, I’m sure everyone can agree that one of the most memorable scenes in the movie was Bruce Bogtrotter’s chocolate cake interrogation. ‘Little Brucey is accused of sneaking into the school kitchen and eating Miss Trunchbull’s “most scrumptious cake in the entire world”, and then punished by being forced to eat this behemoth of a cake.

Chocolate Cake2

Seriously, that thing looked like it weighed at least 50 pounds! And I cannot tell you how many nights that I’ve dreamt about THAT cake. Those deep, dark chocolatey stacks of densely rich cake, with those contrasting layers of fluffy chocolate frosting, enveloped in that glistening, lusciously silky dark chocolate icing. I mean, just LOOK at it…

Chocolate Cake3

YOU GUYS. I NEEDED this cake to be REAL.

And so, to realize one of my lifelong dreams as well as to honor and celebrate the 20th anniversary of Matilda, I decided to make what I believe to be Miss Trunchbull’s favorite chocolate cake.

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Now, I’ve read several posts parading around the Internets, claiming to have created THE chocolate cake from Matilda. Not to sound rude, but most of them were not even close. The cake was either too light in color, was made using a boxed cake mix (come on people, this cake DESERVES to be made from scratch), or the frosting was ALL wrong. But this cake is pretty darn tootin’ close.

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Aside from the fact that this cake isn’t as ginormous, I think I got everything right.

Just like the original, this cake has three thick layers of ultra moist, fluffy, yet dense cake brimming with lusciously rich, dark cocoa flavor. The cake in the film is so dark, it’s almost black, which is what I was aiming for.

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Whenever I make any kind of chocolate cake I like to add some espresso powder (or strongly-brewed coffee). It makes a HUGE difference in amplifying the deep chocolatey flavor in chocolate cakes. Trust me, it will NOT make the cake taste like coffee. 

Now, coming from someone who normally prefers frosting over the actual cake (I down frosting shots as morning fuel), I have to say that the cake alone is PERFECT. I could eat it on it’s own, it’s that good! It’s so moist that it almost melts in your mouth, and it has that perfect rich to sweetness ratio. SO heavenly! I can honestly (and humbly) say that I’ve never had a cake as good as this one.

Ever.

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As for the frosting, I used two different kinds. To fill each layer, I made the fluffiest, creamiest milk chocolate buttercream with some butter, powdered sugar, melted milk chocolate, and a little vanilla and salt. So flippin’ good, and a perfect contrast for the rich, dark chocolate cake.

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To frost the outside, I went with a silky semi-sweet chocolate ganache. Once prepared, I allowed the ganache to cool and set up for a bit so that I could spread it on the cake like frosting.

Not gonna lie, I may have snuck in a few tastes here and there…

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And in true celebratory fashion, a little reenactment was definitely necessary…

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So what do you think? Was I close? 

miss-trunchbulls-chocolate-cake-abajillianrecipes.com

*Update: I received a very kind message from a dear reader who made this recipe and thought I’d include his suggestions. Instead of three 8-inch pans, David W. made this cake in two 9-inch pans and says they took about 10 minutes longer to bake. Make sure the pans are DEEP enough (at least 2.5-3 inches) to prevent spillover when baking. He cut both cakes in half, creating four cake layers (three frosting layers), and also increased the ganache and buttercream quantities by 50%. David also said that this cake is even better served at room temperature. So there ya go! Thank you, David!!

The cake from "Matilda" that we all swooned over! Like The Trunchbull, I'm sure you'll agree that this is "the most scrumptious cake in the entire world."

Miss Trunchbull's Chocolate Cake

The cake from "Matilda" that we all swooned over! Like The Trunchbull, I'm sure you'll agree that this is "the most scrumptious cake in the entire world."
Prep Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Cook Time 33 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 3 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 12 Slices

Ingredients
  

Cake:

  • 1 ½ cup (355ml) boiling water
  • 2 ½ teaspoons instant espresso powder
  • 4 ½ ounces semi-sweet chocolate
  • 2 ½ cup (355g) all-purpose flour
  • 2 ¾ cup (550g) granulated sugar
  • 1 ¼ cup (100g) unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 ½ teaspoons salt
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 ½ cup (360ml) buttermilk*
  • ¾ cup (175ml) vegetable oil
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla

