Chocolate Drip Cake

What Is Chocolate Drip Cake

We all know drip cakes. A tall, impressive, frosted layer cake with dramatic lines of shiny chocolate ganache drizzles down over the smooth frosting.

In the past, I shared a more simple chocolate recipe like this Chocolate Ganache Cake and this amazing Brownie cake. But this Chocolate Drip Cake is on a whole new level. A combination of fluffy chocolate sponge cake layered and frosted with chocolate whipped cream, then drizzled with glossy dark chocolate ganache drip.

This decadent chocolate drip cake is inspired by a cake I used to frost and decorate back when I worked at the bakery. I remember how frustrated I used to get when the cake would crumble as I frosted it, or when the drizzle was anything but perfect. It took me a few dozen tries, but I’m glad to report I nailed it, and now I feel confident to share all of my tricks, tips, and secrets with you.

Ingredients

Here are the ingredients we will use; the complete list, including measurements, is in the recipe card below.

• Eggs. It must be at room temperature.
• Sugar and salt. For the cake, cream and simple syrup
• Cake flour. All-purpose flour will not work for this recipe.
• Cornstarch.
• Unsweetened natural cocoa powder. For the cake and the frosting.
• Melted unsalted butter. It can be replaced with vegetable oil.
• Heavy whipping cream. For both the frosting and the ganache.
• Chopped dark chocolate. For the ganache drip.

Types of chocolate to use

For the ganache, you can use any type of chocolate: semi-sweet chocolate, milk chocolate, dark chocolate, and even white chocolate. You will need to adjust the amount of cream or chocolate accordingly. I will make a note below, and you can find a ration table in my posts about What Is Ganache and White Chocolate Ganache.

Timeline

For best results, follow my recommended timeline, and start baking the cake.

• Cake. The cake can be baked up to three weeks in advance and frozen. For a richer denser cake, bake my Chocolate Loaf Cake.
• Chocolate Whipped Cream. The whipped cream filling and the frosting are best to make when you are ready to frost and can be used up to one day before serving. Of course, you can also frost the cake with Ganache or buttercream, so follow each recipe’s instructions.
• Chocolate drip ganache. It is best when fresh, so make it last as the frosted cake chills.
• Simple Syrup. Right before filling and frosting, best when warm and the cake is cold.

Once the cake is frosted and ready to be served, it can be refrigerated for up to three days or frozen for up to 10 days in a cake dome or an airtight container.

It is best to serve when at room temperature. Make sure to refrigerate within four hours.

How To Make Chocolate Drip Cake

MAKE THE SPONGE CAKE

1. Whip the eggs, sugar, and salt on high until it triples in volume.
2. Sift together the flour, cornstarch, and cocoa powder three times.
3. Fold the dry ingredients into the egg mixture. Fold in the melted butter.
4. Divide the batter between the pans, and bake.

CHOCOLATE WHIPPED CREAM

1. Place the heavy cream, sugar, and unsweetened cocoa powder in a stand mixer bowl and whip until fluffy. The right consistency should be thick but spreadable.

MAKE THE DRIP GANACHE

1. Pour the milk into a medium pan, and set over medium heat just until it starts to simmer.
2. Remove from heat, add the chocolate into the pan, swirl the pan a few times, and let the chocolate melt for a minute or two.
3. Gently stir the chocolate with the cream using a wooden spoon until smooth.

How to decorate a cake with a ganache drip

For this step, you will need a turn table, cake spatula, cake scraper, and addition to the piping bag or squeeze bottle. Suppose you do not have any item on the list; it’s ok. Use a knife and a spoon.

• Level and layer the cakes. If your cake has any dome, use a serrated knife to level it. Then place a cake over a cake board or your serving plate and spread 3/4 cup of whipped cream. Repeat with the rest of the cakes.
• Soak the cake with simple syrup. Don’t skip this part; sponge cake is called sponge for a reason. To soak the liquids, by itself, it is slightly dry.

• Crumb Coat the cake. Spread the top and sides of the cold cake with a thin layer of frosting, then use your scraper to smooth the cream. Discard the cream residues you crape from the cake. Place the cake in the refrigerator for 30-60 minutes.
• Frost the cake. Use the remaining cream to frost the cake. Place a generous dollop of cream on the cake, and use the spatula to spread it on the top and sides. Use the cake scraper to smooth the top and sides. Place the cake back in the refrigerator for about 2 hours in the refrigerator or freezer.

• Remove the chilled cake from the refrigerator, and use a spoon, squeeze bottle, or piping bag to gently apply the chocolate ganache on the top of the cake, about 1/4 inch from the edges. The ganache has to have the perfect consistency to drip down the sides of the cake without melting the cream and drizzling too much toward the bottom.

Cake Drip Using A Spoon, A Squeeze Bottle, or A Piping Bag

You can use a spoon, a squeeze bottle, and a piping bag to apply the drizzle over the cake. Which method you use, make sure to apply the ganache about 1/4-inch from the edges of the cake.

