Drip Cake (Simple How-To)

Drip cakes have taking the baking world by storm. They’re elegant, trendy, and surprisingly easy to make. You can make this drip cake in just four simple steps.

Desserts that are low-effort but pleasing to the eye are my favorite to make. This cake is guaranteed to impress a crowd at any special occasion with its dark chocolate ganache drips.

My chocolate lovers out there are going to love this recipe and my chocolate orange cake recipe with marshmallow frosting and our bento cake as well. There’s nothing better than a delicious chocolate cake that’s easy to make and pleasing to the eye.

And if you want something a bit more unique, our cakesicles and Dr Pepper cake (or Dr Pepper cupcakes) are also a fun option!

If you’re not a chocolate fan, you’ll love my gluten-free apple cake that’s perfect for fall. For something more light hearted, try my gluten-free lemon poppyseed cake.

Sometimes I like to spice things up and serve a non-traditional dessert like this vegan chocolate sauce & dessert nachos. However, cake recipes like this decadent chocolate drip cake are easier for a larger crowd.

What is the drip made of on a drip cake?

The drip on a drip cake is made with heavy cream and some type of chocolate. You can use white chocolate or milk chocolate for the ganache depending on flavor and color preference.

A white chocolate ganache mixed with food coloring is perfect for a fun colored drip cake. This option allows you to get more creative with cake design as well.

What’s in a drip cake?

When I said this recipe was simple, I meant it! You’ll only need three ingredients for this chocolate ganache drip cake.

Prepared cake

You’ll need one prepared cake of choice with buttercream frosting. I prefer chocolate or vanilla buttercream and recommend a 2-3 layered cake for aesthetics.

Heavy whipping cream

Heavy cream is an essential ingredient when making any ganache. It helps the ganache reach a smooth consistency that’s spreadable.

Chocolate chips

I like using chocolate chips for this recipe but you can use bright white candy melts, white chocolate chips, chopped chocolate pieces, or whatever you have on hand.

How to make a drip cake

You’re going to want to start the drip technique with a cold cake for best results. But after your cake is chilled, there’s only four easy steps.

Step 1: Heat the heavy cream for 45 seconds in the microwave using a glass bowl, until it’s just starting to bubble.

Step 2: Remove the bowl from the microwave and pour in the chocolate chips (I recommend guittard) making sure they are fully covered with the cream and let this sit for at least a minute

Step 3: Stir gently until the cream and chocolate are combined. If some of the chocolate is still not melted, you can heat the mixture again for 20 seconds, and then stir, repeated as needed in 20 second increments

Step 4: Cool the mixture cool until it is barely warm to the touch then using a spoon, gently pour a teaspoon of ganache over the edge of your chilled buttercream cake and continue until you’ve gone around the whole cake (I recommend starting slow to make sure you like the drip consistency)

Pro Tip: Do a test drip to make sure you like the consistency. For a bigger and slower drip, use cooler ganache. For a fast, drippier look, use warmer ganache.

Alternative Method

You can also use a bottle to drip the ganache instead of a spoon. This allows a bit more precision but I just love using the classic spoon method myself.

Once you’ve gone around the cakes edge, you can fill in the top with more ganache and smooth it out with a spatula. Add your favorite toppings and then serve for a major WOW factor!

Pro Tip: You can buy a store bought plain frosted cake to make this drip cake simpler for you. Whether you go homemade or store-bought, it will be great!

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Drip Cake (Simple How-To)

5 from 11 votes

Drip cakes have taking the baking world by storm. They're elegant, trendy, and surprisingly easy to make. You can make this drip cake in just four simple steps. 

Desserts that are low-effort but pleasing to the eye are my favorite to make. This cake is guaranteed to impress a crowd at any special occasion with its dark chocolate ganache drips. 

PRINT RECIPE SAVE RECIPESaved!

Course: Sweet Treats

Cuisine: American

Keyword: cake, drip

Servings: 12 slices of drip cake

Calories: 171kcal

Ingredients

• ▢ 1 prepared cake frosted with buttercream (2-3 layer recommended)

Chocolate Drip Ganache

• ▢ 1/3 cup of heavy whipping cream
• ▢ 1 cup chocolate chips

Instructions

• Chill your frosted cake in the fridge for 30 minutes or if you are on a time crunch, 10 minutes in the freezer will do (your buttercream should be firm to the touch)

Chocolate Drip Ganache

• Heat the heavy cream for 45 seconds in the microwave using a glass bowl, until it's just starting to bubble 
• Remove the bowl from the microwave and pour in the chocolate chips (I recommend guittard) making sure they are fully covered with the cream and let this sit for at least a minute
• Stir gently until the cream and chocolate are combined. If some of the chocolate is still not melted, you can heat the mixture again for 20 seconds, and then stir, repeated as needed in 20 second increments
• Cool the mixture cool until it is barely warm to the touch then using a spoon, gently pour a teaspoon of ganache over the edge of your chilled buttercream cake and continue until you've gone around the whole cake (I recommend starting slow to make sure you like the drip consistency)

Notes

Pro Tip: Do a test drip to make sure you like the consistency. For a bigger and slower drip, use cooler ganache. For a fast, drippier look, use warmer ganache.

Once you’ve gone around the cakes edge, you can fill in the top with more ganache and smooth it out with a spatula. Add your favorite toppings and then serve for a major WOW factor!

You can also use a bottle to drip the ganache instead of a spoon. This allows a bit more precision but I just love using the classic spoon method myself.

Pro Tip: You can buy a store bought plain frosted cake to make this drip cake simpler for you. Whether you go homemade or store-bought, it will be great!

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice of drip cake | Calories: 171kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 10mg | Sodium: 157mg | Potassium: 45mg | Fiber: 0.5g | Sugar: 18g | Vitamin A: 131IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 46mg | Iron: 0.3mg