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image of an adorable green drip cake that's been decorated to celebrate st. patrick's day
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4.98 from 41 ratings

Green Drip Cake Recipe

This stunning green drip cake is made with tender cake layers, homemade buttercream, and green ganache drips.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time35 minutes
Additional Time1 hour
Total Time1 hour 45 minutes
Course: Cakes
Cuisine: American
Servings: 24
Calories: 610kcal
Author: Chelsey White

Ingredients

Green Velvet Cake Recipe

  • 3 cups cake flour 360g
  • 3 cups granulated sugar 600g
  • 2 1/2 tsp baking powder 10g
  • 1 tsp fine salt 6g
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature 226g
  • 1 cup carton egg whites or 7 large egg whites, room temperature 235g
  • 1 1/2 cups buttermilk, room temperature 360g
  • 2 Tbsp vegetable or canola oil 30g
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste 4g
  • green gel food coloring

Buttercream Frosting

  • 2 cups unsalted butter, room temperature 452g
  • 1 Tbsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste 12g
  • 1 tsp fine salt 6g
  • 7 cups powdered sugar 904g
  • 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream, room temperature 60g
  • green gel food coloring

Green Drip Recipe

Recommend Tools and Equipment

Instructions

Green Velvet Cake Layers

  • Preheat oven to 350°F / 175°C. Line four, 7-inch or three 8-inch pans with parchment rounds and grease with non-stick baking spray or homemade cake pan release. I used 7-inch cake pans.
  • Mix 3 cups cake flour, 3 cups sugar, 2 1/2 tsp baking powder, and 1 tsp salt together 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. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed with a rubber spatula.
  • Then mix in 1 1/2 cups buttermilk, 2 Tbsp of vegetable oil, 1 tsp of vanilla extract, and a generous squirt of green gel food coloring on a low speed until fully incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula one more time, then beat on a medium speed for about 30 seconds to make sure everything is properly mixed together. This also helps lighten the texture of the cake layers. The batter will be thin, but don't worry! That's how it's supposed to be.
  • Divide the batter evenly between the cake pans (450g per pan if you make 4 layers, 600g per pan if you make 3 layers). Bake for 33-37 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs. Rotate the pans halfway through to help them bake evenly.
  • 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 and remove any caramelization around the sides of the layers. I also like to torte the cake layers horizontally (see picture above) to create thinner cake layers, but this is optional. You can also trim the layers, then 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 15 minutes before making the cake. The cake layers should still be slightly cold to the touch, which will make it easier to assemble the cake.

Buttercream Frosting:

  • While the cake layers bake and cool, make the buttercream frosting.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer or a large bowl, beat 2 cups of unsalted butter on a medium speed for 30 seconds with a stand mixer and paddle attachment or hand mixer until smooth.
  • Mix in 1 Tbsp of vanilla extract and 1 tsp salt on a low speed.
  • Gradually mix in 7 cups of powdered sugar and 1/4 cup of heavy cream on a low speed.
  • Continue to mix on a low speed for a few minutes until the desired consistency is reached.  If the frosting seems too thick, add in additional cream (1 Tbsp at a time). If the frosting seems too thin, add in more powdered sugar (a quarter of a cup at a time).
  • Wait to color the buttercream until we've filled and frosted the cake. Cover the buttercream flush with plastic wrap to prevent crusting, then set aside.

Assembling This Green Drip Cake:

  • Stack and frost cake layers on a greaseproof cake board or flat plate using a dab of frosting to help stick the first cake layer to the board.
  • Spread an even layer of buttercream between each cake layer with a large offset spatula.
  • Add 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 (20 minutes) or freezer (10 minutes) until the frosting is firm to the touch.
  • While the cake chills, color the remaining buttercream green with gel food coloring.
  • Cover the chilled cake with a second, thicker layer of green buttercream. Smooth using a bench scraper and offset spatula.
  • Add a green sprinkle blend around the base of the cake and gently press the sprinkles into the frosting using a small offset spatula. Chill the cake one more time in the fridge (20 minutes) or freezer (5 minutes) until the frosting is firm to the touch.
  • Place the remaining buttercream in a large piping bag fit with an open star piping tip (like a Wilton 1M). Seal the top with a rubber band or clip and set aside.

