One of my favorite easy things to dress up a cake is to do a chocolate ganache drip finish. Over the years, my ability to create the drip look has definitely grown, and I get tons of questions asking what my secret is. The truth is, chocolate ganache has definitely put me through the wringer before (especially white chocolate ganache, which used to be my absolute nemesis). After figuring out the perfect ratio for chocolate to heavy whipping cream and learning the do’s and dont’s of drip cakes, I’ve got it down to a science these days. And now you will too!
This chocolate ganache recipe has been my go-to forever, and it involves only two ingredients: chocolate and heavy whipping cream. There’s no need to be intimidated with this one – just bring the heavy whipping cream to a simmer, pour it over the chocolate, whisk it together until it’s uniform, and give it time to set up. The type of chocolate you use will determine the amount of heavy whipping cream to incorporate for the perfect consistency. Although semi-sweet chocolate is the most common type I use for drip cakes, I’ve listed the ratios I use for all different types of chocolate below.
Although the recipe seems straightforward enough, there are quite a few tricks to learn before mastering the art of the drip. I’ve listed out a basic step-by-step tutorial and some troubleshooting tips below, but first, here’s a detailed video to show you how to make the recipe and everything you need to know about the technique I use for drip cakes:
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Chocolate Ganache For Drip Cakes
Ingredients
- 1 cup (185g) semi-sweet or milk chocolate chips, or a bar chopped up into bits
- 1 cup (240ml) heavy whipping cream
Instructions
- Place chocolate chips into a heat resistant bowl (glass or metal). If you’re starting with a chocolate bar, chop it into small pieces until they’re about the size of chocolate chips.
- In a saucepan over medium-high heat, warm heavy whipping cream until it just starts to simmer. I always look for small bubbles forming around the edge and a soft simmer starting in the middle. When it's reached this point, pour the cream into your bowl of chocolate and let sit for about 30 seconds.
- Whisk it together until it’s uniform in consistency and there are no bits of chocolate left on your whisk. Cool ganache at room temperature for 10-20 minutes, or until the ganache itself is room temperature or slightly above.
Notes
Tips For Perfect Chocolate Ganache Drip Cakes
Tip 1: Be Patient With The Cooling Process
Once you’ve whisked the ganache together, it’s crucial to let it cool on your countertop until it’s room temperature or slightly above, about 10-20 minutes depending on how cold your environment is. Trying to speed up this process by placing ganache in the refrigerator doesn’t usually end well – I’ve found that it cools unevenly, leading to thick, globby drips.
Cooling in the fridge also leads to the urge to stir it too often. Ganache (especially white chocolate!) does not like to be stirred too often, and the end result can mean that your whipping cream starts to separate from the chocolate. You’ll know that this has happened because the ganache will look grainy and dull, or even separated like oil and water. To fix situations like these, you’ll need to reheat the ganache to 92ºF to melt the fat crystals and re-whisk to bring it back together.
Tip 2: Make Sure Your Buttercream Is Chilled
There’s a science to this tip. Since molecules move more slowly at cooler temperatures (and warp speed at higher temperatures), it makes a lot of sense that you can better control how far the chocolate ganache drips when the buttercream is chilled. Make sure that after you do your final coat of buttercream, you chill the cake in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
Tip 3: Always Do A Test Drip
When your buttercream is nice and chilled, do a test drip by letting the ganache run down the side of your cake. If it travels rapidly and pools at the bottom, your ganache is too warm. Continue to cool the ganache for another 5-10 minutes and try your test drip again. If it’s globby or doesn’t travel very far down the side of the cake, it’s too cold. Reheat the ganache in the microwave for about 10 seconds, stir, and try again. Repeat the reheating process as needed until you get the perfect consistency.
The good thing about a test drip is you’re able to see how the ganache will behave. That way you don’t have to commit until you like what you’re seeing.
Tip 4: Drip The Sides Before Filling In The Top
When I first started caking, my initial thought was to just dump ganache over the top of the cake and let it run down the sides naturally. If you’ve ever tried that before, you’ll know it doesn’t end up looking good. You’ll have a lot more control over the appearance if you start by dripping the sides until they’re aesthetically pleasing before filling in the top of the cake.
Try not to add too much ganache to the top when filling it in, because if you add any more to the drips you’ve created, it will make them travel farther than you’d like. Instead, try to use just a little ganache and spread it so that it just touches where your drips begin. The ganache on the top should self-level a bit, so don’t worry too much about getting it super smooth.
Tip 5: Don’t Touch Those Drips
If you’ve ever made a drip cake with ganache before, you’ll know that it’s a little sticky to the touch when it’s room temperature. When the drips have been refrigerated, they’re a little less fragile, but try not to touch the drips at all during the decorating or boxing-up process.
Chocolate Ganache Troubleshooting Tips
Since the consistency of your ganache is pretty much everything when it comes to a successful drip cake, I wanted to take a moment to talk about what to do if your drips are too thick or too runny. Most of the time, it doesn’t take a whole lot to bring your ganache back to ideal drip consistency. Here are some common problems and ways to solve them:
Problem 1: The drips are pooling at the bottom of the cake – this typically means your ganache is too warm, in which case I recommend to give the ganache 5-10 more minutes to cool down before attempting your next test drip on your chilled buttercream cake.
If you’ve let the ganache cool for a significant amount of time and the drips are still too runny, it means that too much liquid (heavy whipping cream) was incorporated into the recipe. To fix this problem, you’ll need to thicken the ganache with more chocolate. This will mean melting about 1-2 additional oz of chocolate in the microwave, warming the existing ganache to the same temperature as the melted chocolate, then whisking it all together before letting it cool back down to ideal drip consistency.
Problem 2: The drips are thick and gloppy – this means your ganache is too set (or too cold). To fix this, gently warm the ganache in the microwave in 5-10 second increments until it’s ideal drip consistency.
Problem 3: The ganache has split – this has never happened to me with this recipe, but if your ganache looks grainy or seized, it means that for some reason, the fat is separating from the liquid. To fix it, gently reheat the ganache in the microwave or over a double boiler to 92ºF to melt the fat crystals, then re-whisk to bring it back together.
Is there anything else you’d like to know about drip cakes? I’m certainly not an expert per se, but if you have more questions, let me know in the comments below and I’ll do my best to answer!
