• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

This Vivacious Life logo

  • Welcome
    • About the vivacious girl…
    • Privacy Policy
  • Mocktails
  • Recipes
  • Entertaining
    • Halloween
    • Thanksgiving
    • Christmas
  • Charcuterie
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Welcome
    • About the Vivacious Girl…
    • Privacy Policy
  • Mocktails
  • Recipes
  • Entertaining
    • Halloween
    • Thanksgiving
    • Christmas
  • Charcuterie
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×
    Home » Recipes » Gluten-Free Sweet Treats » Drip Cake (Simple How-To)

    Drip Cake (Simple How-To)

    August 1, 2022 By Chandice | 13 Comments | Updated August 1, 2022

    this post may contain affiliate links

    JUMP TO RECIPE
    White frosted drip cake with chocolate ganache

    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.

    chocolate drip cake using a spatula

    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.

    Subscribe to This Vivacious Life

    Receive a free e-book of Instant Pot recipes!

    White frosted drip cake with chocolate ganache

    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.

    chocolate drip cake topped with raspberries

    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.

    White frosted drip cake with chocolate ganache

    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.

    Drip Cake NEW Step-by-Step Instructions

    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)

    White frosted drip cake with chocolate ganache

    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.

    White frosted drip cake with chocolate 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!

    White frosted drip cake with chocolate ganache

    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!

    Need an EASY and delicious breakfast, lunch, dinner or dessert?
    Take a look at my Sheet Pan Meals and More!

    NEED MORE GOODNESS? Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter for great recipes, entertaining ideas and more!

    Drip Cake (Simple How-To)

    White frosted drip cake with chocolate ganache
    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

    Share:

    Filed Under: cake, Gluten-Free Sweet Treats Tagged With: cake, chocolate, drip cake

    Chandice of This Vivacious Life

    Hi, I'm Chandice!

    Parties, gatherings, gorgeous food and ESPECIALLY holidays with my people are what make my heart pitter patter. Having a place to share our favorite traditions, recipes and celebrations is very important to me. I live each day with unapologetic, authentic happiness and hope to help others do the same. More About Chandice

    FREEBIES

    Subscribe to receive a FREE e-book of Instant Pot Dinner Recipes!

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Chenée says

      August 07, 2022 at 8:55 pm

      5 stars
      So glad I found these tips! My drip cakes are going to be looking better than ever! Thank you!

      Reply
    2. Cathleen says

      August 06, 2022 at 1:30 pm

      5 stars
      This is so useful!! I love making drip cake, but I never make it look any good hahaha. Thank you so much for this!

      Reply
    3. Sharon says

      August 06, 2022 at 1:12 pm

      5 stars
      This drip cake is really fun to make. The step-by-step instructions make it easy to get the perfect effect.

      Reply
    4. Colleen says

      August 03, 2022 at 6:07 pm

      5 stars
      I didn’t know it was so easy to make a drip cake. Your instructions and tips were so helpful and my cake was a success. Thank you!

      Reply
    5. Tracy says

      August 03, 2022 at 2:18 pm

      5 stars
      Finally!! I’ve done it! I’ve been looking at these kinds of cakes on Pinterest wondering how they do it, and now I know. Great instructions and tips, my cake was Pinterest worthy!

      Reply
      • Chandice says

        August 03, 2022 at 3:26 pm

        I am so happy to hear this! 🙂

        Reply
    6. Ann says

      August 03, 2022 at 12:54 am

      5 stars
      Your pictures of dripping the frosting was very helpful. I always second guess myself on how much I should be dripping, etc.

      Reply
    7. Erica Leigh says

      August 02, 2022 at 9:48 pm

      5 stars
      This looks so delicious. I love your step by step instructions, making something that seems tricky easy! I am excited to make this drip cake again this weekend for a birthday.

      Reply
    8. Marta says

      August 02, 2022 at 8:14 pm

      5 stars
      As a pastry chef of 20 years, I commend you on writing a drip cake tutorial that is easy to follow, thorough, and well-explained. I love drip cakes when they’re done right and this is so right!

      Reply
      • Chandice says

        August 03, 2022 at 3:27 pm

        WOW, what a compliment! Thank you so much 🙂

        Reply
    9. Amanda says

      August 02, 2022 at 2:28 pm

      5 stars
      This is such a great tutorial! Thanks for all those tips — so helpful. You made it seem very simple, and my cake turned out beautifully.

      Reply
    10. Linda says

      August 02, 2022 at 2:26 pm

      5 stars
      I’ve always seen awesome-looking drip cakes and wanted to make one but it looked too hard. Now that I’ve tried your recipe I think I’ll be making them all season long! This one reminds me of my favorite black and white cookies. 🙂

      Reply
    11. Shannon says

      August 01, 2022 at 4:35 pm

      5 stars
      I’ve always wanted to try a drip cake but I thought it would be too hard. Your instructions were super helpful and I was able to make this delicious cake! And it looked good!!! Thanks for this recipe.

      Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Chandice of This Vivacious Life

    Hi there, I’m Chandice!

    I love sharing ways to live more vivaciously! Celebrate life with us through unforgettable gluten-free recipes, easy mocktails and everyday entertaining ideas…

    Read More

    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter

    Freebies

    Subscribe to receive a FREE e-book of Instant Pot Dinner Recipes!

    Seasonal Recipes & Entertaining

    What is a mocktail? Hand pouring drink ingredient into a cup.

    What is a mocktail?

    Whole30 Ranch Dressing in a glass pitcher

    Whole30 Ranch Dressing (Dairy-Free)

    Three whole30 crab cakes on a white plate

    Whole30 Gluten-Free Crab Cakes

    Featured Posts

    gluten free ramen in a white bowl

    Gluten Free Ramen (the BEST!)

    Gluten-Free Cinnamon Rolls (the BEST) on a plate

    Gluten-Free Cinnamon Rolls (The BEST & Fluffiest!)

    Gluten-free crescent rolls on a plate

    Gluten-Free Crescent Rolls (The BEST Ever!)

    Gluten-Free Mac and Cheese in a bowl

    Gluten-Free Mac and Cheese (Instant Pot)

    Grazing Table on butcher paper

    Grazing Table (Easy & Delicious!)

    Easy Tater Tot Casserole on a spoon

    Easy Tater Tot Casserole (Grandma’s Recipe)

    Check out my e-book!

    Sheet Pan Meals and More gluten-free e-book

    Gluten Free on a Budget

    Our cookbook is now available right here!

    Footer

    As seen on

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • About Me
    • Privacy Policy

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates
    • Check out my web stories

    Contact

    • Contact

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2022 This Vivacious Life