Green Ganache Drips

  • While the cake chills, make the green, white chocolate ganache.
  • Heat 1/3 cup of heavy cream in a heatproof bowl in the microwave for 45 seconds, until it's just beginning to bubble.
  • Gently pour 1 cup of white chocolate chips into the heavy cream. Make sure they are fully covered with cream. Let the mixture sit for 1 minute.
  • Stir slowly until the cream and white chocolate are combined. Some bits of chocolate may not be fully melted yet. Heat the mixture again for 20 seconds and stir. Repeat as necessary until all the white chocolate bits are fully melted and incorporated.
  • Mix in the green gel food coloring and stir until it's evenly colored. Let the mixture cool until it reaches the desired viscosity. It should be barely warm to the touch and thick.
  • 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, along with the temperature of the ganache. Feel free to adjust as needed.

Decorating This Green Drip Cake

  • Add the green drips around the top of the cake using a plastic squirt bottle or spoon. If this is your first drip cake, I recommend either reading my drip cake tutorial or watching my YouTube video on drip cakes. They both have a ton of helpful tips to make sure your drips turn out great!
  • Pour some of the leftover ganache on top of the cake and spread it around with a small offset spatula. Be careful as you push the ganache toward the edge of the cake, you don't want it to flow over and mess up your drips!
  • Once the drips are in place, chill the cake one final time in the fridge (20 minutes) or freezer (5 minutes). I promise this is the last time!! This helps the drips set and will prevent the buttercream swirls from melting on the warm ganache and sliding off the cake.
  • Pipe a ring of buttercream swirls around the top of the cake. Add more green sprinkles on top of the cake inside the buttercream swirls, then enjoy! If you're making this cake in advance, it can sit at room temperature for a few hours or be stored in the fridge for up to a week.

Video

Notes

If you need to make any substitutions or swaps in this recipe, please see the section in the post above on ingredient substitutions.

Recipe Variations

One batch of cake batter makes about 1800 grams or 10 cups. If you plan to use four circular cake pans, add 450 grams of batter into each pan. If you make 3 layers, add 600 grams to each pan.
This recipe can also be used to make a green velvet sheet cake! One batch will make 2, 9 x 13-inch cake layers that are about 1 inch tall.
Bake for 35-40 mins at 350 F / 175 C. I recommend using heating cores if you have them to help large cake layers like this bake more evenly and quickly.
You can also make one 9 x 13-inch cake layer that's about 2 inches tall, but the bake time will be 45-55 minutes at 350 F/ 175 C.

Tips for Making the Best Green Drip Cake

  • Ingredients at room temp mix together better! Set out any cold ingredients ahead of time.
  • Properly measure your flour (spoon into the cup measure, then level). Or better yet, use a kitchen scale to measure your dry ingredients.
  • Use a scale to weigh your cake pans as you fill them. It will make the cake layers bake up to the same height and bake more evenly.
  • 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.
  • You can also use regular white chocolate chips, white chocolate wafers, or even a chopped-up white chocolate bar for the white chocolate this recipe calls for.
  • Use heavy cream or heavy whipping cream! You need the high-fat content to create the right consistency in both the frosting and the ganache. Milk cannot be used in place of the cream.

Making This Green Velvet Layer Cake in Advance & Storage Tips

Make these cake layers in advance and freeze them. It breaks the process up and makes it more approachable.
You can also make the frosting can also be made ahead of time too or you can 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 up to 3 months.
Be sure to give it a good stir once it thaws to get the consistency nice and smooth again.
A frosted cake can last in the fridge for up to a week, or in the freezer for up to a month. The buttercream locks in all the moisture, keeping 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

Serving: 1 | Calories: 610kcal | Carbohydrates: 81g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 18g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 77mg | Sodium: 342mg | Sugar: 65g