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Matilda's Chocolate Cake
Today I made...the chocolate cake from the book/movie Matilda!!
I am so excited about the photo above because I'm improving in taking photos with my iPhone.
Anyway, so the story behind this cake is that there is this school, and the principal, the Trunchbull, is a very cruel person who treats children in inhumane ways when they do something slightly wrong. In this case, Bruce Bogtrotter, a rather large boy, cannot resist secretly eating the chocolate cake that is on the Trunchbull's table.
When the Trunchbull finds out, she responds by summoning the whole school and making them watch while she forces Bruce to eat an 18-inch diameter chocolate cake made by the scrawny cook, whom she calls "cookie". Does Bruce succeed in eating it all and winning the war against the Trunchbull?
Yes, he does! And that with the help of his schoolmates, who see his courage and shout, "You can do it Brucie!"
Obviously, I can't make a gigantic 18-inch cake, but I tried recreating the style of the chocolate cake from Matilda. It is a moist chocolate cake, and the frosting makes it very rich and sweet. Though it tastes delicious I think it would have been nicer to tone down the sweetness by using 99% dark chocolate in the frosting rather than semi-sweet.
Anyway, I can't imagine a little boy even eating a chocolate cake that is 8-inch in diameter (which is the size of mine)...And much less a 18 inch one!
After I made this cake, I read the book Matilda again in a long while...But I feel reading it now is different from reading it as a child. I found myself perceiving meanings differently. Yeah...So, let's get started on the cake!
MATILDA'S CHOCOLATE CAKE (Makes one 8-inch cake)
Ingredients
For the frosting:
275ml heavy cream
250g granulated white sugar
130g semi-sweet chocolate chips
100g butter, cubed
1 tsp. vanilla extract
For the cake:
450g granulated white sugar
200g all-purpose flour
85g cocoa powder
1.5 tsp. baking powder
1.5 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
2 eggs, lightly beaten
275ml milk
135ml vegetable oil
275ml boiling water
Instructions
1. Starting with the frosting, combine cream and sugar in a large saucepan. Place over medium heat and bring it to a boil.
2. Lower the heat and let it simmer for 6 minutes. The mixture will foam up a lot.
3. Remove from heat and let cool for a minute, then stir in butter and chocolate chips until smooth.
4. Pour to another bowl and stir in vanilla. Let the frosting cool, stirring occasionally.
5. For the cake, butter and line two 8-inch cake tins.
6. In a large bowl, beat sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt on low speed until it is one brown colour.
Preheat your oven at this point to 350 degrees F.
7. Add the beaten eggs, milk and vegetable oil and beat on medium for 2 minutes.
8. Pour in the boiling water and beat on low until incorporated.
9. Divide the batter between the two pans, 650g of batter each.
10. Bake for 30-40 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean. (Check for doneness 5 minutes prior, bake about 5 minutes more when toothpick comes out with moist crumbs)
11. Unmould cakes and leave to cool.
12. The icing should now have thickened enough, if not, place it in the fridge for a few minutes. Place one cake layer onto a plate lined with parchment. Spread some frosting on it.
13. Place another cake layer on top and spread the frosting, starting from the top and working your way to the sides. Watch out as you move because the layers can slide until the frosting sets. If the frosting is melting (due to hot weather) place in the fridge for a few minutes before continuing.
14. Smooth out with the offset spatula. And...voila! The chocolate cake is done!
Note: The cake can be kept out at room temperature, but if it's a hot summer day, keep it in the fridge.
Watch me making this cake here: