Drip cakes are a cake decorating style that has taken the baking world by storm. It doesn’t seem like they’re going away anytime soon, so I thought I’d revisit my drip cake recipe!

In this post I share the different types of drip cakes I’ve made in the past, to show how versatile of a design it is. I also wanted to share how to make a drip cake!

What Are Drips Made From?

While the ways you can dress up a drip cake are limitless, the recipe is pretty much always the same. There are some recipes that use water and chocolate, or even oil and chocolate.

However, classic ganache recipes use cream and chocolate. To make the ganache drips, all you have to do is bring the heavy cream to a boil and pour it over the chocolate.

After letting it sit for a couple of minutes, the chocolate softens. Then you give the ganache a good stir until it’s smooth, and let it continue to cool.

It’s a very straightforward recipe. Making the ganache is easy. The more challenging part of drip cakes is adding the drips onto the cake.

Photo of toasting meringue on top of a lemon meringue drip cake

How Do I Add Drips To A Cake?

There are two easy ways to add drips to a cake. You can use a spoon or a plastic squirt bottle.

Some people prefer one over the other, and I recommend using whatever method you feel most comfortable with.

The Spoon Method

The first method is the spoon method. The pros are that you don’t need any special tools. I think everyone has a spoon in their kitchen!!

You simply take about a teaspoon of ganache, and carefully pour it over the edge of a chilled buttercream cake.

image of white chocolate ganache drips being added to a chilled buttercream cake to make a purple drip cake

One thing to keep in mind is that you need to scrape the bottom of your spoon against the bowl each time you get more ganache.

This will prevent rouge bits of ganache from flying off the bottom of your spoon all over your counter and cake.

The Squirt Bottle Method

The second method uses a plastic bottle. Once the ganache is made, pour it into a plastic squirt bottle. Not everyone has these on hand, but they’re pretty cheap! You can find them at Target, Walmart, or Amazon (that’s where I get mine).

Squirt bottles allow you to add a drip to a cake much more quickly. It also is a lot easier, and cleaner! If you have leftover ganache, you can simply pop the cap on your bottle and throw it in the fridge.

image of finished orange creamsicle drip cake

Leftover ganache can last in the fridge for up to a month. I have an entire shelf in my fridge door dedicated to ganache bottles.

To reuse it, just pop the bottle into the microwave and reheat it in 15-second intervals until it’s the right consistency.

While we all love techniques that make baking easier and faster, you have to be careful when it comes to ganache drips.

If you try to add drips too quickly, you can get runaway drips that end up running right off your cake board.

How Do I Get That Perfect Drip Look?

We’ve all been there. You think you’re going to make a cake with these perfect drips, but the result is far from that.

There’s a spectrum of ganache drips, and different drips can help you achieve different looks for your cakes.

There is no right or wrong here. Just drips of all shapes and sizes. We don’t judge a drip for its size or length!

Sometimes I want a chunkier drip, that’s super defined. It makes cakes feel almost cartoonish to me, and I think they’re fun. I went for this look with my pink drip cake and loved the finished look.

Other times I want thin little drips that look just like tiny raindrops coming from the sky. That’s not me being whimsical, I really did make an April showers drip cake with thin blue drips to emulate raindrops

And then there’s drip length. Should drips run all the way to the cake board? Should they vary in length, or have a uniform look? You tell me!!

I’ve done them all. I generally like drips that vary in length a bit, but there’s nothing wrong with drips that are all the same length.

Shorter drips can be great if you’re planning to add decoration around the base of the cake. Longer drips can be fun if you’re going for an over-the-top or dramatic look, like my red wine drip cake.

image of adding the wine glass to the top of a red wine chocolate cake

Tips For Adding Drips To A Cake

Whatever look you decide to make, I have two very important tips to ensure you get the look you’re after! I’ve learned the hard way on this, so please learn from my mistakes.

Tip #1: Chill Your Cake

My first tip is to only add drips to a chilled cake! I mean THOROUGHLY chilled. Your second coat of buttercream should be firm to the touch.

This can take up to 30 minutes in the fridge, or about 10 minutes in the freezer.

Chilling your cake will help your drips stay in place once they’re added, and help prevent them from running down too far.

Tip #2: Make A Test Drip

My second tip? Make a test drip. Take your ganache, and make a single drip. Let it flow and sit for a couple of minutes. See what it looks like, and how far it runs.

