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Layered Birthday Drippy Cake Recipe!

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classic yellow cake with chocolate frosting recipe - coco cake land

pink drippy cake - coco cake land

YAY for cake – and EXTRA BIG FULL CAPS YAY for the release of my sweet pal Tessa’s Layered cake book! Tessa is the creative force and pastry chef behind Style Sweet Ca – and her new cake book is exactly what I imagined it would be! Full of beautifully styled, DROOL-INDUCING photographs and packed with thoughtful and creative flavour combinations – there is an inherent Martha-like trust in which bakers put into Tessa and her recipes, and for good reason. The book feels meticulous, stylish and professional, with plenty of tips, tricks and options for frosting and styling your cakes for maximum wow factor.

pink drippy cake recipe - coco cake land

I admire Tessa so much for not only her cake making mastery and prowess, but also her creativity in coming up with unique flavour combinations (riesling rhubarb crisp cake! blood orange thyme cake! pink peppercorn cherry cake!) and her eye for styling – her cakes always looks modern, polished and screen-licking-delicious! Not only is Tessa immensely talented, but she is a kind, sweet and thoughtful friend! I think this book will really become a cake bible for many – I am so excited to recommend it!

Layered cookbook release

pink drippy cake recipe - coco cake land

To celebrate the release of Layered, I made Tessa’s classic birthday cake – a rich yellow cake with a fine crumb iced with a chocolate fudge frosting. I added pink drippy chocolate ganache, piped vanilla bean buttercream dollops and teensy crispy gold chocolate pearls! I made a three layer cake using three 8 x 2 inch round pans – I know not everyone has three cake pans lying around, so you can certainly bake the cake in two pans, you’ll just need to halve the layers to create four layers. Make sure your cake layers are completely cooled before you halve them! 

slice of birthday cake

pink drippy cake recipe - coco cake land

The key to the drippy cake recipe – apply the drips first with a small spoon, then add additional (still spreadable) ganache to the rest of the top of the cake, using an offset spatula to gently coax the ganache to the edges without dripping down. (Some people apply the drips using a piping bag or squeeze bottle).  I found also that “less is more” when applying the drips. The drip all depends on the consistency of the ganache – you want it to be cooled down, but still drip-able. I found that after making my ganache on the stovetop, a power-chill in the freezer fro 15 minutes was enough to set it to a more slower-dripping consistency. Still, apply the drips by the 1/4 teaspoon for better control over the drips.

pink drippy ganache chocolate cake - coco cake land

YAY Tessa!!!

pink drippy chocolate cake

classic yellow cake with chocolate frosting recipe - coco cake land
Print Recipe

Classic Yellow Cake with Chocolate Fudge Frosting (and pink chocolate ganache drip!)

By: Lyndsay // Coco Cake Land
Makes: 12 slices

ingredients

For the cake

  • Butter or nonstick cooking spray, for the pans (I also used parchment paper cut into rounds)
  • 3 1/4 cups 425 g cake flour, plus more for the pans
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup (3 sticks/225 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 2 cups 400 g granulated sugar
  • 6 large egg yolks
  • 1 1/2 cups 360 ml whole milk

For the fudge frosting

  • 1 1/2 cups 3 sticks / 340 g unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 5 1/2 cups 690 g confectioners' sugar, sifted
  • 1/2 cup 50 g unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 cup 60 ml heavy cream or whole milk
  • 8 ounces 225 g semisweet chocolate, melted and cooled

For the ganache

  • 1 cup (6 ounces / 170 g) good quality white chocolate wafers
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream

instructions

Make the cake

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour three 8×2 inch cake pans and set aside.
  • Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt and set aside.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until smooth. Add the sugar and mix on medium-high until the butter is light and fluffy, 3-5 minutes. Stop the mixer and scrape down the bowl.
  • Turn the mixer to low and add the flour mixture in three batches, alternating with the milk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Mix on medium for no more than 30 seconds after the last streaks of the dry ingredients are combined.
  • Evenly divide the batter between the prepared cake pans. Bake for 25-28 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. Let them cool on a wire rack fro 15-20 minutes before removing the cakes from their pans – then, tread gently – they are tender!

Make the frosting

  • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter until smooth and creamy.
  • With the mixer on low, gradually add the confectioner’s sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla, and salt.
  • Pour in the cream and mix until incorporated. Turn the mixer to high and mix until the frosting is light and fluffy. Stop the mixer and scrape down the bowl.
  • Add the melted and cooled chocolate and mix until smooth.

Make the ganache

  • Place the white chocolate in a small shallow bowl (I used a cereal bowl) and set aside.
  • In a small saucepan, heat the cream on medium-high heat to a low boil – be careful not to scald it!
  • Carefully pour the hot cream over the white chocolate, making sure the cream covers the chocolate.
  • Let the mixture sit for 10 minutes.
  • Add a tiny drop of pink gel food colouring and very gently whisk the mixture together until combined. You will have a smooth pink white chocolate ganache!
  • Let the mixture cool and thicken enough to your liking – I power-chilled mine in the freezer for 15 minutes before using.

