Chocolate Chip Cake with Ganache Drip (VIDEO)

This towering chocolate chip cake combines a comfortable vanilla cake crumb and candy whipped vanilla buttercream with oodles of mini chocolate chips. For a crowning glory that elevates this cake to showstopper standing, prime it with a chocolate ganache drip. Watch the video tutorial for a whole walk-through of the recipe and demonstration of methods to do the ganache drip topping.

Q: How do you enhance on the right white cake? A: Add chocolate chips! As a result of in spite of everything, why let the chocolate chip cookies have all of the enjoyable? Chocolate chips are nice in desserts, too! (And each might be true directly: have you ever made this chocolate chip cookie layer cake earlier than?)

My versatile white cake was but once more my start line for growing a brand new layer cake recipe. That cake is my definition of *cake perfection* and has turn into probably the most fashionable desserts on my web site. I’m even together with it in my upcoming cookbook. Right here’s why:

• Delicate & ethereal crumb
• Fluffy, however not eggy
• Pure candy vanilla taste
• Excellent base for just about any taste of frosting
• Stick-to-your-fork moist & tender
• Converts simply to 1 / 4 sheet cake

In at the moment’s model, we’re including chocolate chips, and portioning the batter between 3 8-inch spherical cake pans. You’ll be able to, in fact, persist with 2 9-inch spherical cake pans like the unique model. However it doesn’t matter what you do, don’t skimp on the fluffy buttercream and decadent chocolate ganache drip!

Key Components for Your Chocolate Chip Cake

1. Cake Flour: Cake flour is nearly 30x finer than all-purpose flour. Utilizing it’s a surefire option to obtain a fragile, soft-as-silk texture. It’s offered within the baking aisle and you need to use the remainder of the field in any of those recipes that use cake flour, together with my fashionable confetti cake.
2. Correct Room-Temperature Butter: To realize an excellent rise, correctly cream the butter and sugar collectively. You have got the crutch of baking powder and baking soda, however the cake’s crumb actually sings when that creaming course of steps in. You want softened, room-temperature butter, which is definitely nonetheless cool and agency to the contact. Butter that’s too chilly or too heat received’t combine correctly.
3. Egg Whites: Don’t use egg yolks. Utilizing solely egg whites ensures that the crumb shouldn’t be weighed down by the fats in egg yolks. Give it some thought: lighter confections akin to angel meals cake require solely the egg whites. Similar is true right here. Use 5 massive egg whites on this cake. Should you want an thought of methods to use the leftover egg yolks, attempt making a batch of lemon curd!
4. Pure Vanilla: Attain for pure vanilla extract—a full Tablespoon goes within the cake batter, and then you definitely’ll use it to taste the buttercream frosting, too. You’ll actually style it on this recipe, so I don’t advocate utilizing imitation vanilla right here.
5. Bitter Cream As a substitute of Egg Yolks: Bitter cream is the cake’s safety blanket. Whereas it comprises fats just like the egg yolks would, it received’t crush the crumb. It provides moisture and richness, and makes for a creamy, tender texture in each chew.
6. Mini Chocolate Chips: For the very best texture (and essentially the most chips in each mouthful!), use mini chocolate chips within the cake and frosting.

Begin by Making the Chocolate Chip Cake Layers

The cake batter follows a easy, acquainted course of. Whisk the dry elements collectively, then work on the moist elements. In a separate bowl, use a mixer to cream the butter and sugar collectively. Beat in egg whites, then the bitter cream and vanilla. Pour within the dry elements after which with the mixer working, slowly add the milk. Lastly, fold within the chocolate chips by hand or with the mixer on low pace.

Anticipate a creamy, barely thick batter, after which divide between your cake pans:

Use Parchment Paper Rounds for Desserts

Lining cake pans with parchment rounds is the trick I exploit each single time I bake a spherical cake, whether or not I’m making a 1-layer sprinkle cake, a 9-layer Smith Island cake, or at the moment’s recipe. Retailer-bought pre-cut parchment rounds are handy, but it surely’s very easy to simply make them your self. You’ll be able to reduce the precise pan measurement you want, whether or not you’re making a 6-inch cake, an 8-inch cake, or a 9-inch cake. Should you don’t make a variety of spherical desserts, simply reduce them as you want them. Should you bake so much, reduce many at a time and retailer them along with your baking pans, prepared for the following time you bake.

Very frivolously grease the cake pan with butter or nonstick spray. Place the parchment paper spherical inside, after which grease the parchment, too. Sure, you grease the pan and then additionally grease the parchment. This creates an ultra-nonstick surroundings to your cake. The cake received’t keep on with the pan, and the parchment spherical received’t keep on with the cake. For extra tips about this methodology, see Parchment Paper Rounds for Desserts.

