Drip cakes are whimsical, alluring and luxurious. Rising to popularity around 2016, they’re now a trend at the forefront of social media and show no signs of slowing down. With just a little bit of chocolate ganache, you can easily transform a plain cake into one with fun, beautiful drips. It does take a bit of technique, so we’ve rounded up our best tips as well as our favourite drip cake ideas for beginners and beyond!
What is a ‘Drip Cake’?
Drip cakes are a style of cake decorating where ganache drips are added to a frosted cake. The drips start at the top of the cake and trickle down the side. The drips can be chunky and goopier for a more whimsical look or more thin and delicate depending on the aesthetic you have in mind. Taller cakes make for a great foundation for drip cakes since the drips will look longer and more effective.
5 Drip Cake Essentials to Invest In
1. Piping bag
2. Squeeze bottle
3. Palette knife
4. Cake stand
5. Gel food colouring
How to Make a Drip Cake: 6 Tips for Beginners
1. Bake a Layered Cake
Before adding the dripping effect, you’ll need a good foundation and a layered cake works best for a drip cake. A taller cake adds more drama to the dripping effect, making it look that much more impressive. Three layers is a good place to start for beginners, but you can go up from there! Once the cake layers are baked, make sure to level them off so each has a flat top before layering.
2. Assemble the Cake
Place buttercream in between each layer with a round nozzle piping bag to create an even layer of buttercream. This helps keep the cake level and ensures it looks nice when you cut into it. Another trick is to flip the cake over so the bottom becomes the top once you’ve added the final layer. This will ensure the cake has a nice flat top. Smooth the buttercream all over the cake to create a nice, even layer. Chill the cake in the fridge for 30 minutes before adding the drip.
3. Use the Right Chocolate
Chocolate is the most common type of drip, so it’s a good place to start for beginners. Dark chocolate is the easiest to work with, while white chocolate and milk chocolate contain extra milk so are more difficult to work with. Dark chocolate between 50-60% cocoa seems to provide the best results.
4. Make Your Chocolate Drip
Create a ganache using equal parts dark chocolate and double cream (48% fat cream). For an 8” round cake, you’ll need about 65 grams to create the drips and cover the top of the cake. Heat the cream and chocolate together in the microwave for 20 seconds, stir, then heat for 10 seconds, then stir. Continue to heat for 10 seconds and stopping to stir until it’s melted. Let it sit to cool for 5 minutes before applying it to the cake. If you use white chocolate, it will take longer to melt, but can be coloured with gel food colouring or painted gold if that’s the look you’re going for.
5. Create Your Drips
You can either use a piping bag, squeeze bottle or spoon to add the chocolate drips to your cake. A spoon is probably the most difficult, and while piping bags work well, squeeze bottles are a more sustainable option since they can be washed and reused. After creating your drips, cover the top of the cake with the rest of the ganache and smooth it out using a palette knife. The quicker you do this, the smoother the finish will be.
6. Test Your Drips First
Do a practice drip before going full force on your drip cake. If it slides right down to the bottom, it means your ganache is too warm, so give it more time to cool. If it globs up or doesn’t drip down as far as you were hoping, reheat the ganache slightly in the microwave (no more than 10 seconds), give it a stir and try again.
30 Drip Cake Ideas for Beginners
1. Chocolate Drip Cake | Life, Love and Sugar
2. White Chocolate Ganache Drip Cake | Sugar and Sparrow
3. Pink Drip Cake | Chelsweets
4. Birthday Cake Chocolate Drip Cake | Unpeeled Journal
5. Naked Drip Cake with Strawberries and Cream | Taste
6. Raindrop Drip Cake | Gusto TV
7. The Perfect White Chocolate Ganache Drip Cake | Anges de Sucre
8. April Showers Drip Cake | Chelsweets
9. Chocolate Strawberry Drip Cake | Style Sweet
10. Confetti Birthday Drip Cake | Taste of Home
11. Chocolate Mint Forest Naked Cake | Taste
12. Fugdey Mud Cake with Purple Drip Glaze | Sweetly Cakes
13. Banana Split Layer Cake | My Cake School
14. Funfetti Cake with Pink Drips | Preppy Kitchen
15. Choc-Hazelnut Drip Cake | Taste
16. Raspberry Blood Orange Drip Cake | The Cake Blog
17. 6-Layer Neapolitan Macaron Delight Cake | Sweetapolita
18. Chocolate Covered Strawberry Drip Cake | Sugar Hero
19. Lemon, Almond and Raspberry Layer Cake | The Brick Kitchen
20. Chocolate and Meringue Cream Layer Cake | Taste
21. Ganache Glazed Chocolate Cake | Flour Arrangements
22. Vanilla Bean Drip Cake with Macarons, Marshmallows and Meringues | Fork to Belly
23. Drip Cake with Candy Melts | Wilton Blog
24. St.Patrick’s Day Drip Cake | Sprinkles for Breakfast
25. Drip Cake with Canned Frosting | Rose Bakes
26. Layered Confetti Drip Cake | The Baking Fairy
27. S’mores Drip Cake | Food
28. Pink Ombre Drip Layer Cake | Imperial Sugar
29. Chocolate Peanut Butter Drip Cake | I Say Nomato
30. Pink Lemonade Drip Cake | Dr. Oetker
Drip cakes are a gorgeous way to make a statement with your dessert. Whether you’re hosting an engagement party, birthday, or bridal shower, drip cakes are an incredibly beautiful way to celebrate.
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