Pretty and demure or technicolor bright, drip cakesare definitely having a moment. There’s such drama in a colorful drip streaking down the side of a tall layer cake — it’s no surprise they’ve become so popular at weddings and showers. And it’s surprisingly simple to create your own. You just need to bake your favorite sponge cake, get creative with the decorations… and then decide on the all-important color of your drip! We used white chocolate ganache to create the drip in this recipe, and then tinted it using Americolor gel food coloring. We chose a medley of fresh fruit and herbs for the topper, but you can choose the decorations to suit your theme and occasion.
Ingredients:
For the cake layers
- 10 1/2 ounces all-purpose flour
- 11 1/2 ounces caster sugar
- 2 ounces ground almonds
- 1 Tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 Tablespoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 7 ounces unsalted butter, cubed
- 3 large eggs
- 6 1/2 fluid ounces whole milk + 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- extra butter and flour for the cake tins
- four 6×3-inch cake tins
- greaseproof paper
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease four 6-inch cake tins. Line the bottoms with greaseproof paper, grease again, and dust with flour. Shake out any excess.
- Put the flour, sugar, ground almonds, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, and salt in a food processor fitted with a metal blade or in the bowl of a stand mixer. Pulse or mix briefly to combine.
- Add the cubed butter, and pulse or mix again until mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
- Add the eggs and mix until incorporated. You might need to scrape down the sides of the bowl to make sure everything is evenly mixed.
- Add the milk and vanilla extract and mix for 2-3 minutes until the batter is smooth. Again, scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cake tins. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean and the cakes are springy to the touch.
- Leave the cakes to cool in the tins for 10 minutes, then carefully turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- Cut any “domes” off the cakes using a serrated knife to ensure all layers are even and level.
Ingredients:
For the filling, frosting, and decorations
- 14 ounces full-fat mascarpone
- 8 1/2 fluid ounces heavy cream
- 10 1/2 ounces icing sugar
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
- 10 ounces store-bought lemon or passionfruit curd
- 3 ounces fresh blueberries
- a selection of fresh fruit such as figs, cherries, pomegranate, and blackberries to decorate
- sprigs of fresh rosemary to decorate
For the drip
- 3 1/2 ounces good quality white chocolate, finely chopped
- 3 fluid ounces heavy cream
- Americolor soft gel paste food colors
Instructions:
- Put all the mascarpone, heavy cream, icing sugar, and vanilla extract in the bowl of your stand mixer. Whisk on low speed to combine. Increase the speed to maximum and whisk for a minute. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl. Whisk again until you have firm peaks — about a minute more.
- Transfer the frosting to a large piping bag fitted with a plain round tip. Put the lemon curd in another piping bag.
- Add a little frosting on your cake stand or platter to secure the bottom cake layer. Pipe a ring of frosting around the perimeter of the cake. Pipe a ring of lemon curd on the inside, then another ring of frosting, and finally a dot of curd. Dot the curd with fresh blueberries.
- Repeat this until you’ve used all the layers. Add a large dollop of frosting on the top of the cake and use an offset spatula or pastry scraper to spread it on top of the cake in an even layer and then down the sides of the cake.
- Add more frosting to the sides of the cake as needed and use a pastry scraper to smooth it so that the layers are showing through for a naked cake effect. This is best done using a cake turntable. Chill the cake for at least 30 minutes.
- Put the white chocolate and heavy cream in a bowl and microwave in 10-second bursts until it starts to melt. Stir until completely smooth and glossy. Add a small amount of gel food coloring (or combinations of colors) until you achieve the desired shade. I used Americolor in electric pink, purple, and blue.
- Leave the ganache to cool — put in the fridge for 20 minutes if you’re in a hurry.
- Use a spoon or a squeeze bottle to add a little ganache near the edge of the top so that it drips down the sides. Test a small amount first to see how it drips down the cake so you can control the effect. Once you’re happy with it, add drips down the side of the entire cake.
- Fill the top of the cake with the ganache, starting at the center and moving outward. Chill the cake until the ganache is almost set before adding your decorations. It’s best to add any fresh fruit etc. at the last minute before you’re ready to present the cake.
- Artfully arrange fresh fruit — figs, blackberries, pomegranate seeds, and cherries — over the top of the cake. Add a few sprigs of rosemary for a rustic touch and prepare to wow your guests!
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease four six-inch cake tins. Line the bottoms with greaseproof paper, grease again, and dust with flour. Shake out any excess.
Put the flour, sugar, ground almonds, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, and salt in a food processor fitted with a metal blade or in the bowl of a stand mixer. Pulse or mix briefly to combine. Add the cubed butter and pulse or mix again until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
Add the eggs and mix until incorporated. You might need to scrape down the sides of the bowl to make sure everything is evenly mixed.
Add the milk and vanilla extract and mix for 2-3 minutes until the batter is smooth. Again, scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cake tins. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean and the cakes are springy to the touch.
Leave the cakes to cool in the tins for 10 minutes, then carefully turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Cut any “domes” off the cakes using a serrated knife to ensure all layers are even and level.
Put all the mascarpone, heavy cream, icing sugar, and vanilla extract in the bowl of your stand mixer. Whisk on low speed to combine. Increase the speed to maximum and whisk for a minute. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl. Whisk again until you have firm peaks — about a minute more.
Transfer the frosting to a large piping bag fitted with a plain round tip. Put the lemon curd in another piping bag.
Add a little frosting on your cake stand or platter to secure the bottom cake layer. Pipe a ring of frosting around the perimeter of the cake. Pipe a ring of lemon curd on the inside, then another ring of frosting, and finally a dot of curd. Dot the curd with fresh blueberries.
Repeat this until you’ve used all the layers. Add a large dollop of frosting on the top of the cake and use an offset spatula or pastry scraper to spread it on top of the cake in an even layer and then down the sides of the cake.
Add more frosting to the sides of the cake as needed, and use a pastry scraper to smooth it so that the layers are showing through for a naked cake effect. This is best done using a cake turntable. Chill the cake for at least 30 minutes.
Put the white chocolate and heavy cream in a bowl and microwave in 10-second bursts until it starts to melt. Stir until completely smooth and glossy. Add a small amount of gel food coloring (or combinations of colors) until you achieve the desired shade. I used Americolor in electric pink, purple, and blue. Leave the ganache to cool — put it in the fridge for 20 minutes if you’re in a hurry.
Use a spoon or a squeeze bottle to add a little ganache near the edge of the top so that it drips down the sides. Test a small amount first to see how it drips down the cake, so you can control the effect. Once you’re happy with it, add drips down the side of the entire cake.
Fill the top of the cake with the ganache, starting at the center and moving outward. Chill the cake until the ganache is almost set before adding your decorations. It is best to add any fresh fruit etc. at the last minute, before you’re ready to present the cake.
Artfully arrange fresh fruit — figs, blackberries, pomegranate seeds, and cherries — over the top of the cake. Add a few sprigs of rosemary for a rustic touch, and prepare to wow your guests!
The cakes can be prepared up to two days in advance and kept, well wrapped, at room temperature. Once the cake is filled, it is best consumed on the same day. Make sure you add the fruit, or any other decorations, just before you’re ready to present the cake to your guests.
Do you think there’s a drip cake in your future? Follow us on Pinterest for more wedding trends and ideas!