Once you have completed the drip, drizzle the ganache at the center of the cake, then use a spoon or a small offset spatula to gently spread the ganache from the center towards the edges.

Tips For The Perfect Chocolate ganache Cake Drip

• Do not frost the cake when cold out of the fridge or freezer; it will release air as it warms to room temperature. If the cake is frosted, the air will break the frosting.
• To coat the entire cake with chocolate ganache, place the cake over a wire rack lined over a baking tray. Use a measuring cup to pour the ganache over the cake, starting with the edges and sides, then the center. Allow the ganache to set in the refrigerator before moving it to a serving plate.
• Use a glass cup facing down to do a test drip for the ganache before applying it to the cake. If it’s too thin, allow it to cool longer. If it’s too thick and does not drip down, try to warm it in the microwave for 3 seconds (no more, or it will burn and curdle). Now the cake is ready to be served, feel free to pipe some more cream on top or decorate with sprinkles.
• Do not apply more ganache over your drip; it will not bind together and look messy.
• Allow the ganache to set before slicing or moving the cake to a serving plate, and do not touch it; your fingerprints will show.
• If you are a beginner, apply the drip over a chilled cake, especially if the cake is frosted with whipped cream, like in this case. Buttercream cake is firmer, so you can easily apply the drip at room temperature.
• Serve the cake at room temperature and refrigerate it within 4 hours. The chocolate cream is suitable for up to 3 days when refrigerated. Check out my post about Stabilized whipped cream to freeze chocolate cream.

FAQ

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Print

Chocolate Drip Cake

Fluffy chocolate sponge cake filled with chocolate cream and topped with ganache drip

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 8 inch layer cake

Ingredients

Chocolate sponge cake

• 6 Large Egg, at room temperature
• 1 Cup Granulated sugar (200g)
• 2/3 Cup Cake flour (80g)
• 1/3 Cup Natural cocoa powder (35g)
• 1/2 Cup Cornstarch (55g)
• 1/4 Cup Unsalted melted butter (55g)

Chocolate cream

• 2 1/2 Cups Heavy whipping cream (600ml)
• 1/2 Cup Cocoa powder (45g)
• 1/2 Cup Granulated sugar (100g)

Simple Syrup

• 2 Cups Water (or milk) (480ml)
• 1 1/2 Cups Granulayed sugar (300g)

Chocolate Ganache

• 2/3 Cup Chopped chocolate (113g)
• 1/2 Cup Heavy cream (120ml)

Instructions

To make the sponge cake

1. Preheat oven to 350F(180C) and line two 7-inch or 8-inch pans with parchment paper.

2. Sift together the flour, cocoa powder and cornstarch three times and set a side.

3. In a large bowl, whip the eggs and sugar until triple in colume and light in color.

4. Fold the flour mixture in three parts.

5. Fold the melted butter.

6. Divide the batter between the pans and bake over the middle rack for 25 minutes.

7. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely before inverting and filling.

To Make the cream

1. Whip the cocoa powder, sugar and heavy cream until thick and holds it shape.

Chocolate Ganache

1. Bring the cream to a simmer over medium heat.

2. Remove from the heat then add the chopped chocolate into the pan. Swirl a few times to melt the chocolate.

3. Gently stir using a wooden spoon until smooth.

Assembling

1. Bring the water and sugar to a boil, then let it simmer for about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

2. Slice the cakes into two layers. (optional). Place a cake layer over a cake board, or your serving plate.

3. Soak the cake with 1/2 cup of simple syrup, then spread 1/2 cup of the filling.

4. Repeat the last two steps with the rest of the cake layers.

5. Crumb coat the cake with a thin laye of cream, then place the cake in the refrigerator for 30-40 minutes.

6. Remove from the refrigerator and frost the cake with the remaining frosting. Refrigerate for another 30 minutes.

7. Remove from the refrigerator use a spoon to drizzle the ganache about 1/4-inch away from the edges of the cake.

8. Drizzle more gaanche at the center of the cake top and gently spread it using an offset spatula.

Recipe Notes

 

• • I used Scharffen Berger Cocoa powder and Dark chocolate baking portions.
  • To coat the cake with chocolate ganache, place the cake over a wire rack lined over a baking tray. Use a measuring cup to pour the ganache over the cake, starting with the edges and sides, then the center. Allow the ganache to set in the refrigerator before moving it to a serving plate.

• • Do not apply more ganache over your drip; it will not bind together and look messy.

• • Allow the ganache to set before slicing or moving the cake to a serving plate, and do not touch it; your fingerprints will show.
  •  Serve the cake at room temperature; the cream should be refrigerated within four hours.
  • The chocolate cream is good for up to 3 days when refrigerated. 
  • Do not open the oven door mid-baking; the cake will collapse.