If I want to paint the white chocolate in gold dust how long should I let it dry before painting? Also will there be condensation if I refrigerate the cake after applying the drip and then letting the cake get rooom temp again?
Hi Nicole! I have never tried painting white chocolate ganache before, so I can’t say for sure. My hunch is that white chocolate ganache would be too sticky to paint, even after it’s been refrigerated. After researching it a little bit, I think when people paint drips metallic they’re either using melted chocolate, candy melts, or royal icing for the drips (aka something that dries hard). I’ll let you know if I ever try the technique myself. And to answer your second question, in my experience there is usually a little condensation after bringing a refrigerated cake to room temp.
If you put the cake in a thick cardboard box to refrigerate it, and then pull it out of the fridge and let it come to temp in the box, it helps with the condensation. I live in Florida so I have to do this pretty much year round. It also helps with fondant sweat etc.
That’s a great tip, Kandice!! Thank you!
Hi
I want to add decorations to the top of my cake. ..chunks of chocolate etc. How long should I leave the ganache to set before adding them?
Hi Laura! I would refrigerate the cake for 5-10 minutes after dripping to let the drip set before adding your decorations on top. Hope that helps!
I have successfully painted white chocolate drips and it was with Callebaut W2 couveture chocolate. You have to use a luster dust for chocolate to do this which than is diluted by 150 proof Vodka or whatever you want really.
I love the ratios you gave because I use couveture chocolate and those are the same ratios I generally stick too. Thank you for the info.
Awesome, Christine! Thanks for the info!
Hi did u just use white chocolate and no cream for your drip you painted gold? If so did the white chocolate set really hard or could you cut into it without it breaking ?
Thank you
If you want a white chocolate drip to be painted gold, use candy melts and let it get really hard in the fridge. Once its hard, you can paint it with DRY luster dust. Wet doesnt stick.
Thank you for the gold drip instructions, Jessica! Need to try that someday!
I have painted a white chocolate ganache gold before, I used gold dust mixed with some vodka to make it paint like consistency (you can also use water if for some reason you can’t use alcohol) after letting it sit in the fridge for quite some time the ganache is still a little sticky like said above but it is doable to paint, you just have to be very light handed and careful not to press or push to hard while painting or else you’ll make dents.. I feel like the candy melts would work much better like said above because they get hard after refrigerating, but I just wanted to let you know painting the ganache can be done, you just have to be careful with it.
what amounts do you typically use for 1 part of each? Like a cup of each? more?
Hi Katie! I usually use 1 cup of chocolate chips to 1 cup heavy whipping cream. That’s enough ganache to drip up to a 12-inch cake. Even if I’m dripping a smaller cake I like to make that amount and store the extra in an airtight container in the refrigerator, because it will last up to two weeks.
Thank you for the tutorial. I know with candy melts you can decorate the drips with sprinkles, but would it work for ganache as you mentioned it’s too sticky to touch?
Hi Ashley! I prefer chocolate ganache for sprinkle drip cakes, and I have a detailed tutorial on how to get the look with ganache here: https://sugarandsparrow.com/sprinkle-drip-cake/
I have always decorated with fondant, can you please advise how long can you decorate with the drip ahead of a party? Is it best left in room temporature or in the fridge?
Hi Lauren! The best thing about a chocolate ganache drip is you can do it ahead of time and once it’s dripped it’ll keep perfectly in the fridge until you’re ready to serve it or continue decorating. I always do the drip the night before and keep it stored in the fridge until the next step.
I have read that if you prefer decorating your cake ahead of time, like the day before the event, the ganache may appear dull or will have lost its shine by the next day. So the article suggests adding a small amount of glucose syrup so the ganache still looks fresh and brilliant the next day.
Hi Mandy! I have never had a problem with my ganache appearing dull the next day, so I’ve never tried adding glucose syrup or anything besides what’s in the recipe.
Hi Whitney,
I just did a ganache drip cake with semi-sweet chocolate, and everything went pretty well except… I did the drips first
they were fine… maybe a touch thick, but okay. When I went to do the center afterwards on top, I had a little bit of problem regarding the ganache. I didn’t have tons left. So when I went to spread it, I could see a little bit of buttercream underneath it. Perhaps, was my ganache, at that point, a little too thick because it had cooled down? can that happen when it thickens? Like even though it’s thicker its not spreading as much? ( I’m wondering because now that I’m looking at it, even though the drip seemed to stop in the right places, the drips themselves and the top looks like a thicker consistency than I would have liked.
Hi Matt! The ganache thickens as it cools and does get harder to spread evenly once cooled, so next time you can troubleshoot this by heating the ganache in the microwave in 5-10 second spurts until it’s back to slightly above room temperature. This will make it easier to drip and to spread over the top. Practice makes perfect! I’m cheering you on!
Hi Whitney,
I made black chocolate drip follow your method and it turned out really well on a whipped cream cake. But with a gelatin whipped cream, some water at the bottom of the chocolate drip came out a little bit after I put it in the fridge overnight and leave it outside for doing some creamed puff on the top of the cake.
Is it because the gelatine in the whipped cream not work well with the chocolate drip, making condensation?
Thanks so much!
Hi Tran! Was the condensation only at the bottom of the drip? I know condensation can happen when a cake goes from a super cold environment to a very hot environment, but it’s puzzling if the condensation only appeared at the bottom of the drips. I’ve never seen that happen before.
Thanks Whitney, will it dry it out by leaving a cake with buttercream layering only in the fridge?
The cake will not dry out in the fridge if it has a layer of buttercream, even if it’s a semi-naked finish. The buttercream acts as a protective barrier to keep the cake part from drying out. I refrigerate my buttercream cakes every single time after decorating and only let them come to room temperature for eating – never had problems with a dry cake.
Hi Whitney
I have a couple of questions which i hope you can help me !! Im looking to make a chocolate cake with gold drip. Can i do your ganache drip and color it with gold luster? Also what can i do to make my swiss chocolate butter cream dark but not black? im not looking for the light brown colour for my cake
thank you
Hi Dana! I’ve never done a gold ganache drip before. I think when cakers make a gold drip it’s typically melted white chocolate that’s been painted with a gold luster + vodka mixture. Applying gold luster to chocolate ganache might end up ruining the drip since it’s so soft to the touch when set. And as far as swiss chocolate buttercream.. I would try adding a little bit of brown food coloring to make it a darker color. Hope that helps!
