A few weeks ago I had a very special opportunity to make a pink drip cake for a special shoot with Instagram!

I spent a day on set with an amazing production team, making two identical, monochromatic pink drip cakes.

The two cakes were shot from different angles to make an amazing short video about a new feature for IGTV.

The video was sent to everyone who has an Instagram account, which is pretty mind blowing!!

Since I had tons of leftover candy and pink white chocolate ganache, I decided to make and film a version of this cake for all of you!!

This cake is decorated in a slightly different manner but is still just as fun.

While this was a pretty unique situation, this pink drip cake is perfect for so many other occasions!

Whether it’s someone’s birthday or you have a friend who is obsessed with the color pink, this cake is a wonderful way to celebrate.

Pink Vanilla Cake Layers

It only seemed fitting to make this cake with some pink cake layers!

I used my favorite vanilla layer cake recipe, which comes together in one bowl.

This cake recipe uses buttermilk, which makes the layers super moist.

To make these cake layers pink, I simply add some pink gel food coloring!

Liquid food coloring can work too, but you won’t be able to get as strong of a color.

You also can throw off the consistency of the vanilla cake batter if you add too much liquid food coloring.

You can use less gel food coloring because it’s incredibly concentrated.

Pink Buttercream Frosting

To keep things simple, this cake is frosted with my American buttercream!

I love that it only uses five ingredients, which most of us already have in our pantries!

This is also the easiest recipe to make! It’s pretty much foolproof, and only takes about 5 minutes to make.

The frosting is colored with the same pink gel food coloring that’s used to color the cake layers.

White Chocolate Ganache Drip

Now for the most exciting part of this cake, the pink drips!!

I use my colorful drip recipe to create this gorgeous, dripping look. The best part is that it’s made using just three ingredients.

All you need is some heavy cream, white chocolate, and pink food coloring.

To make sure you nail this drip look, it’s imperative that you chill your cake, and do a test drip.

This helps ensure your ganache is the right temperature.

For all of the visual learners out there, you can also check out my drip cake tutorial on YouTube for more tips and a detailed video.

How Do I Add Pink Drips to a Cake?

There are two common ways to add drips to cake.

Most people use either a spoon or a plastic squirt bottle.

Some people prefer one method over the other, and I recommend using whatever method you feel most comfortable with.

Adding Drips Using a Spoon

One way you can add drips to cake is with a spoon.

The best thing about this method is that you don’t need any special tools. I think everyone has a spoon in their kitchen!!

You simply take 1-2 teaspoons of ganache in your spoon and carefully pour it over the edge of a chilled buttercream cake.

I recommend scraping the bottom of your spoon against the bowl each time you scoop up a bit of ganache.

This will prevent rouge bits of ganache from dripping off the bottom of your spoon all over your counter and your cake.

Adding Drips Using a Squirt Bottle

The second way you can add drips to a cake is with a plastic bottle.

Once the ganache is made, carefully pour it into a plastic squirt bottle.

Not everyone has these on hand, but they’re pretty cheap to buy!

You can find them at Target, Walmart, or on Amazon (that’s where I get mine).

I like using a squirt bottle because it helps you add drips to a cake a lot faster than a spoon.

In my opinion, it also is a lot easier and cleaner!

If you have leftover ganache, you can simply pop the cap on your bottle and throw it in the fridge.

Leftover ganache can last in the fridge for up to a month.

I have a little shelf in my fridge door dedicated to bottles of leftover ganache!

To reuse leftover ganache, pop the bottle into the microwave and reheat in 10 second intervals until it’s fluid again and looks like it’s the right consistency.

Tips for Adding Pink Drips to a Cake

Whatever look you chose for your pink drip cake, I have two very important tips to ensure you get the look you’re after.

Tip #1: Chill Your Cake

My first tip is to only add drips to a chilled cake!

I mean THOROUGHLY chilled. Your second coat of buttercream should be firm to the touch.

This can take up to 30 minutes in the fridge, or about 10 minutes in the freezer.

Chilling your cake will help your drips stay in place once they’re added and help prevent them from running down too far.

Tip #2: Make A Test Drip

My second tip is to make a test drip. Take your ganache and make a single drip on your cake.

Let it flow and sit for a couple minutes. See what it looks like and how far it runs down the side of the cake.

Are you happy with how it looks? This is your time to make changes to get it just right. Is it too thin?

Did the drip run too far down the cake? Maybe you need to let your ganache cool more or melt in a bit more chocolate.

Is your drip too thick or short? You might need to pop it in the microwave for a couple seconds (seriously, don’t heat it for more than 5 seconds). Or maybe you want to add in a tiny bit more heavy cream.

This is the point in the process where my eagerness can get the best of me.

I think I’ve made the necessary adjustments and dive right into adding all my drips.