As soon as the desserts have baked and cooled, trim the tops utilizing a cake leveler or a big serrated knife to create a good floor. A flat prime ensures a sturdier and extra steady layered cake.

Whipped Chocolate Chip Buttercream

To fill and assemble at the moment’s towering cake, I took the whipped vanilla buttercream from my vanilla sheet cake recipe and scaled it as much as coat this 3-layer 8-inch chocolate chip cake. And since this can be a chocolate chip cake, I couldn’t resist folding chocolate chips into it. Style testers (and there have been dozens after making about 6 of those!!!) didn’t appear to thoughts the additional chocolate. 😉

It’s whipped, fluffy, and positively loaded with chocolate chips:

Success Tip: If you wish to avoid wasting buttercream for piping on prime (just like the images and video present), set some apart earlier than you beat within the mini chocolate chips. You wouldn’t need to attempt to pipe the chocolate chip buttercream as a result of the chips may clog the piping tip.

Assemble the cooled cake layers with the frosting. I exploit about 1 cup of frosting between every layer—simply eyeball it.

Completely No Want for a Crumb Coat

In most of my layer cake recipes, I like to recommend making use of a crumb coat: a skinny layer of frosting on the outside of the cake that locks in any unfastened crumbs and helps stabilize the layers. Nonetheless, for this chocolate chip layer cake, we’re skipping that step. Due to the lumpy chocolate chips, it might be onerous to unfold the frosting skinny sufficient to make a crumb coat. The opposite factor we’re doing in a different way at the moment shouldn’t be working a bench scraper across the sides of this cake to clean out the frosting, as a result of it might solely drag the chocolate chips round. As a substitute, I exploit a massive flat icing spatula to use the chocolate chip buttercream on the edges.

2-Ingredient Chocolate Ganache

Simply probably the most versatile toppings/fillings within the dessert world, chocolate ganache is fast and easy to make. You want a 1:1 ratio (by weight) of simply two elements:

1. Heavy Cream or Heavy Whipping Cream: Be certain that the phrase “heavy” is within the title/on the carton. Don’t use half-and-half, complete milk, or every other liquid as a result of the ganache received’t arrange correctly.
2. Chocolate: You need to use semi-sweet chocolate (beneficial) or bittersweet chocolate.

Chocolate Ganache Drip Cake Ornament How-to

Refrigerate the cake for a minimum of 20 minutes earlier than including the chocolate drip. You need the frosting to be pretty chilly earlier than you prime it with the nice and cozy chocolate ganache, so the chocolate begins to set because it drips down the edges of the cake.

Make the chocolate ganache in a glass liquid measuring cup with a pour spout, to make it simple to switch it into the squeeze bottle.

Go across the perimeter of the highest of the cake in a zigzag movement, squeezing the bottle so the chocolate comes out and drips down the edges of the cake. Work shortly, as a result of because the ganache cools, it begins to thicken, and we don’t need that taking place within the squeeze bottle. After you’ve gone all the best way across the edge, squeeze the remaining chocolate ganache on prime of the cake, and use an offset spatula to clean it out.

Refrigerate the cake once more for a minimum of 20 minutes to set the ganache earlier than slicing.

I reserved some buttercream to pipe on prime of the cake as an elective garnish (earlier than including the chocolate chips). I used a Wilton 1M piping tip. You’ll be able to completely try this, or you may prime with extra chocolate chips, contemporary berries, or crumble up the cake scraps you leveled off the highest of the cake layers.

Make This as a 6-Inch Cake, 9-Inch Cake, or a Sheet Cake

This can be a tall, wealthy cake that serves lots of people, and I do know that many bakers don’t need to make such a big cake. As a substitute, you need to use 6-inch cake pans and make this chocolate chip layer cake as a 6-inch cake; or you can also make a 9-inch 2-layer cake, or a 9×13-inch quarter sheet cake. Listed here are directions for every:

• 6-Inch 3-Layer Cake: Comply with all the identical instructions for the 6-inch vanilla cake recipe within the recipe card right here, and add 3/4 cup (135g) mini chocolate chips (nonetheless tossed in a Tablespoon of flour) to the batter, and three/4 cup mini chocolate chips to the frosting. For the ganache drip topping, lower the quantities to 4 ounces (113g) chopped chocolate and 1/2 cup (120g/ml) heavy cream.
• 9-Inch 2-Layer Cake: Make the cake batter as instructed under, and divide between 2 greased and lined 9-inch spherical cake pans. Lengthen the bake time to 26–28 minutes. Preserve the frosting and ganache quantities the identical.
• 9×13-inch Sheet Cake: Make the cake batter as instructed under, and pour/unfold it in a greased steel or glass 9×13-inch baking pan. Bake for 34–36 minutes, till a toothpick inserted within the heart of the cake comes out clear. For the frosting, use the whipped vanilla buttercream quantities from this vanilla sheet cake recipe, and add 3/4 cup (135g) mini chocolate chips. For the ganache topping, you can also make it as written under, or lower the quantities to 4 ounces (113g) chopped chocolate and 1/2 cup (120g/ml) heavy cream for a thinner layer. Comply with the identical directions for the ganache, together with refrigerating the cake earlier than and after topping, however as an alternative of transferring ganache to a squeeze bottle, merely pour and unfold it evenly over the frosting.

