For the final day of Hot Chocolate Week, I made a Festive Hot Chocolate Drip Cake! This is obviously inspired by the rich chocolate indulgence that is a cup of hot chocolate. I love adding marshmallows to my hot chocolate and mixing them in so that they melt into the hot beverage. That is why I added some marshmallow cream to the filling of this cake. Marshmallow bits and Christmas sprinkles decorate the top of the cake, and the final touch is the addition of two mini candy canes that adorn the center of this cake. This decadent, moist, and delicious cake is a great homage to a yummy cup of hot cocoa!
Ingredients:
- Chocolate Sponge (3 layers; find my recipe here)
- Hot Chocolate Buttercream (find my recipe here)
- Chocolate Ganache (for filling)
- Marshmallow Cream
- Chocolate Ganache (for drip)
- Marshmallow Bits
- Christmas Sprinkles
- Mini Candy Canes
Step 1: Make the Chocolate Ganache for the Filling:
Add 1 cup of semi-sweet chocolate and 1 cup of heavy whipping cream to a microwave-safe bowl. Heat for approximately 45 seconds – 1 minute. Use either a whisk or a rubber spatula to mix the chocolate and cream together. If not all the chocolate is completely melted, then put it back in the microwave for an additional 20-30 seconds. Stir the mixture. If the chocolate is still not fully melted, continue to heat for 15-20 seconds in the microwave, while making sure to stir in between each heating. Cover the ganache with plastic wrap, making sure to press the plastic wrap onto the surface of the ganache so that it will not form a skin on the top layer. Place it into the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to 1 hour to thicken before you use it.
Step 2: Fill, Layer, And Frost the Cake
Add about a teaspoon of buttercream to the center of the cake board and then place the first layer of sponge on the cake board (the buttercream will act as a glue to ensure that the cake does not slide off the cake board). Add some buttercream to a plastic bag fitted with a Wilton 1A piping tip. Pipe a ring of buttercream around the perimeter of the sponge. Add a layer of the chocolate ganache and spread into an even layer on the sponge. Lastly, pipe a swirl of the marshmallow cream onto the chocolate ganache.
Add the next layer of sponge and then repeat the process until the cake is fully stacked. Dirty ice/crumb coat the cake with a thin layer of buttercream and place in the refrigerator for 20-30 minutes. Once the buttercream firms up, add a thick layer of buttercream and use a bench scraper or another sharp sided kitchen tool to smooth the sides and top of the cake. Place in the refrigerator for at least a couple of hours in order to make sure that the buttercream is very cold when you do the caramel drip in Step 4.
Step 3: Make the Chocolate Ganache for the Drip
While the cake chills in the refrigerator, you will make the ganache for the drip. Add 1 cup of semi-sweet chocolate and ½ cup of heavy whipping cream to a microwave-safe bowl. Heat for approximately 45 seconds – 1 minute. Use either a whisk or a rubber spatula to mix the chocolate and cream together. If not all the chocolate is completely melted, then put it back in the microwave for an additional 20-30 seconds. Stir the mixture. If the chocolate is still not fully melted, continue to heat for 15-20 seconds in the microwave, while making sure to stir in between each heating. Place it into the refrigerator for approximately 30 minutes, until the ganache is slightly thickened, but will still run down the side of the cake.
Step 4: Chocolate Drip and Decorate
Add the chocolate ganache to a plastic squeeze bottle (preferred), a piping bag, or simply use a spoon. Slowly add the ganache right along the edge of the top of the cake and allow it to drip down the side of the cake. After making drips down the side of the cake, add a layer of chocolate to completely cover the top of the cake.
Using food tweezers, add marshmallow bits to the chocolate drips and on top of the cake. Stick two mini candy canes into the center of the cake to make a heart shape. If they have trouble staying together, add a small dot of thickened ganache and hold the candy canes together for a few seconds. Finally, add some Christmas sprinkles to the top of the cake, and your Hot Chocolate Cake is ready to enjoy!
Thank you so much for checking out this post! I hope that you enjoyed it and that you enjoyed Hot Chocolate Week! Please leave a comment below regarding if you tried it, or what other cakes I should try to make!
Make sure to come by next week to check out the next week of Christmas themed goodies . . . Snickerdoodle Week!