Thank you for this! Ganache is such a tricky thing! I have a question – if I wanted to do whipped ganache, would you use the same ratios, chill in the fridge, then whip up in your mixer? Or is it different? I typically use milk chocolate if that makes a difference too 🙂
Hi Carla! For whipped ganache I use 2:3 ratio (for example, 2/3 cup whipping cream to 1 cup chocolate). That ratio works great with any true chocolate, especially milk chocolate. I usually make it ahead and store in the fridge for up to two weeks, then when I’m ready to use it I bring it back to room temperature and whip in my stand mixer with the paddle attachment.
Hi,can we use grams (weight) for measuring instead of cups? Thanks.
Hi Shahin! I am working on converting all of my recipes to the metric system. I’ll make an announcement when I’m finished. In the meantime, this ganache recipe can still be made using a 1:1 ratio in grams.
Do you have a specific type of white chocolate you like to use for the white chocolate ganache?
Hi Vicky! I use Hershey’s white chocolate chips for white chocolate ganache.
Looking at making a caramel drip over a cream cheese frosting. Any suggestions? I feel if I let the caramel cool too long it won’t flow or drip. But too warm will melt my frosting.
Hi Pam! I love doing caramel drips! Here are my tips: 1) make sure your cream cheese frosted cake has been chilled in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes (longer is better) before dripping. 2) make sure your caramel is room temperature before dripping, because it could melt the buttercream if it’s too warm. 3) I use this recipe from Sally’s Baking Addiction for caramel drips and find it to be not only easy to make, but really easy to work with: https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/homemade-salted-caramel-recipe/ 4) if you find that the caramel is too thick and won’t drip easily when it’s room temperature, try adding a few drops of water to make the consistency more runny (but be careful not to add too much water!!). That trick worked with the recipe in tip #3 quite well.
Hi Madeleine! After you pour the cream over the chocolate, the instructions state to wait 1 minute before whisking it all together, not 30 minutes. After whisking it together, I find that it takes about 30 minutes for the ganache to come to room temperature, but kitchen environments vary. I would just keep an eye on it and test the temperature every 10 minutes to see how long it will take to reach room temperature. Doing a test drip on your chilled cake always helps if you’re not sure if it has reached the right consistency. Hope that helps!
Can I use this drip on a cake frosted with stabilized whip cream?
Hi Shasta! I’ve never used the ganache on a stabilized whipped cream frosted cake, but I have seen it done beautifully before. As long as the ganache is room temperature and the frosting is cold, I’m sure it will work just fine. Let me know how it goes!
Hi. Thanks for the helpful information. I want to do a drip with candy melts (since I already happend to have some). Would I use the same ratios that you mentioned above for regular chocolate? Would the instructions change at all?
Hi Kimberly! I have only used candy melts for a drip cake once, and didn’t like the taste as much as white chocolate or the consistency (it dries much harder!) but you can totally try it to see what works for you. I would use 12 oz of candy melts, chop them into smaller bits so they melt easier, use 1/3 cup heated heavy whipping cream and follow the instructions in the recipe above. Let me know how it goes!
hi. ive done drip cake with white chocolate beFOre but when it reach the customer, the cake melt.. did i do anything wrong?
Hi Rose! At what point did the cake melt? If it was during the dripping process, the ganache was probably too warm. It’s essential to chill your cake before dripping it with room temperature ganache. Then I recommend keeping the cake in the refrigerator until you deliver it, especially if you live in a warmer climate. That way, the cake will be cold during the delivery process and the chances of it melting will be very slim.
Hi – I want to do a white chocolate drip over a lemon drizzle cake (iced with lemon buttercream). I see you’ve put a recipe tip about using 3 parts to 1 part chocolate to cream when using white. Sorry if I’m being stupid but could you possibly explain how that translates to actual measurements? I.e. how many cups/grams do I need of each? Also, I’m in the UK – is ‘heavy whipping cream’ the same as ‘double cream’?
Did you ever do your post on white chocolate ganache that you mention above?! Just wondering if I should be reading that!
Hi Helen! That’s not a silly question at all. When making white chocolate ganache, I usually use 1 Cup (185g) of white chocolate chips and 1/3 cup (79ml) of heavy whipping cream, which is the same as double cream. The steps in the above recipe will work perfectly. I haven’t yet done a specific post for white chocolate ganache drips but I definitely will in the future!
Hi, Whitney, I want to decorate my drip cake with sweets (candy), is it possible to decorate the day before? I have to travel in the car for two hours and I had thought of decorating when I got there. I will have dripped the cake the day before and left in fridge overnight. Thanks
Hi Christine! It shouldn’t be a problem to decorate your cakes with candy the day before deliver, as long as the candy you’re using is good in the fridge (chocolate, etc). The only problem I have ever had with candy melting in the fridge is with cotton candy. That’s the only thing I really recommend leaving until the last minute.
I had black candy melt into my frosting before, turning my cake grey. Sometimes I think those last details should be applied last minute.
I’ve never really used Candy Melts for drip cakes, so maybe the color runs when you use those? In my experience with Chocolate Ganache and even colored White Chocolate Ganache I have never had problems with the colors running. I hope you give ganache a try!
can I use this on a fondant drip cake??
Hi Alice! I’ve never tried the drip technique on fondant-covered cakes, so I can’t entirely recommend it. You can totally try it with fondant as long as the ganache is room temperature (so it won’t melt the fondant!) but in my experience it works best with a chilled buttercream finish.
Hi! I’m planning on doing a drip for the first time and am really excited about it! I’m glad I found your tutorial. I’m making it a day a head and wanting to put fresh raspberries on top. I plan on keeping it in the refrigerator over night. Have you ever done this? Just wondering if the raspberries will make the ganache kind of wet underneath them from the juice? TIA
Hi Andrea! I don’t think storing the cake overnight with the raspberries on top will be a problem. If you’re worried about the raspberries leaking I would drip the cake, store it overnight in the refrigerator, and add the raspberries on top the day of. The ganache will be set (not super sticky) after the refrigeration process, so if you need it to be sticky you could always add a tiny bit more ganache to the top the day of (see the recipe notes for how to store ganache overnight) and stick the raspberries on.