Are you happy with how it looks? This is your time to make changes to get it just right. Is it too thin? Did the drip run too far down the cake? Maybe you need to let your ganache cool more or melt in a bit more chocolate.

Is your drip too thick, or short? You might need to pop the ganache in the microwave for a couple of seconds (seriously, don’t heat it for more than 5 seconds). Or maybe you want to add in a tiny bit more heavy cream.

This is the point in the process where my eagerness can get the best of me, and I mess up sometimes. I think I’ve made the necessary adjustments, and dive right into adding all my drips.

But for all you know, you may have overcorrected! You may have actually heated or cooled your ganache too much.

You need to do ANOTHER test drip. I know it seems excessive but think about it. You’ve already put all this time into making a cake from scratch!

It’s worth taking the extra five minutes of test drips to make sure your ganache is the perfect temperature.

Chocolate Drip vs. White Chocolate Drip?

This drip cake recipe is made with white chocolate, which allows you to color it using gel food coloring!

I really recommend using gel food coloring instead of liquid food coloring. It allows you to get super vibrant colors, without changing the consistency of the white chocolate ganache.

But don’t worry, if you want to make a chocolate drip cake, I’ve got you covered. The process and tips shared in the post are exactly the same, but you don’t have to worry about coloring the ganache.

image of rainbow sprinkles being added to a chocolate drip cake — Chocolate Drip Cake

I like to use milk chocolate chips to make my chocolate drip recipe. However, you can also use dark chocolate if you prefer!

Additional Tips For White Chocolate Drip Cakes

Use this drip recipe on any type of buttercream cake, as long as it’s chilled.
Don’t use this colored drip recipe on fondant – it can do weird things to the fondant, and create a goopy mess.
For the white chocolate, I love using the Whole Foods mini white chocolate chips, because they melt so easily!
You can also use regular white chocolate chips, white chocolate wafers, or even a chopped-up white chocolate bar for the chocolate this recipe calls for.
The ratio of heavy cream is different if you use white candy melts. Candy melts cannot be swapped for the white chocolate in this recipe! They are not interchangeable.
Be sure you use heavy cream or heavy whipping cream! You need the high-fat content to create the right consistency in this recipe. Milk cannot be used in place of the cream.

Making This Drip Cake Recipe in Advance & Storage Tips

Make this ganache drip recipe ahead of time or save leftovers! Once it’s made, wrap the bowl with plastic wrap or cover the top of the plastic bottle and store it in the fridge for up to 3 weeks.
To use chilled ganache, heat the bottle or bowl in the microwave for 10-second intervals until it reaches the right consistency
Use leftover ganache to top cupcakes, cookies, or even ice cream!

Share Your Creations With Me!

If you try this drip cake recipe, please tag me @chelsweets and use #chelsweets so I can see your amazing creations!

Other Recipes You Might Like:

Yield: 24

Drip Cake Recipe

Name: Drip Cake Recipe
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 33 min
Total time: 1 h 33 min
Yield: 24
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 3 cups all-purpose flour (375g); 3 cups granulated sugar (600g); 2 1/2 tsp baking powder (10g); 1 tsp salt (6g); 1 cup or 2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature (226g); 2 tsp vanilla extract (8g); 1 cup egg whites or about 7 egg whites, room temperature (240g); 1 1/2 cups buttermilk, room temperature (360g); 2 Tbsp vegetable oil (28g); gel food coloring - optional; 2 cups unsalted butter, room temperature (452g); 1/2 tsp salt (3g); 1 Tbsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste (12g); 7 cups or a 2 lb. bag powdered sugar (907g); 1/4 cup heavy cream or whipping cream (60g); 1/4 cup heavy cream (60g); 1 cup white chocolate chips (175g); gel food coloring

Want to make the perfect drip cake? This drip cake recipe is super easy and walks you through everything you need to know about drip cakes!