Right here’s the sheet cake model:

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Chocolate Chip Cake with Ganache Drip

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  Writer: Sally McKenney
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  Prep Time: 1 hour
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  Prepare dinner Time: 26 minutes
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  Whole Time: 5 hours (contains cooling & chilling)
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  Yield: serves 12-16
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  Class: Cake
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  Technique: Baking
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  Delicacies: American

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Description

This towering chocolate chip layer cake combines a comfortable vanilla cake crumb and candy whipped vanilla buttercream with oodles of mini chocolate chips. For a crowning glory that elevates this cake to showstopper standing, prime it with a chocolate ganache drip. Watch the video tutorial for a whole walk-through of the recipe and demonstration of methods to do the ganache drip topping. For different measurement desserts utilizing this recipe, see Notes under.

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Cake

Whipped Chocolate Chip Buttercream

Chocolate Ganache

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Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease three 8-inch spherical cake pans, line with parchment paper rounds, then grease the parchment paper. Parchment paper helps the desserts seamlessly launch from the pans. (If it’s useful, see this parchment paper rounds for desserts video & submit.)
2. Make the cake: Whisk the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt collectively. Put aside.
3. Utilizing a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar collectively on excessive pace till mixed and creamy, about 2 to three minutes. Scrape down the edges of the bowl with a silicone spatula as wanted. Add the egg whites. Beat on excessive pace till mixed, about 2 minutes. Then beat within the bitter cream and vanilla extract, once more on excessive pace, till the combination comes collectively. Scrape down the edges as wanted. Add the dry elements and switch the mixer on low pace. With the mixer working on low, slowly pour within the milk till mixed. Don’t overmix. Chances are you’ll have to whisk all of it by hand to ensure there aren’t any lumps or dry pockets on the backside of the bowl. The batter can be barely thick. Fold within the mini chocolate chips.
4. Pour batter evenly into cake pans. Weigh them to make sure accuracy, if desired. Bake for twenty-four–26 minutes or till the desserts are baked by means of. To check for doneness, insert a toothpick into the middle of the cake. If it comes out clear, it’s performed. Or you may frivolously poke the highest of the cake along with your finger. If it bounces again, it’s performed.
5. Enable desserts to chill within the pans set on a cooling rack for 1 hour, then take away them from the pans and let the desserts end cooling immediately on the rack. The desserts should be utterly cool earlier than frosting and assembling.
6. Make the buttercream: (Word that if you wish to pipe plain buttercream on prime of the cake like within the images and video, set round 3/4 cup (about 180g) apart earlier than including the chocolate chips.) In a big bowl utilizing a handheld mixer or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium to medium-high pace till clean and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add confectioners’ sugar, heavy cream, vanilla extract, and salt. Begin the mixer on low pace, then regularly enhance to excessive pace and beat till whipped and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Fold within the mini chocolate chips, both by hand with a spatula, or you may beat them in on low pace till they’re evenly dispersed all through the frosting.
7. Assemble and adorn: Utilizing a big serrated knife, slice a skinny layer off the tops of the desserts to create a flat floor. Discard the scraps, or it can save you them to crumble on prime of the completed cake. Place 1 cake layer in your cake stand, cake turntable, or serving plate. Evenly cowl the highest with about 1 cup of frosting. High with 2nd cake layer, the wrong way up, and evenly cowl the highest with one other 1 cup of frosting. High with the third cake layer, both proper aspect up or the wrong way up. Unfold the remaining frosting all around the prime and sides. I exploit and advocate a big, straight icing spatula to use the frosting.
8. Refrigerate the cake for a minimum of 20 minutes, or as much as 8 hours. The frosting should be chilly once you add the chocolate drip on prime.
9. Make the chocolate ganache: Place chopped chocolate in a medium heat-proof bowl with a pour spout (I exploit a 2-cup glass liquid measuring cup). Warmth the cream in a small saucepan over medium warmth till it begins to softly simmer. (Don’t let it come to a fast boil—that’s too scorching!) Pour over chocolate, then let it sit for two–3 minutes to softly soften the chocolate. With a steel spoon or small rubber spatula, very slowly stir till chocolate has melted and combination is clean. The finer you chopped the chocolate, the faster it would soften with the cream. If it’s not melting, don’t microwave it. If wanted, see Troubleshooting Chocolate Ganache. As soon as ganache combination is clean, switch it right into a squeeze bottle.
10. Chocolate ganache drip: Take away the cake from the fridge. Working in a zigzag movement, gently squeeze the nice and cozy ganache across the fringe of the cake, turning the cake as you go. See video tutorial under as a visible. The ganache ought to drip down the edges and set because it does. Once you’ve gone round the entire cake, squeeze remaining ganache on prime of the cake, and clean it into a good layer with an offset spatula. Be happy to garnish with contemporary berries, chocolate chips, or leftover cake crumbles from leveling the tops of the desserts. Chill, uncovered, for a minimum of 20 minutes, or as much as 6 hours earlier than slicing and serving. As soon as the ganache has chilled, if you happen to put aside buttercream in step 6, you may pipe it on. I used Wilton 1M piping tip.
11. Cake might be served at room temperature or chilled. I favor it at room temperature. Cowl leftover cake tightly and retailer within the fridge for as much as 5 days. I like utilizing a cake service for storing and transporting.