But for all you know, you may have overcorrected! You may have actually heated or cooled your ganache too much.

After each adjustment to your ganache, you need to do another test drip.

It’s worth taking the extra few minutes to make sure your ganache is the perfect temperature.

Substitutions and Swaps – Vanilla Cake Layers

This pink drip cake recipe uses quite a few ingredients and I know you might not have all of them on hand.

Or if you have food allergies or restrictions, I’ve got you covered.

Below are some swaps and substitutions that can be made in this cake recipe.

• All Purpose Flour – This recipe turns out best with AP flour, but you can use a gluten free flour blend if needed.
• Unsalted Butter – If you only have salted butter on hand, you can use it in place of the unsalted butter in this recipe. Just be sure to omit the salt that this cake recipe calls for. You can also use vegan butter in its place (and also omit the salt)!
• Egg whites – I use egg whites out of a carton to avoid wasting any yolks! You can also use 7 egg whites or 4 whole eggs if needed. Or if you have an egg allergy you can use flaxseed eggs or an egg replacer.
• Buttermilk – You can also use full fat yogurt, sour cream, whole milk, or an alternative yogurt or milk (almond, soy, oat) if you’re dairy free.
• Vegetable Oil – You can use any flavorless oil in this recipe.
• Vanilla Extract – Other extracts can also be used in place of the vanilla extract.
• Gel food coloring – If you want to color your cake layers, I recommend using pink gel food coloring! It creates vibrant colors without throwing off the consistency of the batter.

Substitutions and Swaps – Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

• Unsalted Butter – If you only have salted butter on hand you can use it in place of the unsalted butter. Just be sure to omit the salt that this frosting recipe calls for. You can also use vegan butter in its place (and omit the salt)!
• Heavy Cream – Whole milk or alternative milk (soy, almond, oat) will work fine in this frosting recipe if that’s what you have on hand.
• Gel food coloring – If you want to color this frosting, I recommend using gel food coloring! It creates vibrant colors without throwing off the consistency of the buttercream.

Substitutions and Swaps – Pink White Chocolate Ganache

• Heavy Cream – You can use heavy cream or heavy whipping cream to make the ganache drip. I don’t recommend using regular milk though, it doesn’t have a high enough fat percentage to make a thick ganache.
• White Chocolate – I love using the Whole Foods mini white chocolate chips, because they melt so easily! You can also use regular white chocolate chips, white chocolate wafers, or even a chopped up white chocolate bar.
• Pink Gel Food Coloring – Pink gel food coloring is an absolute must! If you don’t have any on hand you can also add a tiny drop of red gel food coloring.

Making This Pink Drip Cake in Advance & Storage Tips

Make your cake layers in advance and freeze them. It breaks the process up and makes it more approachable.

Make your frosting ahead of time too or save any leftover frosting! It can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a month, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Be sure to give it a good stir once it thaws to get the consistency nice and smooth again.

Make this ganache drip recipe ahead of time or save leftovers! Once it’s made, wrap the bowl with plastic wrap or cover the top of the plastic bottle and store in the fridge for up to 3 weeks.

To use chilled ganache, heat the bottle or bowl in the microwave for 10 second intervals until it reaches the right consistency. Use leftover ganache to top cupcakes, cookies, or even ice cream!

A frosted cake can last in the fridge for up to a week, or in the freezer for up to a month. The buttercream locks in all the moisture, keeping the cake fresh and delicious!

If you cut into the cake and have leftovers, use any remaining frosting to cover the cut section to keep it moist and store in the fridge for up to a week.

My Tips for Making the Best Pink Drip Cake

• Properly measure your flour (spoon into the cup measure, then level) or use a kitchen scale.
• Make sure your ingredients are at room temperature to help them mix together better.
• Don’t level and torte your cake layers until they are completely cooled.
• Make sure your buttercream is the right consistency. This will help give your cake proper structure and make it easier to decorate.
• If your cake layers turn out less than perfect, read my cake troubleshooting guide to see where things might’ve gone awry.
• Use this drip recipe on any type of buttercream cake that’s been thoroughly chilled.
• Don’t use this pink drip recipe on fondant. It can do weird things to the fondant and create a goopy mess.
• You can also use regular white chocolate chips, white chocolate wafers, or even a chopped up white chocolate bar for the chocolate this recipe calls for.
• The ratio of heavy cream is different if you use white candy melts. Candy melts cannot be swapped 1:1 for the white chocolate in this recipe! They are not interchangeable.
• Use heavy cream or heavy whipping cream. You need the high fat content to create the right consistency in this recipe. Milk cannot be used in place of the cream.

Let Me Know What You Think!

If you try this pink drip cake recipe, please tag me @chelsweets and use the hashtag #chelsweets so I can see your beautiful creations!!

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