Piping buttercream details

  • Before piping onto the pink-ganache-covered cake top, let the ganache set up by allowing it to sit for about an hour until firmed up.
  • To add buttercream blobette details, fill a piping bag fitted with a French open star tip (I used Wilton 4B) with the remaining chocolate frosting.
  • Pipe out pretty little blobettes along the edge of the cake to create a border; top with tiny gold candies or dragee type sprinkles.
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Comments

  5. Logan Warye

    Food52’s Banana Layered Cake with Penuche Frosting is AMAZING. If you haven’t made it yet, add it to this list!

    Reply

  6. Kehaulani

    My personal favorite layed cake combination would have to be classic yellow cake with chocolate frosting. Topped off with fresh strawberries always makes my day!!

    Reply

  8. Sara @ Cake Over Steak

    I keep seeing this book everywhere and it looks gorgeous! My favorite combo is probably a tie between choc/pb and choc/mocha.

    Reply

    • Lyndsay // Coco Cake Land

      Sara I think you would love this book – it really is a gem in a glut of baking books!! xo (how about chocolate/PB/mocha COMBO!!!) :P

  11. Alana

    YASSSSS QUEEN. You killed it with those pink drippies!! And those gold pearls? Nailed it. Also, high fives to your hot pink mani!!

    Reply

    • Lyndsay // Coco Cake Land

      OMG Alana you made me laugh … thanks for noticing my mani, hehe!!! XOXO

  14. Alexandra | Occasionally Eggs

    These pictures are so beautiful! I love the colours. I think my favourite combination is lemon raspberry for a layer cake.

    Reply

  17. Laura @ The Bluenose Baker

    I don’t think I’ve ever had a chocolate/peanut butter layer cake, but I’m sure it would be my favourite!

    Reply

  19. Tessa Huff // Style Sweet CA

    Lyndsay! I LOVE this beyond words. It’s been a very emotional week for me, and reading your post brings tears to my eyes. Thank you for your years of friendship, our sweet chats, and your unconditional support.

    Those pink drips are EVERYTHING!!! And the little swirls and gold candies? Just perfect. Your little details really brought this cake to life, and I love seeing your sweet personality shine through in one of my recipes =)

    Reply

    • Lyndsay // Coco Cake Land

      Oh my gosh Tessa I am SO happy you like it. Yes, I can imagine it’s been an emotional week!! Your second baby has arrived, and it’s AMAZING!!! XO

  22. Jolina - The Unlikely Baker

    What a lovely cake! I must admit I’m a little scared to try drippy cakes. My masterpiece might look like a murder scene lol! Now for my favourite layer cake…I think it would be vanilla + salted caramel or lemon + lemon curd. Yum.

    Reply

    • Lyndsay // Coco Cake Land

      Jolina, you are the winner chosen by random draw!! Congratulations! ^__^ I will send you an email.

    • Jolina - The Unlikely Baker

      Lyndsay!! I just saw your email and have replied! I’m so happy THANK YOU! :) I cannot wait. Happy Friday!

  25. Erica

    Your cakes always look beautiful and SO FUN! I’m smiling just looking at it – that hot pink ganache is amazin’. I bought the book and I can’t wait to try out all these recipes!!!

    Reply

  27. cynthia

    This is a combo of two of my cake idol-goddesses!! So beautiful, and so full of your special touches. I love this so much. (PS the tip about drips is SO CLUTCH. I’m going to do that from now on. My strategy was def pour on top and push over with a spoon .. and then be horrified as it looks like a volcano gone wrong. Can’t wait to try this next time!)

    Reply

  28. Hannah Hossack-Lodge (Domestic Gothess)

    This looks awesome! I love the pink ganache and brilliant tips for creating neat drippy cakes :)

    Reply

  31. Tan of Squirrelly Minds

    Woooo this looks good! My fave is also chocolate and peanut butter (in ANYTHING) but I also love vanilla and pink champagne!

    Reply

  33. Kylie

    My ability to make enormous messes and general lack of ability to make things look beautiful has held me back from trying drips, but your method sounds doable even for me!! Thank you! I think I’ll give it a try for Mother’s Day.

    My favorite combo is chocolate cake with raspberry buttercream frosting (which is what I’ll be making for my mom)!! Rich AND refreshing :)

    Reply

  35. Meghan

    Beautiful! I can’t wait to attempt those beautiful pink drips! I’m going to have to go with the cake pictured – a classic yellow cake with chocolate icing is my most all time favorite!

    Reply

  37. Uche O

    Marble cake layered in strawberry whipped cream and strawberry Swiss meringue. All my favourite things in one place.

    Reply

  40. Andrea

    Strawberry Nutella filling in a chocolate cake is my version of hell because eating just one slice is torture

    Reply

  41. chantel

    Woohoo, contest still open! This is my first ever comment on your site and want to say that you have amazing style and great character that shines through your writing-love it!…On to favorite cake: matcha for sure. It has to be matcha for the cake AND the frosting…no substitutes. An absolute favorite!

    Reply

  42. Jan

    Love the drip! I’ll have to try making it one day.

    My favourite layer cake would be the Japanese short cake with layers of strawberries amd whipped cream. :)

    Reply

  43. Lane

    This cake is beautiful! And you made doing a drip glaze sound so easy, so I’ll definitely be trying that soon. My favorite cake combo would have to be lemon cake with earl grey frosting.

    Reply

  46. Rose

    My favorite is a yellow cake filled with fresh strawberries, fresh banana and custard and then frosted with whipped cream.

    Reply

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