Hi Mandy! I have never had a problem with my ganache appearing dull the next day, so I’ve never tried adding glucose syrup or anything besides what’s in the recipe.
Hi thankyou for your post…ive tried this before (not your recipe) and found the ganach had set but not too hard. when trying to cut a slice the ganach almost lifted off the cake each time the knife went up nd down. Im assuming ganach should not set at all and stay a watery consistency? I also found dark chocolate was a little bitter. If i use milk chocolate would that stop it from setting and have a better? Last question, Would your recipe create a large amount. Or just enough for an 8 or 10″?
Thankyou in advance
Hi Haleema! To answer your questions: 1) the ganache should set and be a little bit tacky, but not watery in consistency, after you refrigerate it for about ten minutes. This process helps the drips from not traveling too far down the cake (if they were watery, they would keep dripping down the cake). What you experienced previously with ganache is considered normal. 2) You can totally use milk chocolate with the same recipe ratio as above, and it will be much sweeter than dark chocolate. I almost always use semi-sweet chocolate, but have tried milk chocolate before and it’s delicious. 3) My recipe creates about 1 cup of ganache, which is sufficient for dripping up to a 12 inch cake. I hope you try my recipe!
Hi yes ofcourse, i aim to try his in near future. I probably shouldnt of said watery consistency because ofcourse itll just keep running♀️ , i suppose im looking for a recipe where it sets but probably not as hard, that it lifts off the cake. your receipe will be just right consistency.
Many thanks
Hi Haleema! Let me know when you try this recipe. I think you’ll be happy with the results! It sets, but is still semi-soft, so it won’t lift off the cake. It definitely doesn’t set hard like a chocolate shell or anything 🙂
Hi just thought id let you know how it went. It set perfectly! Its looks and tastes great. The only downside is the quantity is way too much ill try halfing it next time. But yes very happy with results. Shame i cant post a picture.
That’s awesome, Haleema! So happy you love the drip recipe!
Hi is it possible to add gin and food colouring to the white chocolate recipe you previously mentioned, im planning on making a floating bottle gin drip cake so just wondered if its worth attempting. Thankyou
Hi Hanna! I have never tried adding alcohol to white chocolate ganache, but I know you can add it after pouring the cream over the chocolate. Make sure you decrease the amount of heavy whipping cream by however much gin you’re adding (to keep the liquid ratio the same). And then you can definitely add food coloring once all the ingredients have been incorporated and the ganache is ready to begin the cooling process.
Hello I have a question, can I fix a cake where to many drips pooled at the bottom?
Hi Susana! The only way to fix that would be to scrape the chocolate ganache off, fix the frosting, and try again. It sounds like the ganache didn’t have enough cooling time before you started dripping the cake though, so next time I would let it cool more and do a test drip to make sure it doesn’t pool at the bottom before dripping the whole cake.
Hola tengo una consulta a que te refieres con crema? Creo que en mi país nos e vende, será crema doble? Es la crema de leche batida, o chantilly? Muchas gracias
Hi Alyson! Heavy Whipping Cream is also called Double Cream (crema doble). <3
Can you share your buttercream recipe?? Thanks
Hi Muna! You’ll find my go-to vanilla buttercream recipe here: https://www.sugarandsparrow.com/vanilla-buttercream-recipe and more buttercream recipes in the recipe section of the blog.
Hi Whitney,
i was wondering how long do I wait to add sprinkles to my drips?
Hi Maria! After dripping the cake, I place it in the fridge for just five minutes to let it set up a tiny bit, then place the sprinkles. You’ll find a full tutorial for sprinkle drip cakes here: https://sugarandsparrow.com/sprinkle-drip-cake/
Hi I’m in the UK and I’ve used whipping cream, it seems fairly runny. I’ve just read the comments above and it says double. Should I redo??
Hi Sam! I use Heavy Whipping Cream for this recipe, and I believe that is called Double Cream in the UK. Not sure if the Whipping Cream over there is the same as Heavy Whipping Cream/Double Cream or not. The ganache is usually really runny when it’s hot (right after it’s made), but should become more thick as it cools to room temperature. If it’s too runny at room temperature, I would redo with a 2:3 ratio (1 cup chocolate and 2/3 cup cream). Hope that helps!
Thanks for this recipe. I used it today and results were perfect. I am not a practised Baker, but the result was perfect.
Hi Tina! That’s amazing!! I’m so happy to hear that you loved the recipe 🙂
Hi! I’m getting ready to make a 5 layer drip cake for daughters birthday. I’ve never done it before but she wants one so badly so I’m giving it a shot!
My question is about the consistency of the white chocolate ganache after refrigerating overnight. I have to transport it about 45 minutes to the venue and im afraid the ganache will be sticky or wet. Has that ever happened to you?
I’ll be using a cake board and have built a box for it so it shouldn’t move too much. I wont have the use of a microwave to apply more ganache and it will have warmed up a bit from the drive. Too risky?
Hi Joanne! In my experience, after the white chocolate ganache has been set, it shouldn’t move at all or get too sticky, even during a 45 minute transport. My best advice is to keep the cake refrigerated until right before you leave, and make sure you build the cake box in such a way that the cake sides won’t touch the sides of the box. I think you’ll be good to go as long as your ganache is nice and set. Here’s the ratio and all my tips for white chocolate ganache in case you need them: https://sugarandsparrow.com/white-chocolate-ganache-drip-recipe/
At what’s stage can I place sprinkles on the drips?
Hi Christina! After dripping the cake, place it in the refrigerator for about five minutes to let the drips set slightly, then you can place the sprinkles. Here’s a more detailed tutorial on how to create a sprinkle drip cake: https://sugarandsparrow.com/sprinkle-drip-cake/
Hi ,
You make it look so easy. Trying my first attempt with ganache. My question is I am using a whipped icing (not the white tub kind) is this a problem. I will be putting in fridge to set before attempting.