Chocolate Ganache:

  • 14 ounces semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate finely chopped
  • 1 ¼ cup (300ml) heavy cream

Milk Chocolate Buttercream:

  • ¾ cup (170g) unsalted butter
  • 1 ½ cup (170g) powdered sugar
  • 4 ounces milk chocolate
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • Pinch of salt

Instructions
 

Make the Cake:

  • Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Line three 8-inch round cake pans** with parchment paper and grease with butter or nonstick cooking spray; set aside.
  • In a medium bowl, stir together the boiling water, espresso powder, and semi-sweet chocolate until chocolate has dissolved and mixture is smooth. Set aside to cool.
  • In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt until combined.
  • In another bowl, whisk together the eggs, buttermilk, vegetable oil, and vanilla. Pour wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until smooth. Add the cooled espresso-chocolate mixture, stirring until just combined.
  • Divide batter evenly among the three pans and bake in the oven for 31-33 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out with few crumbs attached. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely.

Make the Ganache:

  • Place the chocolate in a medium bowl. Pour the heavy cream in a large glass measuring cup and heat in the microwave until it starts to boil. Remove, pour over the chocolate, cover with plastic wrap, and let sit for 5 minutes. Stir ganache until smooth.
  • Allow ganache to cool to desired thickness before frosting the cake. You can also refrigerate the ganache, stirring occasionally until it's thick enough.

Make the Milk Chocolate Buttercream:

  • Place the milk chocolate in a small microwave-safe bowl and heat in the microwave until smooth and melted, about 1 minute. Stir, and allow to cool to almost room temperature.
  • In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy. Add powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt, and continue beating, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Add the cooled chocolate and beat on high for about 2 minutes, until the frosting is smooth and fluffy.

To Assemble:

  • Place one cake layer on a cake stand or plate. Pour half of the milk chocolate buttercream on top and spread evenly with a knife or offset spatula. Add the second cake layer, and spread the remaining milk chocolate buttercream evenly over that layer. Top with the third cake layer. Frost the top and sides with the chocolate ganache.

Notes

*Buttermilk can be substituted by adding 1 and 1/2 Tablespoons of vinegar or lemon juice to a glass measuring cup, and then pouring in enough milk to the 1 and 1/2 cup measuring line.
**Make sure cake pans are at least 2.5-3 inches deep to prevent spillover. For tips on making this cake in two 9-inch pans, see update above.
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19 comments

[BLOCKED BY STBV] Triple Chocolate Mousse Torte - A baJillian Recipes May 8, 2023 - 9:01 AM

[…] for both the eyes AND the tastebuds, I went with my most FAVORITE chocolate cake recipe from my Miss Trunchbull’s Chocolate Cake post. It’s also the most popular recipe on my blog, and for good reason! I’ve never in […]

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[BLOCKED BY STBV] Miss Trunchbull's Chocolate Cake August 22, 2022 - 1:41 PM

[…] *this recipe is adapted from abajillianrecipes.com […]

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Michelle LeFevre March 23, 2018 - 5:38 AM

I knew the minute I laid eyes on the photo, I was going to have to make this gorgeous chocolate creation! I’m so glad I happened to see it, & thank you for re-creating Bruce’s cake for those of us that have watched the movie so many times, just wishing we could’ve had a bite, lol!
And by the way, may I ask where you got your fabulous cake plate? It looks as though it’s made from slate, & I love it!

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Jillian March 23, 2018 - 7:05 AM

Awww, thank you so much, Michelle! This comment truly made my day. It makes me so happy to hear from others who have fawned over that cake scene in Matilda just as much as I did. I’ve seen the movie a million baJillian times, and I’m STILL not sick of it! I’ve had that cake plate for a few years now, and I can’t for the life of me remember where I got it. I wanna say Target? It came with a piece of chalk since you can draw on it, and it’ll wash right off 🙂

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Yeni Salgado March 19, 2018 - 1:09 AM

Omg!!!! Every time I see Matilda it leaves me craving for that yummy chocolate cake and to think there are others who actually thought of this and making it a reality has made my day!!!! I’m so going to try this, thank you for the the recipe!!

