Easy Chocolate Drip Cake

Description:
This Easy Chocolate Drip Cake is a rich, moist chocolate cake with layers of smooth chocolate buttercream and a decadent chocolate ganache drip. Whether for birthdays, celebrations, or any occasion that calls for a bit of indulgence, this cake is a showstopper! It’s made with simple ingredients like cocoa powder, sour cream, and coffee, which enhance the chocolate flavor, while the fluffy chocolate buttercream creates a dreamy frosting. Top it off with a dark chocolate ganache drip for a cake that looks stunning and tastes delicious.

---

Ingredients

For the Cake:

• 1 ½ cups (285g) granulated sugar
• ½ cup (118 ml) vegetable oil
• 3 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) pure vanilla extract
• ½ cup (118 ml) sour cream, room temperature
• 2 cups (280g) all-purpose flour, sifted
• ½ cup (40g) cocoa powder, sifted
• 1 tablespoon (5g) espresso powder (optional)
• 2 ½ teaspoons (9g) baking powder
• ½ teaspoon (2g) baking soda
• 1 teaspoon (5g) salt
• 1 ¼ cup (296 ml) hot brewed coffee

For the Frosting:

• 3 cups (689g) unsalted butter, cold
• 1 ½ cups (167g) cocoa powder
• 9–10 cups (1171g) powdered sugar
• 3–4 tablespoons (44–58ml) heavy whipping cream
• 1 tablespoon (15ml) pure vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt
• Chocolate sprinkles (optional)

For the Ganache Drip:

• 2 ounces (56g) dark chocolate
• 6 tablespoons (88ml) heavy whipping cream

---

Instructions

1. Prepare the Cake Layers:

• Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease and line three 8-inch round baking pans with parchment paper. If you have bake-even strips, prepare and wrap them around the pans to ensure even baking.
• Make the batter: In a large bowl, mix sugar, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla extract. Beat on medium speed until smooth and well incorporated. Add in the sour cream and beat until fully combined.
• Combine dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder (optional), baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
• Alternate additions: Add half of the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, then pour in half of the hot coffee. Mix gently just until combined. Repeat with the remaining dry ingredients and coffee, ensuring that everything is mixed evenly but do not overmix. Use a spatula to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to catch any unmixed ingredients.
• Divide and bake: Divide the batter evenly between the three pans (about 1 ⅔ cups per pan). Bake for 20-24 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through to ensure even baking. Test the cakes with a toothpick—if it comes out clean, they’re ready.
• Let the cakes cool completely before frosting.

2. Make the Chocolate Frosting:

• In a large mixing bowl, beat cold butter on medium speed until smooth. Add the cocoa powder and mix until combined.
• Gradually add the powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and cream. Start mixing on low speed, then increase to medium as the frosting thickens. Add more cream if needed to achieve your desired consistency, but the frosting should be thick enough to hold its shape when spread on the cake.

3. Assemble the Cake:

• Place the first cooled cake layer on your serving platter. Spread a generous amount of chocolate frosting on top. Repeat with the second and third layers, ensuring an even spread of frosting between each layer.
• Once all layers are stacked, use the remaining frosting to coat the outside of the cake with a smooth finish. You can use a bench scraper to smooth the sides for a polished look.

4. Prepare the Ganache Drip:

• In a small bowl, heat the heavy cream until just simmering. Pour the hot cream over the dark chocolate and let it sit for a minute. Stir until the chocolate is fully melted and the ganache is smooth.
• Let the ganache cool slightly before drizzling it over the top of the cake. Use a spoon to gently push some of the ganache over the edges to create the perfect drip effect.

5. Decorate and Serve:

• Optionally, add chocolate sprinkles or other decorations like chocolate shavings or fruit on top. Allow the cake to set in the fridge for about 30 minutes before serving to firm up the frosting and ganache.

---

Tips for the Perfect Chocolate Drip Cake:

• Use room temperature ingredients: For best results, make sure your eggs, sour cream, and butter are at room temperature. This ensures the batter and frosting blend smoothly and evenly.
• Coffee enhances the chocolate flavor: Don’t worry, you won’t taste the coffee in the cake—it simply deepens the chocolate flavor. If you don’t have coffee on hand, you can substitute with hot water.
• Don’t overbake: Be sure to test your cakes with a toothpick. Overbaking can lead to dry layers, so start checking at the 20-minute mark.
• Chill before serving: Chilling the cake after applying the ganache drip will help set the frosting and ensure neat slices when serving.

This Easy Chocolate Drip Cake is perfect for chocolate lovers and will impress at any gathering with its rich layers and elegant drip.