From Cake to Bruce to Matilda...

Matilda is a 1988 children's novel by British author Roald Dahl. It was published by Jonathan Cape. The story features Matilda Wormwood, a precocious child with an uncaring mother and father, and her time in a school run by the tyrannical headmistress Miss Trunchbull. (Wikipedia)

I have not read the novel, so I can't say which is better, the novel or the adaptation into a movie, which I have watched many times with my children. I don’t remember how we discovered it, but I was the first to watch it and then showed it to my children, and they loved it.

My husband’s niece was visiting from America some three years back. She is very choosy about what she watches, and we planned a movie night where I recommended Matilda. Popcorn was made, we sat on the mattresses, and started the movie. She was uninterested and was kind of fixated on another movie we had already watched, which none of my kids were willing to see again. However, just five minutes into Matilda, she was hooked. Her mother later told me that she watched it again so many times afterward that it became her favorite movie for the rest of the year.

Did I tell you that it's quite an old one? Yeah, a movie from 1996.

Matilda is a 1996 American fantasy comedy film co-produced and directed by Danny DeVito from a screenplay by Nicholas Kazan and Robin Swicord, based on the 1988 novel of the same name by Roald Dahl. The film stars Mara Wilson as the title character, with DeVito himself (who also served a dual role as the narrator), Rhea Perlman, Embeth Davidtz, and Pam Ferris in supporting roles. The plot centers on the titular child prodigy who develops psychokinetic abilities and uses them to deal with her disreputable family and the tyrannical principal of her school.
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I was scrolling through my images and found a picture of a box of cake in my gallery. This reminded me of the niece, the same one I mentioned earlier. While visiting Lahore this summer, she discovered an ice cream shop called Dezato. There, she found a unique ice cream and cake brownie dessert inspired by the Matilda movie character, Bruce Bogtrotter. She bought the treat and left the box at my husband's mother's place (her maternal grandmother and my husband's mother). She told her grandmother to show it to us when we visited her again and specifically asked her to recommend this cake to us.

We visited two months ago but were really pressed for time, so we couldn't give it a shot. However, it's on my to-do list for the next time we visit the town. Then, I’ll tell her how much we enjoyed the cake, which I’m sure we will, and let her know that we missed her. She’s such a sweet kiddo.

As I lay my eyes on these words again,
"Bruce, Bruce, Bruce,"

I can't help but replay the whole scene in my mind.

Bruce Bogtrotter is a major supporting character in Matilda the Musical. He is Matilda's classmate who Miss Trunchbull accuses of eating her chocolate cake. As punishment, he is forced to eat an entire chocolate cake before being sent to the Chokey.
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The scene goes like this:

This iconic scene featuring Bruce Bogtrotter unfolds on the school stage, where Bruce is forced to eat an enormous chocolate cake as punishment, in front of the whole school assembly. Miss Trunchbull, the tyrannical headmistress, accuses Bruce of stealing a slice of her cake and orders him to finish the entire cake in front of the entire school as a public humiliation.

As Bruce stands on stage, his face flushes (it's actually all red with embarrassment), but the crowd of students watches eagerly. The cake is ridiculously large, and the more he eats, the more he struggles to stomach it. At first, it seems like he might not make it, but with each bite, Bruce's determination grows. The other students begin to cheer him on, supporting him in his challenge, chanting: Bruce, Bruce, Bruce.

Despite Miss Trunchbull's taunts and the pressure of the situation, Bruce manages to finish the entire cake. He stands victorious, covered in chocolate, while the audience erupts in applause.

And the best part,

Bruce vomits on Trunchbull's shoes at the end of the scene.

Phew, it's such a relief!

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I haven’t talked here about Matilda much, who is the main protagonist of the movie. Not that I don't like her. She is a force to behold, and the actress has done such justice to her role. But whenever I think of Matilda, it's this scene for me. Also, they say it's cartoonish violence in the movie, but I don’t find it cartoonish at all. The chokey, the punishment cell... I have never seen an execution like this done better in any other movie.

So yes, this post has turned into kind of a movie review, but I’m sure you’re not reading it just for that. Also, I don’t know when I got off track, and the cake box and everything got all jinxed up. I hope you don’t mind my eccentricities... lol.

I can't think of a befitting title right now, let alone the hashtags. But of course, these can’t be ignored. So, see for yourself when I do come up with them. ;))

Last but not the least: I searched what does the name Matilda means.

Matilda, also spelled Mathilda and Mathilde, is the English form of the Germanic female name Mahthildis, which derives from the Old High German "maht" (meaning "might and strength") and "hild" (meaning "battle").
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Matilda is the Anglicized form of the Germanic feminine title Mahthildis and means "mighty in battle."
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Ever heard of this name in real life? Know anyone with it? It’s not used here due to language and cultural differences, but maybe it’s more popular where you are. If not, you could always name your niece after it or suggest it to someone! What do you think?

Ok I should stop now, before you kick me out of here ;)