Hi Stella! I have never tried dripping a cake on whipped icing, but after a quick google search it’s totally possible. Just make sure that the icing is cold to the touch and the chocolate ganache is room temp before you drip . Here’s a great example of dripping ganache on a cake frosted with whipped cream icing: https://www.stylesweetca.com/blog/2016/1/25/chocolate-dipped-strawberry-cake-my-best-tips-for-drippy-cakes
Hi Lily, so sorry to hear about your chocolate ganache being too liquidy. While this is the ratio that works for me, it sounds like you need to try a ratio with less liquid to get better results. I would recommend trying a 2:3 ratio and use 1 cup chocolate chips to 2/3 cup heavy whipping cream next time.
Hi! Thanks for the tips! I have a question, I use Italian meringue to cover the cakes since the buttercream in Venezuela is very expensive to make, so I wanted to know if it works just as well and if you also have to put it in the refrigerator
Hi Barbara! You can totally do a chocolate ganache drip on Italian meringue as long as the buttercream is chilled first. Just follow the instructions above (no extra steps necessary) and you’ll be good! I always store my cakes in the refrigerator until about an hour before serving, but refrigerating a ganache drip cake isn’t necessary. If you’re used to leaving them out at room temp after decorating, it’ll be fine!
Great tips. I’m having such a hard time getting drips right! I think I’m perhaps too impatient, and not using quite enough cream in my ganache. Thanks for the help!
Hi Donna! It definitely takes patience, mostly getting the right ratio of cream and waiting for it to become the perfect temperature for dripping. I hope these tips help!
Hi Kevin! Sorry the 1:1 ratio didn’t work out for you. Next time I would try 1 cup of chocolate chips to 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream. I think that ratio will work perfectly for you.
Hello- I would like to have colored drips- is it possible to just decrease the amount of the heavy whipping cream? Also- some other posts state that you put the cake in the refrigerator once done decorating. I am planning to decorate the cake on a Thursday night for a Saturday party- will this be ok i the frig? Do I cover it? The cake will have buttercream frosting with your drip recipe. Thanks!
Hi Kimberly! For colored drips, I would recommend using the white chocolate ganache version of this: https://sugarandsparrow.com/white-chocolate-ganache-drip-recipe/
As far as refrigerating, I always refrigerate my cakes after dripping them and your cake should be find if you decorate on Thursday night and keep it in the fridge until about an hour before the party on Saturday. You won’t need to cover it. Good luck!
Would it matter if I used double cream rather than heavy whipping cream?
Hi Flo! Double cream and heavy whipping cream are the same thing, just called by different names. Double cream will work perfectly 🙂
Hi! I’m excited and nervous to try this method! Question: I want to add a flat fondant decoration over the ganache top after it has set (it’s going over a buttercream top). I didn’t see anything in the other comments about doing that. Will that work out? Also I have lollipops that I’ll want to stick through the ganache. Should I do that immediately, or wait til it sets -will it still be soft enough for the sticks to pierce the ganache?
Hi Jennifer! Excited for you to try this. After dripping the cake, I would recommend placing it into the refrigerator for 5-10 minutes just to let it set up, then you can place your fondant decoration over the top and insert your lollipops. After the ganache sets, it’s still soft enough to add decorations/insert cake toppers.
Hi Whitney!
I’ve been studying lots of your blog posts and am putting together my first ‘real’ cake this weekend! Is there any way to fix a ganache batch that is slightly too runny??
Hi Heather! So excited for you to make a cake this weekend! If the ganache is too runny, you can heat it back up in the microwave in 10 second spurts, stirring after each interval, until it’s hot enough to add and melt some extra chocolate chips. The only way to thicken it up is to add more chocolate.
I have just made this for my first drip cake attempt. It has come out completely perfect! THANK YOU! X
So happy it turned out for you, Natasha! And glad to hear you had a great “first drip cake” experience 🙂 happy to help!
Hi,
I really like to weigh my ingredients when baking so that I am sure to have to correct proportions. Could you please give the quantities in grams?
Thank you! 🙂
Hi Kasia! The recipe already states the gram measurements: 1 cup (185g) semi-sweet chocolate chips + 1 cup (240ml) heavy whipping cream. Enjoy!
do you put your cake in the fridge until it’s ready to serve?
Hi Molly! I do store the cake in the refrigerator until about an hour before serving. It tastes best at room temperature!
My ganache drip has cracked. It’s the second time I’ve tried it. Should i let the cake sit for a while after taking it out of the fridge before putting ganache on? It’s just recipes all say cake needs to be chilled for at least 30 mins before doing ganache drip.
Hi Angela! Sorry to hear that the ganache is cracking. Are you using the recipe I posted above? I’ve never had a problem with cracking, and it sounds like maybe the ganache is too firm (it could only crack if it dries super hard, which makes me think there’s not enough liquid in the recipe you’re using). From my experience, I always refrigerate the cake for at least 30 minutes and wait until the ganache (a 1:1 ratio like the above recipe) is slightly above room temperature before dripping. When it sets, it’s always slightly soft texture – not rock hard and not so wet that it can’t be touched.
Hi, I am picking up and refrigerating a drip cake overnight. How long can it be out for on the following day for a birthday party. I wont have access to a fridge on that day, for 3+ hours. We are transporting it to a venue from home and it will sit out until cake time.
Hi Andrea! The amount of time a cake can be left out totally depends on the temperature of the environment it’s in. If it’s an air conditioned environment (or just generally cooler), you should have absolutely no problem leaving the cake out for several hours. I always refrigerate my cakes until the very last minute before transporting, and it takes about an hour for them to reach room temp. The only time you’ll have a problem is if it’s in direct sunlight and over 80 degrees for several hours. Hopefully that’s not the case, but if it is, just make sure you refrigerate the cake until the very last second before transporting to the party.
Can you do a drip on a cake that’s covered in chantilly or mousse ?
Hi Sophia! I’ve never tried a drip with chantilly or mousse. As long as it’s stable (aka won’t shift when you drip over it like whipped cream would), I’d say give it a try.
Vert nice recipe nicole
I just did my first chocolate ( I used semi sweet chocolate chips) drip cake using your recipe and tips and it came out perfect! Thank you!
I’m so happy it came out perfect, Donna!!