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 33 minutes

Additional Time 45 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 33 minutes

Ingredients

Vanilla Cake Recipe

3 cups all-purpose flour (375g)
3 cups granulated sugar (600g)
2 1/2 tsp baking powder (10g)
1 tsp salt (6g)
1 cup or 2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature (226g)
2 tsp vanilla extract (8g)
1 cup egg whites or about 7 egg whites, room temperature (240g)
1 1/2 cups buttermilk, room temperature (360g)
2 Tbsp vegetable oil (28g)
gel food coloring - optional

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

2 cups unsalted butter, room temperature (452g)
1/2 tsp salt (3g)
1 Tbsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste (12g)
7 cups or a 2 lb. bag powdered sugar (907g)
1/4 cup heavy cream or whipping cream (60g)

Colorful Drip Recipe

Instructions

Vanilla Cake Layers:

Preheat the oven to 350°F / 175°C. Line three eight-inch pans or four seven-inch pans with parchment rounds, and grease with non-stick baking spray.
Mix 3 cups all-purpose flour, 3 cups sugar, 2 1/2 tsp baking powder, and 1 tsp salt in a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or hand mixer until fully combined.
Mix in 1 cup of room temperature, unsalted butter slowly into the dry ingredients on a low speed. Continue to mix until no large chunks of butter remain, and the mixture looks like moist sand.
Pour in 1 cup of egg whites and mix on low until just incorporated. Mix in 1 1/2 cups of buttermilk in two installments, at a low speed.
Add in 2 Tbsp of vegetable oil and 2 tsp of vanilla extract and mix at a low speed until fully incorporated. If you plan to color your cake layers, add in the gel food coloring with the oil and vanilla.
Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula, then beat on a medium speed for about a minute to make sure everything is properly mixed. This also helps lighten the texture of the cake layers a bit.
Divide the batter evenly between your prepared pans. I like to use a scale to make sure each pan has the same amount of batter and will bake up to the same height.
Bake for 33-35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs.
Let the pans cool for 10 minutes, then run a small offset spatula around the perimeter of the pan to separate the cake from the pan.
Place the cake layers into the freezer for 30 minutes to accelerate the cooling process. Once the layers are fully cooled, carefully flip the pans and remove the layers.
Use a serrated knife to level the tops of the layers right before you plan to assemble your cake, or you can wrap and freeze them if you're making them in advance.
If you make these cake layers in advance and freeze them, let them thaw for about 20 minutes before making your cake. The cake layers should still be slightly cold to the touch, which will make it easier to assemble your cake.

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting:

While the cake layers bake and cool, make the vanilla buttercream frosting. Beat 2 cups of butter on a medium speed for 30 seconds with a paddle attachment or hand mixer until smooth.
Mix in 1 Tbsp of vanilla extract and 1/2 tsp salt on a low speed.
Slowly mix in 7 cups of powdered sugar on a low speed. Add 1/4 cup of heavy cream halfway through to make the frosting easier to mix. Continue to mix on a low speed for a few minutes until the desired consistency is reached.
If the frosting is too thick, add additional cream (1 Tbsp at a time). If the frosting is too thin, add more powdered sugar (a quarter of a cup at a time).
If you plan to color the buttercream, add the gel food coloring once the frosting is fully made, and beat on low until it reaches the desired color.

White Chocolate Ganache Drips:

The last component to make is the white chocolate ganache! Add 1/4 cup of heavy cream to a heat-proof bowl in the microwave for 45 seconds, until it's just beginning to bubble. If you don't have a microwave you can also heat the cream in a double boiler.
Gently pour 1 cup of white chocolate chips into the heavy cream, making sure they are fully covered with cream. Let the mixture sit for 1 minute.
Stir slowly until the cream and white chocolate are combined. If some bits of chocolate are not fully melted, heat the mixture again for 15 seconds, and stir. Repeat as necessary until all the chocolate bits are fully melted and incorporated.
Then mix in the gel food coloring, if desired. Let the mixture cool until the desired viscosity is reached (barely warm to the touch). If it seems too thin or thick, you can add a touch more chocolate chips or heavy cream. The type of cream and white chocolate that you use can affect the consistency, so feel free to adjust as needed.

To Assemble The Cake:

Then it's finally time to assemble this drip cake! Stack and frost cake layers on a greaseproof cake board, using a dab of frosting to help stick the first cake layer to the board.
Add an even layer of buttercream between each cake layer with a large offset spatula.
Once the layers are stacked, spread a thin coat of frosting around the cake, to fully cover the cake layers. Smooth using a bench scraper, then chill the cake in the fridge (30 minutes) or freezer (10 minutes) until the frosting is firm to the touch.
Next, add a second, thicker layer of frosting to the cake and smooth using a bench scraper. If you're struggling to get smooth sides on your cake, I share all my tips and tricks in this smooth cake tutorial.
Chill the cake again in the fridge (30 minutes) or freezer (10 minutes) until the frosting is firm to the touch. This step is crucial because it will prevent the ganache drips from melting the frosting and it keeps the drips from running too far down the cake.
Add the drips to the cake using a plastic squirt bottle or spoon following the pictures and tips in the post above. Then decorate as desired!

