When you’re young, holiday meals are all about dessert! We think the kids might be onto something here … That’s why we’ve gathered our top 10 Christmas recipes you can bake with kids. These easy and delicious desserts will have the whole family enjoying time together in the kitchen.
How to Make the Perfect Chocolate Drip Cake
Drip cakes are cakes that you decorate by dripping chocolate over the side. Their minimalist exterior is achieved with chocolate ganache, rather than ordinary cake frosting … though you can certainly top the finished product with frosting, candy, macarons or anything you like!
As you can tell, there’s an art to getting the perfect drip cake — but it’s actually easier than it looks. That’s why we’ve made a step-by-step guide to help you create your first drip cake.
Step 1: Just Chill
First, stick the cake you’re going to be decorating in the fridge to make sure it’s nice and chilled. There’s an interesting reason for this: Having a cold cake will slow the icing as it drips. If your cake is room temperature, your drips won’t turn out as planned.
Note that you’re going to start with an already frosted cake, but the frosting should be perfectly smooth—no fancy peaks or textures (yet).
Step 2: Prepare the Icing
While you wait for your cake to chill, prepare the ganache icing. Ganache is melted chocolate that’s been folded into whipped cream. This makes sure it cools down smooth but still sliceable, like the cake underneath! We’ve included a no-fail chocolate ganache recipe here:
How to Make Chocolate Ganache
Place 2 cups of HERSHEY'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips and 1 cup whipping cream in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at MEDIUM (50%) power for 30 seconds; stir. If necessary, microwave an additional 30 seconds or until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth when stirred. This makes about 2 cups of ganache.
Tip: To make a white ganache, we recommend using HERSHEY’S Premier White Baking Chips. White drip cakes are perfect for weddings or bridal showers!
Step 3: Start Your Spill
When you’re ready to start glazing, start with small spoonfuls. Slowly pour the glaze on the top of the cake near the edge, just close enough for the pool of icing to spill over the edge, but not so the entire spoonful goes down the side of the cake.
Step 4: Turn It Around
Work your way around the edge of the cake one spoonful at a time to ensure your drips fall just how you want them to. It helps to have your cake on a lazy Susan to turn it as you work.
Step 5: Take It to the Top
Now for the top of the cake. Again, spoon the icing on top of the cake a little bit at a time. Spread enough to cover the top, but not too much that it pushes the other glaze over the edge of the cake. Once your glaze is all set, decorate as you please or serve as is!
Try these backing hacks to get the perfect drip cake.
There’s something so magical about the moment your cake turns out just how you wanted. With staple Hershey ingredients and a little patience, you can master the art of the perfect chocolate drip cake. Now time to get baking! Get more baking tips and ideas from Hershey’s top bakers over in our Baking Resources.