Hello! After I made the ganache in your recipe, I let it cool for 40 min on my counter before refrigerating it. This afternoon when I took it out to let it warm up, it was like soup. Watery and no thickness at all. Is there a way to fix this, or would I just scrap that batch and start over?
Hi Chris! Did you warm it up in the microwave or was it runny when left out at room temperature? If it was warmed in the microwave, just give it about 5-10 minutes to cool down before dripping. If it’s runny at room temp, it means that somehow too much liquid or not enough chocolate was used in the recipe. In that case, you can always gently heat it up using a double boiler and add in a little more chocolate to thicken it up.
hi there Whiteney do you have a recipe for a simple plain cake. I am a teacher of year 9 kids and we will make a cake, use butter cream for the middle and top and then ganache. We will make cake one week, wrap and freeze, then ice and drip next week. The recipe we used this year just didnt taste fresh and was pretty dense by the time it unfroze.
Any help would be appreciated
thanks so much for all tha tyou share
Megan
Hi Megan! I do have some really easy recipes that would be perfect. My vanilla cake can be found here: https://sugarandsparrow.com/vanilla-cake-recipe/ and my chocolate cake recipe is even easier, as it’s a one-bowl cake: https://sugarandsparrow.com/chocolate-cake-recipe/ Hope that helps!
Hi!
I made your recipe with 1:1 ratio of dark chocolate (60%) and cream. The texture was perfect but now, the cake is in the fridge from 24 hours and i can see some cracks on the top and the drizzles.
What happen do you think? What I make wring?
Thank you!!!
Hi Carolanne, I just looked into why the ganache would be cracking and it sounds like chocolate with higher percentages of cocoa solids (aka dark chocolate) can end up setting harder, sometimes resulting in cracking. I was totally unaware of that! The only way to fix it is use 5-10% more heavy whipping cream in the recipe next time, to balance out the ratio. I’ll be sure to make a note of that in the recipe and so sorry that happened!
Thank you for your help and your reply!!
Hi Clementine! If the ganache seems too runny, I usually will put the bowl over a burner on low to gently heat it back up and whisk in a few more Tbsp of chocolate chips. This should thicken it to perfect consistency (after cooling it back down to room temp)
Hi!
I would love to do a ganache drip on an ice cream cake with whipped cream frosting, should I do the drip shortly after applying the whipped cream so its not to cold?
Thank you!
Hi Sofia! I would definitely chill the whipped cream frosted cake for at least 20 min before dripping the cake since ganache works best on cold surfaces.
Hi Whithey! Do you boil the cream right in a saucepan or in a bowl over a saucepan?
Kind Regards,
Thaya
Hi Thaya! I boil the cream in a small saucepan.
Hi Whitney! I was wondering if you’ve ever used this for strawberry dipping? Or would you do a 3:1 ratio like your white chocolate drop for dipping? Or just melted chocolate?
Hi Ryann! If you’re making chocolate covered strawberries, melted chocolate makes the perfect coating. If you’re just looking for a dip, this ratio of chocolate ganache will work once it has reached room temperature, but it’s not the best for coating/decorating the strawberries.
Hello loved your video and tutorial, quick question… have you every tried this with nutella? if so is the method just the same, same cooling time, ratio of ingredients? Any help would be appreciated
Hi Cheryl! I have made Nutella ganache before and love it! The recipe is here: https://sugarandsparrow.com/pretzel-nutella-cake-recipe/ and just use the same method for dripping the cake
Hi Suzanne! Sorry the drips didn’t go as planned. It definitely takes some practice and patience to get the ganache the right consistency. The ganache has to be around room temperature to ensure the drips don’t travel too far. If you find that the ganache is too runny at room temp next time, a good way to troubleshoot is to gently reheat the ganache and add about a Tbsp more chocolate chips to thicken it up a little.
Hi, I want to write happy birthday on my cake that has already been frosted. Do I write it after I’ve applied the gnache and it has been chilled or before?
Hi Ify! I would chill the cake after applying the ganache, then write happy birthday on it once the ganache has set (10 min in the refrigerator should do the trick).
Hello.. are the ratios by weight? For eg: 180gms choc and 180gms of cream? It’s easy to put to little choc in a cup due to gaps.
Thanks
Amy
Hi Amy! The ratios are not by weight since the weight of chocolate differs from the weight of heavy whipping cream. Instead, the ratios are by mass. I do provide the gram/ml measurements in the recipe though!
Can I use it over boiled icing frosting?
Hi Anne! I’m sure you could, as long as you follow the instructions for chilling the frosted cake before dripping with room temperature ganache. Let me know if you try it!
Can i do a chocolate drip on a cream cheese frosted cake? The cream cheese is very soft
Hi Mily, as long as the frosting gets firm after chilling it in the refrigerator for 20-30 minutes, you should totally be able to drip it with this ganache!
If I’m putting sprinkles on the ganache drip should I refrigerate the cake first and then add sprinkles?
Hi Olivia! After dripping the cake, you should refrigerate it for about five minutes just to let it set a little bit before adding the sprinkles. I do have a full tutorial for creating a sprinkle drip cake with all my tips here: https://sugarandsparrow.com/sprinkle-drip-cake/
Hi! I’m going to try this for the first time but I can’t find double cream or heavy whipping cream anywhere, can I use whipping cream instead? What would the ratio be for that?
Thanks
Hi Alishba! I’ve never tried making ganache with whipping cream before, so I’m not entirely sure how it will differ from ganache made with heavy whipping cream. After a quick Google search, it looks like the higher the fat content of your liquid in a ganache, the more stable the end result will be. That said, you can certainly try whipping cream but it may not set up properly. The only way to know for sure is to try it, and if you do, let me know how it goes!
Do you know if it’s possible to add a flavoring to the ganache? It seems to me that it might be more workable with an oil-based flavoring than with an alcohol- or water-based one, but I’m curious as to whether you’ve tried any of those. I’d like a touch of nutmeg essential oil in my white ganache, to use over an eggnog cake–but obviously not if it’s going to ruin the ganache.
