Layered Vanilla and Chocolate Drip Cake

Celebrate your daughter's 18th birthday with stunning homemade cakes that are simple yet impressive, including a layered vanilla showstopper and a dramatic chocolate drip cake.

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Prep Time 1

Cook Time 30

Total Time 1 30

Servings: 12 servings

Course: Cake, Dessert

Cuisine: American

Calories: 350

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

For the Layered Vanilla Cake

3 layers vanilla sponge cake layers store-bought or homemade
1 batch buttercream frosting or two tubs of store-bought if you're tight on time
as needed food coloring pastels work beautifully
as needed sprinkles, sugar pearls, or edible glitter
optional premade topper or fresh flowers for decoration

For the Chocolate Drip Cake

2-3 layers chocolate cake layers your own or boxed mix is fine
as needed chocolate ganache or store-bought glaze
as needed buttercream frosting chocolate or vanilla
as needed Ferrero Rocher, chocolate curls, or shards for decoration
optional edible gold dust, berries, or a simple '18' cake topper

For Store-Bought Cake Decoration

1 cake plain iced cake from a bakery
1 each piping bag and star nozzle or a zip-top bag with the corner snipped
as needed fresh flowers, cake toppers, chocolate shards, or fruit
optional edible glitter, ribbon, or mini bunting for decoration

Method

Preparation for Vanilla Cake

Color your frosting by splitting the buttercream into three bowls and tinting each one a different shade.
Stack the cake layers by placing one layer on your cake board, spreading frosting, and repeating with all layers.
Frost the outside of the cake with a turntable or plate, starting from the top and working down the sides.
Decorate with swirls and sprinkles before the frosting sets.

Preparation for Chocolate Drip Cake

Stack the chocolate cake layers with buttercream in between and coat the entire cake with a smooth layer of buttercream.
Heat or make the ganache with equal parts hot cream and chopped chocolate, letting it cool until pourable.
Drip the ganache around the edge of the cake and pour a little on top, spreading it gently.
Top with clusters of Ferrero Rocher, buttercream, or fresh berries as desired.

Decoration for Store-Bought Cake

Clear off the top design of the store-bought cake if necessary.
Add piped swirls or rosettes around the edge of the cake.
Decorate with bold toppings, clustering them for effect.
Cover any imperfections with ribbon or decorative elements.

Notes

Keep cake layers chilled for easier frosting. Use cold cake to minimize crumbling during decoration. Remember, the effort matters more than perfection.