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Jillian March 19, 2018 - 4:48 AM

Hi Yeni! I’m so glad I could help in providing you with the Bruce Bogtrotter experience we all fantasized about as kids (and adults). I hope you enjoy this recipe just as much I sure did 😀

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Samantha March 9, 2018 - 9:22 PM

That looks delicious I can’t wait to try it! What would the measurements be if I used brewed coffee instead of the espresso powder?

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Jillian March 11, 2018 - 3:27 AM

Hi Samantha! Just substitute the espresso powder and 1 and 1/2 cups hot water for 1 and 1/2 cups strongly-brewed coffee instead. Hope that helps 🙂

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Tracie February 4, 2018 - 5:36 PM

Can this recipe be made into cupcakes?

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Erin January 24, 2018 - 2:10 AM

Can’t get the ganache to set up so that it can be spread. Used proper measuring texhniques for the amounts. I put it in the fridge but still liquid. Any suggestions?!

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Jillian January 24, 2018 - 2:19 AM

Hmm, I’ve never had to this happen to me. Usually when I put ganache in the fridge it always sets up. I might try putting it into the freezer to speed up the process. With my ingredient amounts it should definitely set up eventually. Hope this helps, Erin!

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Ellie September 16, 2017 - 6:38 PM

This is the exact recipe I didn’t even know I needed until I found it. Matilda has been my favourite film since before I can remember and even now, at nineteen, I find myself watching it fairly regularly; it’s my ultimate ‘comfort film’. This cake definitely looks exactly like Bruce’s cake and – MY GOD – does it taste good. Thank you so much for this recipe. It’s dead easy to follow and yields fantastic results. I will definitely be making this again in the future, once I’ve recovered from the current state of chocolate overdose I’m in!

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Jillian September 17, 2017 - 2:26 AM

Awww…Ellie, thank you so much!! Matilda is indeed the ultimate comfort film. I don’t think it’s one that you can ever grow out of–I’m 29 and I still find myself watching it whenever it’s on tv even though I own it. I’m so glad the cake turned out fantastically for you, and I’m also happy to hear that it wasn’t too difficult seeing as there’s so many steps involved. Thanks again for the very kind comment 🙂

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Anita Carpenter September 10, 2017 - 8:55 PM

Just wanted to say a big thank you for this recipe. There are several recipes out there for the Trunchbull cake – this one is turning out great. I live in the mountains in CO and even with the altitude adjustments it has turned out moist. We will enjoy this tonight at my daughter’s girlfriend’s 21st birthday celebration. Thanks!

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Jillian September 11, 2017 - 6:23 PM

Thank you so much, Anita! I really appreciate your comment. It’s definitely fantastic to hear that this cake is still just as moist and delicious in other areas of the country despite the altitudes. I can’t think of a better way to celebrate a birthday than with a giant chocolate cake such as this 😉

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Mira April 11, 2017 - 12:04 AM

I’ve never left a review on anything before, but I just had to say that I made this and it was the absolute best cake I’ve ever eaten. I found I’m not really a fan of buttercream frosting in general but even so I ended up enjoying it in this and the cake itself was incredible. I love chocolate cake almost as much as I love Matilda and I’ve been searching my whole life to find the ultimate Trunchbull Cake and this is really it. Thank you so much :’)

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Jillian April 11, 2017 - 6:42 AM

Mira, thank you so much for your sweet and kindhearted words. You have no idea how happy and especially grateful it makes me feel to receive such positive feedback and genuine comments from people like you. I’m so glad and very humbled to hear that this cake was such a success, and that it was just as you imagined from the movie. Your review definitely made my day, and I’m sure my entire week 🙂

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Amy Metcalf November 1, 2016 - 2:48 PM

WOW! My eldest daughter is called Matilda, not after the book but if people ask I say it is!, and this will have to be made for her next birthday cake. Hopefully at the grand old age of 5, she will appreciate chocolate in cake form! Looks delish!xx

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Jillian November 1, 2016 - 9:54 PM

Thanks Amy! I don’t think I know any 5-yr old on this planet that doesn’t appreciate a gigantic chocolate cake, so I’m sure your little Matilda will go crazy for this one 🙂

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