Hi Sonja! I’ve never tried flavoring ganache with a water or oil-based additive, but after a quick Google search it looks like people flavor ganache with essential oils all the time! I’d say go for it! And let me know how it goes, cause now I’m curious 🙂
Test completed! I made a simple two-layer eggnog cake, filled and crumb-coated with buttercream flavored with rum. I then used your White Chocolate Ganache recipe with one dropperful of nutmeg essential oil. The consistency was lovely–the ganache didn’t separate or break or act “weird” in any way. Your drip technique worked beautifully. Thanks for your recipes, tutorials, and input!
Yay, Sonja!! I bet that ganache (and entire cake) tasted amaaazing! Thanks so much for taking the time to let me know how it went, I am going to have to try using essential oils to flavor ganache some time!
Hey! I want to add some chocolates on top of the cake. Could you tell me if I have to let it set in the fridge, or can I just add them as soon as its done. Thanks
Hi Alishba! By “chocolates” do you mean chocolate candies or pieces of chocolates? If so they should be fine to add on top of the cake as a final step in your decorating process. The only reason you would need to refrigerate is if your environment is warm enough to melt the chocolates. Or if by “chocolates” you mean a chocolate ganache drip (as shown in this tutorial) I would advise to follow every step in this tutorial above, including refrigerating the drip at the end for at least 10 min to let it set up before continuing in the decorating process.
Fantastic info thanks, when you have applied the drip to the chilled cake, would you chill it again after or sit out on the counter. If you don’t chill it what do you do in warm weather?
Hi Helen! Refrigerating after dripping the cake isn’t necessary, but I like to pop it in the fridge for about 5-10 minutes to let it set up before adding more decorations to the top. And for warm weather, I like to keep the cake in the fridge until about an hour before serving just to decrease any chances of buttercream melting, etc. Hope that helps!
Could I do this on an ice cream cake with whipped cream frosting?
Hi Suzanne! Although I’ve never tried that before, I’m sure that would work just fine as long as you’re using stabilized whipped cream frosting.
Will the ganache work ok if dripping on to an ice cream cake?
Hi Michelle! I’ve never tried this technique on an ice cream cake, but I’m sure it would work!
Hi! If I want to add decorations (like chocolate pieces and piping), on top of the cake after doing the drip, should i wait till it has set or do it straight away?
Hi Ellie! Definitely pop the cake in the refrigerator for at least five minutes before continuing on with the decorating process. You’ll want that ganache nice and set so the rest of the decorations don’t go sliding off. Hope that helps!
Hola Whitney! Encantada con tus recetas, solamente no sé si me pudieras compartir que marcas de chocolate utilizas tanto obscuro como blanco, por que yo he probado con Turin y no gotea muy bien, no me gusta el resultado, espero me puedas compartir tus marcas por favor, gracias!
¡Hola Marilyn! Por lo general, uso chips de chocolate blanco o negro de la marca Nestlé, Ghiradelli o genéricos de la tienda y los tres han funcionado perfectamente con esta receta y técnica. ¡Espero que ayude!
Hi Whitney!
Love the recipe. Going to be trying it today with ghardelli chocolate chips. Can I pour it directly over this cake https://temeculablogs.com/instant-pot-chocolate-cake/ after it cools? Or do I have wait 30min for the ganache to set?
Hi Anisha! I would wait until it thickens and cools to just above room temp, about 10-20 minutes. Otherwise it will be too watery and will just soak right into the cake. Enjoy!
Hi. Can I replace heavy cream with Fino whip?
Hi Bono! I’ve never heard of Fino whip before, and I’m not sure that it will have enough fat content to stabilize the ganache. You are certainly welcome to try it though!
Hi! I’m so excited to try this! I ALWAYS struggle with drips. Which tip do you use for the frosting on top of the cake? Thank you!
Yay, Samantha! Excited for you to try this too! For the swirls on top, I used Wilton Tip 4B
Just did a drip choc. For my daughters seventh bday this weekend based on your pic with the drip choc, teal frosting, and sprinkles. Thanks to your videos and tricks, it came out wonderful. Love making my own cakes for my kids. Btw – the same cake was going to cost me $168 – thanks but no thanks. My daughter loved it.
That’s amazing, Brittany! So happy the videos were helpful and you were able to make your daughter a pretty birthday cake!! That totally makes my day.
Frosting trick: before I started piping my swirls on the top of my cake I did a few practice runs on parchment paper and realized my cream was to warm. Therefore I kept adding in 1T of powdered sugar until consistency was thick enough to hold my piping. Worked great.
Yes – perfect way to troubleshoot that!
Whitney, you are a cake genius. Thankyou, thankyou, thankyou!
Aw thank you, Sylvia!
Can this be used for a tiered cake covering top and drips down sides and do you put anything between the tiers
Hi Peggy! This can certainly be used for a tiered cake! You can either drip the tiers separately and let them set before stacking them, or assemble the tiered cake and drip them at that point.
Thank you
Used this recipe for the dark chocolate drip and it was amazing! No cracking, dripped like a dream and the cake looked amazing.
Thanks for all your amazing recipes! You are always my go to.
Yay, Nicola! So happy to hear that!!
Would I be able to refrigerate and then use is to fill and frost my cake?
Yes! The storage instructions are in the notes section of the recipe 🙂
Hi there, would ganache drip work over top of a ganache icing, so two layers of ganache?
Hi Bex! As long as the ganache frosting layer is nice and chilled, this method will work beautifully!
Hi Whitney
I’m wondering if you can post the recipe for the cake above? The lavender cake with the sprinkles on the bottom and the ganache drips. And what kind of sprinkles did you use? Thank you Gina
Hi Gina! You could really use any cake recipe and light colored buttercream to get this look, but the cake above is a vanilla cake with vanilla buttercream. You can find the recipe for my Vanilla Cake here: https://sugarandsparrow.com/vanilla-cake-recipe/ and my Vanilla Buttercream here: https://sugarandsparrow.com/vanilla-buttercream-recipe/. I used AmeriColor Fuschia mixed with Regal Purple to get the color shown and here is a tutorial for how to apply sprinkles to the cake: https://sugarandsparrow.com/decorating-cakes-with-sprinkles/
Hi, where did you buy your purple sprinkles please?