Notes

1. Make Forward & Freezing Directions: The cake layers might be baked, cooled, and coated tightly at room temperature in a single day. Likewise, the frosting might be ready after which coated and refrigerated in a single day. Convey the frosting to room temperature when able to assemble the next day. Frosted cake might be frozen as much as 2 months when you’ve got room within the freezer. Thaw in a single day within the fridge and produce to room temperature earlier than serving.
2. Particular Instruments (affiliate hyperlinks): 8-inch Cake Pans or 6-inch Cake Pans or 9-inch Cake Pans | Glass Mixing Bowls | Whisk | Electrical Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Silicone Spatula | Cooling Rack | Offset Spatula | Straight Icing Spatula | Glass Liquid Measuring Cup | Small Saucepan | Squeeze Bottle | Spherical Cake Service (for storage)
3. Cake Flour: Should you can’t discover cake flour, here’s a DIY do-it-yourself cake flour substitute you need to use as an alternative.
4. Carton Egg Whites: You need to use carton egg whites. The carton ought to give measurements for substituting for contemporary egg whites.
5. Milk, Bitter Cream, Substituting Buttermilk: Entire milk and bitter cream are strongly beneficial for the very best style and texture. A full-fat plain yogurt would work as an alternative, although the cake is probably not as mild. Similar goes for a lower-fat milk. If you wish to use buttermilk, the easiest way to take action is to have it change each the bitter cream AND milk on this recipe. Use 1 and 1/2 cups of buttermilk, then pass over the bitter cream and complete milk.
6. Chocolate: Ganache will solely set if the right chocolate is used. You need to use high-quality chocolate chips if wanted (I favor Ghirardelli or Guittard semi-sweet chocolate chips), however I like to recommend utilizing chocolate baking bars, in both semi-sweet or bittersweet. You could find them proper subsequent to the chocolate chips within the baking aisle. They’re normally offered in 4-ounce (113g) bars. I like Baker’s or Ghirardelli manufacturers. 
7. 3-Layer 6-Inch Cake Directions: You need to use 6-inch cake pans and make this chocolate chip layer cake as a 6-inch cake. Comply with all the identical instructions for the 6-inch vanilla cake recipe within the recipe card right here, and add 3/4 cup (135g) mini chocolate chips (nonetheless tossed in a Tablespoon of flour) to the batter, and three/4 cup mini chocolate chips to the frosting. For the ganache drip topping, lower the quantities to 4 ounces (113g) chopped chocolate and 1/2 cup (120g/ml) heavy cream.
8. 2-Layer 9-Inch Cake Directions: Make the cake batter as instructed above, and divide between 2 greased and lined 9-inch spherical cake pans. Lengthen the bake time to 26–28 minutes. Preserve the frosting and ganache quantities the identical.
9. 9×13-Inch Quarter Sheet Cake Directions: Make the cake batter as instructed above, however pour/unfold it in a greased steel or glass 9×13-inch baking pan. Bake for 34–36 minutes, till a toothpick inserted within the heart of the cake comes out clear. For the frosting, use the whipped vanilla buttercream ingredient quantities from this vanilla sheet cake recipe, and add 3/4 cup (135g) mini chocolate chips. For the ganache topping, you may maintain the quantity as is for a thicker layer, or lower to 4 ounces (113g) chopped chocolate and 1/2 cup (120g/ml) heavy cream for a thinner layer. Comply with the identical directions for the ganache, together with refrigerating the cake earlier than and after topping, however as an alternative of transferring ganache to a squeeze bottle, merely pour and unfold it evenly over the frosting.
10. Chocolate Frosting Different: This cake additionally tastes superb with chocolate frosting as an alternative. Comply with the frosting recipe from my triple chocolate layer cake recipe. It’s sufficient for at the moment’s 3-layer cake. Be happy to fold in chocolate chips!