Notes

Drip Cake Alternatives

Dairy-free alternative: Full-fat coconut cream (canned) can be used in place of the heavy cream in this recipe to make it dairy-free.

You can use this recipe if you want to make a chocolate drip cake.

Tips for Making the Best Drip Cake

Ingredients at room temperature mix together better! Set out any cold ingredients ahead of time.
Properly measure the flour (spoon into the cup measure, then level). Or better yet, use a kitchen scale to measure your dry ingredients.
Level the room temperature or thawed cake layers with a serrated knife to make them easier to stack.
Make sure the buttercream is the right consistency. This will help give the cake proper structure and make it easier to decorate.
Chill the cake layers in the freezer for about 20 minutes before assembling the cake. It makes them so much easier to stack and frost!
If your cake layers turn out less than perfect, read my cake troubleshooting guide to see where things might've gone awry.
Use this drip recipe on any type of buttercream cake that's been thoroughly chilled.

Don't use this drip recipe on fondant. It can do weird things to the fondant and create a goopy mess.
For the white chocolate, I love using the Whole Foods mini white chocolate chips because they melt so easily.
You can also use regular white chocolate chips, white chocolate wafers, or even a chopped-up white chocolate bar for the chocolate this recipe calls for.
The ratio of heavy cream is different if you use white candy melts. Candy melts cannot be swapped 1:1 for the white chocolate in this recipe! They are not interchangeable.
Be sure to use heavy cream or heavy whipping cream! You need the high fat content to create the right consistency in this recipe. Milk cannot be used in place of the cream.

Making This Dripping Cake in Advance and Storage Tips

I highly recommend making the components of this cake in stages. It breaks the process up and makes it so much more approachable!

The cake layers can be made in advance and frozen. They taste just as great when they're frozen as when they're fresh, I promise!

You can make the frosting ahead of time or save any leftover frosting! It can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a month or in the freezer for 3 months.

Be sure to give it a good stir once it thaws to get the consistency nice and smooth again.

Make this ganache drip recipe ahead of time or save leftovers! Once it's made, wrap the bowl with plastic wrap or cover the top of the plastic bottle and store it in the fridge for up to 3 weeks.

To use chilled ganache, heat the bottle or bowl in the microwave for 10-second intervals until it reaches the right consistency. Use leftover ganache to top cupcakes, cookies, or even ice cream!

A frosted cake can last in the fridge for a week or in the freezer for a month. The buttercream locks in the moisture and keeps the cake fresh and delicious!

If you cut into the cake and have leftovers, use any remaining frosting to cover the cut section to keep it moist and store it in the fridge for up to a week.

Nutrition Information

Yield

Serving Size

1
Amount Per Serving Calories 581Total Fat 28gSaturated Fat 17gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 10gCholesterol 68mgSodium 254mgCarbohydrates 80gFiber 0gSugar 67gProtein 4g

How To Decorate Cake With Dripping Icing | Cake Karma

Friday 22nd of March 2024

[…] If you’re looking for a tangy and flavorful option, consider using cream cheese glaze as your dripping icing. It adds a delicious twist to traditional cake […]

Chris

Friday 22nd of September 2023

can I do a metallic drip on a cake frosted with swiss buttercream?

Chelsweets

Monday 25th of September 2023

Hi Chris,

You can paint the drips once they're fully chilled and set with a mixture of luster dust and clear liquor or extract. It's a time consuming process but it works! Hope that helps, happy baking!

Jenn

Monday 7th of August 2023

Does the drop solidify once it's on? Or does it remain wet and liquid. Just wondering if I can decorate the drip cake a day ahead

Wednesday 16th of August 2023

Hi Jenn,

It does firm up once it's refrigerated, and can definitely be decorated a day ahead. Hope that helps, happy baking!

Debbie Lumpress

Wednesday 5th of July 2023

Very good information and tips, going to try.

Sunday 9th of July 2023

Thank you Debbie! I hope it turns out amazing!!! :)

Natalie

Tuesday 28th of March 2023

Can you do a white chocolate drip over a cake that has been coated in dark chocolate ganache, or does it have to be buttercream?

Sunday 2nd of April 2023

Hi Natalie,

I've never added a drip to a ganache covered cake, but as long as the ganache is chilled, I would think it should work just fine on it! If you try it, please let me know how it goes!!