Thanks,
Andrea
Hi Andrea! This sprinkle mix was actually just a bunch of sprinkles I had left over that looked good together. If I remember correctly, it was these “Hey Sugar” sprinkles by Sprinkle Pop: https://amzn.to/3otH8bT + these Sweet Tooth Fairy purple sprinkles: https://amzn.to/2Mh5VD1
Hi
The colour on the purple cake is so vibrant. What gel colour did you use to tint the buttercream? Also what sprinkles did you use on the purple cake?
Hi Suniva! I used AmeriColor “Electric Purple” (https://amzn.to/3kGkc8V) for the vibrant purple color on this cake. And for the sprinkles, I actually just mixed a few different blends I had on hand: SprinklePop “Hey Sugar” (https://amzn.to/3kE8mMI) + Sweet Tooth Fairy “Purple” (https://amzn.to/3sLyDM6). Hope that helps!
Hi! I’ve done drips before and they’ve been fine but the last couple of times I’ve got like a “double drip” if you get what I mean? I don’t know what I’m doing differently. What do you think could be causing it?
Thanks
Hi Bethan! So happy you love this recipe! If you’re getting a “double drip” where there’s a drip that wants to form on top of another drip, then the ganache is just ever so slightly too cool/thick. It needs to be just a hint warmer to prevent that from happening. Hope that helps!
Hi ,
Can I do this dripping on fondant cake?
Thanks
Hi Mina! I’ve never tried dripping a fondant cake before, so I’m not entirely sure. I have heard of people dripping fondant cakes with royal icing, but I’m just not sure if it works with ganache. I would do some research to see if it’s been done before!
Ola, gostaria de saber se posso usar essa foto do bolo que foi feito para fazer cartao de visita. Tenho sua permissao
Hi!
I’m going to attempt a semi naked cake with a ganache drip based on your tutorial. If I prepare the cake the night before and do the drip, can I cling wrap it, once I let the drips set? I’m worried about the cake absorbing other smells but I don’t think I have an air tight container tall enough.
Thanks!
Hi Michelle! I wouldn’t cling wrap it just because it might mess up the ganache drips. Instead, just make sure there isn’t any strong smelling food in your refrigerator and if there is, put that food in an airtight container. It takes a lot of time in the refrigerator to absorb scent so I think you’ll be totally fine overnight.
Hi am going to finish my moist choco cake with tis drip
Thanks a lot
Yay, Rey! Enjoy!
Have you ever painted your drips?
I haven’t! But I have seen it done with this recipe before. Not quite sure what they used to paint though so it would take a little research and experimenting.
Hello, I just made your ganache for the chocolate drips, and I put it in the fridge overnight to use later. The chocolate didn’t set hard. I’m still able to swirl it in the bowl. Is this normal? Or should I put it over with double boiler and add more chocolate ?
Thanks!
Hi Shelley! The ganache will still be mixable at room temperature, but should set to the consistency of peanut butter in the refrigerator. Hope that helps!
Ok thank you! I ended up adding a bit more chocolate to get that peanut butter consistency 🙂 very happy with the results!
Hi…
I am planning to make ganache, and also planning to use it for whipped frosting…..so in the case of whipped ganache we have to take same measurement, just change the ratio of cream to 2/3 of the given measurement… kindly confirm if I am getting this right. Also, if we plan to store ganache more than 2 weeks, should we keep it in freezer and for how long can we keep it.
Hi Reshma! For the whipped ganache, I use a 2:3 ratio (for example, 2/3 cup whipping cream to 1 cup chocolate). You’ll let the ganache cool completely until it’s peanut butter consistency and then whip it with your stand mixer to create a frosting texture. I’ve never tried freezing ganache before but I read online that you can freeze ganache for up to 3 months. Hope that helps!
Beautiful cake!! Would this amount be enough for a 10″ round cake?
Hi Abby! Yes, it would be more than enough for dripping a 10 inch round. Enjoy!
I’m doing your ganache drip this week… would putting the ganache in a plastic bottle with a nozzle work or a pastry bag? Or is the spoon the best?
I love using either a spoon or the piping bag! I’ve never tried a plastic bottle before, but I know some bakers who swear by it. My advice would be to do the test drip with a spoon and if the consistency looks good, keep dripping with the spoon or transfer the ganache to a piping bag for piping the rest of the drips. Hope that helps!
How can i make the cake from your foto? it is purple and looks lovely! Please could you send me the link to the recipe of cake, buttercream frosting, purple colour buttercream recipe? I really want to make the cake exactly as on the pic 🙂
Greetings from the Netherlands!
Karem
Hi Karem! Here are the links to make the cake in this photo. The cake is vanilla (but any of my cake recipes will work for the cake part): https://sugarandsparrow.com/vanilla-cake-recipe/ the buttercream is vanilla: https://sugarandsparrow.com/vanilla-buttercream-recipe/ and I used AmeriColor Electric Purple for the color: https://amzn.to/3zrpAFE
I only make cakes for my daughter and a friend but my neighbor asked if I’d make her one but she wanted the drip. I was so worried and watched so many tutorials and looked at so many recipes. I followed yours to a T and it came out perfect!!!! Thank you so much for making it so easy! The video was a huge help!
Yay, Tracie! I’m so glad that this tutorial helped! Congratulations on nailing the drip!
I have waited about 40mins and the ganache is so running almost like a hot chocolate and I followed the recipe exactly how it should be. Any tips on how to thicken it or tips for next time?
Hi Brittany! It sounds like you ended up with too much liquid in the chocolate, but it’s an easy fix! Heat the mixture back up either in a saucepan, microwave, or double boiler and add 1-2 Tablespoons of chocolate chips. Whisk until the chocolate chips have melted completely, then cool back to room temp. It will thicken as it cools.
Hello,
If I make this recipe and once the drips is done on the cake, can I able put them in fridge and it’s won’t get hard? It’s will be nice soft Chocolate Ganache?
Thank you
Hi Lisa! I refrigerate my drip cakes all the time. The ganache will set, but will still be soft.
I just wanted to tell you that your clear instructions and tips were perfect! I followed everything you suggested and my first ganache drip was a huge success! I was so worried my first drip would turn out messy and it was the exact opposite thanks to your recipe.
Hi Elizabeth! I am so happy to hear that!! Truly makes my day that the drip worked out perfectly on your first try 🙂 thanks for letting me know, I’m so proud of you!
when warm and mousse-like at room temperature. While warm