How to Make a Drip Cake

In this baking tutorial, I will teach you how to make a drip cake! Learn the supplies you need, how to make a drip, and tips and tricks to making the perfect drip cake!

What is a Drip Cake?

A drip cake is a style of cake decorating that involves a chocolate ganache drip down the sides of a cake. You can use a classic chocolate ganache made with semi-sweet, milk, dark chocolate, or white chocolate or you can create a colorful drip with candy melts!

Ganache Recipes

To make chocolate ganache, all you need is chocolate and heavy cream. Based on the type of chocolate you are using, there are different ratios of chocolate to cream. You can adjust the ratios based on how much ganache you need!

Chocolate drip recipe (2:1 ratio)

To make a milk chocolate, semi-sweet chocolate, or dark chocolate ganache, you only need two ingredients:

• 1 cup milk, dark, or semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup heavy cream or heavy whipping cream

White chocolate drip recipe (3:1 ratio)

To make white chocolate ganache, you will also only need two ingredients, with a slightly different ratio:

• 1 cup white chocolate chips
• 1/3 cup heavy cream or heavy whipping cream

Candy melts drip recipe (4:1 ratio)

To make a colorful drip with candy melts, you will need even less cream than with white chocolate.

• 1 cup candy melts
• 1/4 cup heavy cream or heavy whipping cream

How to make the chocolate ganache

The process for making chocolate ganache, white chocolate ganache, and candy melt ganache is the same despite the different ratios of chocolate to cream.

1. Pour chocolate chips or candy melts in a heat-proof bowl.
2. In a separate microwave-safe liquid measuring cup or bowl, heat the heavy cream in the microwave for 30 to 60 seconds until bubbling. (Don’t walk away from the microwave because it can quickly boil over).
3. Pour the hot heavy cream over the chocolate chips. Allow this mixture to sit for a minute or two to melt the chocolate.
4. Stir the chocolate/cream mixture until the chocolate is melted and the ganache is smooth.

How to make a colorful or white drip with white chocolate

If you don’t want to use candy melts, you can create colorful white chocolate drips with the addition of gel food coloring. My favorite brands of gel food color are Americolor and Chefmaster.

Do not use liquid food coloring as it can impact the consistency of the ganache.

White chocolate ganache typically has a slight yellow tint. To make a bright white chocolate ganache drip, I recommend adding a squirt or two of white gel food coloring to create an opaque white color.

Add the gel food coloring after the white chocolate is melted and the ganache is smooth. Add a drop or two at a time until you reach your desired color. Stir well until the color is well combined into the chocolate.

Methods for Creating a Drip

There are several ways to create a drip cake! Each method can create a slightly different aesthetic depending on how you use it!

1. Squeeze bottle

A squeeze bottle is my favorite way to add drips onto cakes. It is very easy to control the flow of the drips and easy to handle.

2. Piping bag

Using a piping bag is similar to using a squeeze bottle as you are able to control the location of the drips. It is a bit more difficult to control the flow of the drips like a squeeze bottle.

3. Offset spatula

Using an offset spatula creates a different type of drip aesthetic. If you are looking for a chunkier drip, an offset spatula is the way to go.

4. Spoon

If you do not have any of the above tools, you can use a spoon to apply the chocolate ganache drips. Fill the spoon with the ganache and drip down the edge of the cake.

How to Make a Drip Cake

1. Fill a squeeze bottle with the slightly warm chocolate ganache. Be sure the frosted cake is chilled before adding the drips.
2. Hold the opening of the squeeze bottle at the top edge of the cake. Squeeze the bottle gently while holding the bottle still. The longer you squeeze, the longer the drip.
3. Let off some of the pressure to slow down the flow of the ganache and move the squeeze bottle over to create the next drip.
4. Repeat this process until the entire cake has been covered in the drips.

**Remember, the longer you hold the squeeze bottle in the same area/the longer you squeeze, the longer the drips will be.

And there you have it! You will be making beautiful drip cakes in no time at all. Be sure to check out my cake recipes for my easy confetti cake, chocolate peanut butter cake, and banana split cake which were featured in this post!