This white chocolate drip cake is the best holiday cake! It's made of a super fluffy and moist eggnog cake and is covered in a creamy peppermint buttercream. It's decorated with a smooth white chocolate drip. Plus, it only takes 20 minutes to prep the entire recipe!
A drip cake always brings the drama, like this oreo drip cake, and I promise it is so easy to make a ganache for a drip cake!
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Tell me about this recipe!
- The fluffy and moist cake has nutmeg, cinnamon and bourbon added to it to give you that eggnog taste. It's made using the reverse creaming method which is what makes the cake so soft.
- I made an American buttercream to frost this cake and added some peppermint extract.
- The cake is covered in a delicious white chocolate drip. Make the ganache first before carefully spooning it over the frosted cake.
- Finish the cake with some festive touches, like gingerbread cookies, sugared cranberries or sprigs of rosemary.
Ingredients Needed
The printable recipe card with the full list of ingredients and instructions can be found at the bottom of this post
- Butter: I always use European style butter, like KerryGold, in my recipes. This will make your cake so much richer due to the higher butterfat content.
- Yogurt: Yogurt is added to the cake to make it extra moist! If you don’t have any yogurt you can substitute it with sour cream.
- Bourbon: I added bourbon to give that eggnog taste, but you can substitute it for an equal amount of vanilla extract.
- Spices: Cinnamon and nutmeg are added to the cake layers, but if you prefer a vanilla cake just leave those out.
- Peppermint Extract: I wanted peppermint to give this cake an extra Christmas touch, but feel free to substitute it with vanilla extract!
How to make this recipe
Step 1: Mix all of the dry ingredients together in a stand mixer. Add in your softened butter and mix with the paddle attachment. Mix until it looks like damp sand.
Step 2: Add your egg whites one at a time, mixing well after each one, then and your whole egg and beat again.
Step 3: In a medium sized jug whisk together the milk, bourbon and yogurt until smooth.
Step 4: Pour in a third of the mixture and then beat on your lowest speed. Repeat twice more. Be careful as the battery is very thin and might spill out!
Step 5: Pour the batter into two 8 inch greased cake pans and bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes. Allow the cakes to cool for 10-15 minutes before removing from their pans.
Step 6: In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the butter and confectioners' sugar on low speed until completely combined. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat for a few minutes until creamy.
Step 7: Add in your salt and peppermint extract and beat again. Then with the speed on low, slowly pour in the cream. Beat until the frosting is extra creamy and spreadable.
Step 8: Place your chopped chocolate in a bowl. Microwave your heavy cream for 1-2 minutes until the cream is simmering. Pour over the chopped chocolate and let it sit for a few minutes.
Step 9: Use a rubber spatula to mix the cream and chocolate together until it is completely smooth. If it isn't smooth, place it back in the microwave and heat up for just a few seconds.
Step 10: Assemble the cake. Place one layer down, then spread over half of the frosting. Place the second layer on top and frost the whole cake. Place in the fridge for 10-20 minutes. Use a spoon to drip over the side of the cake, then pour the rest of the ganache on top and use an offset spatula to smooth the top. If the ganache isn't dripping down, heat it up briefly again.
Recipe Tips
- I highly recommend using a weighing scale and measuring out your ingredients the metric way. It makes a huge difference to your baking and is the most accurate way to bake!
- I make sure that all of my ingredients are at room temperature before I start the recipe, so pull out all of the ingredients about 2 hours before you start baking.
- Make sure your cake is completely cool before you assemble the cake, or the frosting will slide right off
- Test your drip before you start decorating. Make one drip on the side of your cake and make sure it can slowly run down the side of your cake. If it runs down too quickly then let the ganache sit for a bit longer. If it isn't dripping down at all, then heat it up briefly in the microwave.
Frequently Asked Questions
Because of the cocoa butter in white chocolate it will always have a slightly creamy yellow color to it. If you want to make your white chocolate drip completely white, add a few drops of Americolor white food gel.
If your ganache is still too runny then let the ganache sit on your counter for a few minutes.
Yes! Make the cake layers ahead of time. Once cool, wrap each layer in plastic wrap. You can do this the day before assembling the cake. I don’t recommend making the frosting ahead of time though.
Try these showstopping cakes next!
Have you made this recipe? Make sure to tag me on Instagram @alpineella and leave a review below if you have! If you want more baking ideas, you can follow me on Pinterest.
Recipe
Eggnog Peppermint White Chocolate Drip Cake
Equipment
- 2x8" cake pans
Ingredients
Eggnog Cake
- 285 grams all purpose flour
- 170 grams unsalted butter room temperature
- 333 grams sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 4 egg whites room temperature
- 1 egg room temperature
- 2 teaspoons bourbon
- 240 ml whole milk
- 120 grams full fat yogurt room temperature
Peppermint Buttercream
- 452 grams unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 678 grams confectioners' sugar
- 60 ml heavy cream
White Chocolate Drip
- 180 grams white chocolate chopped
- 76 grams heavy cream
Instructions
Make Eggnog Cake
- Preheat your oven to 350°F/175°C. Grease and line two 8-inch cake pans
- In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, mix all of the dry ingredients on slow speed until blended. Add in your butter and mix on low until it looks like damp sand
- Add your egg whites one at a time, and then your whole egg. Beat well after each addition, making sure you scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl.
- In a small jug, whisk together the bourbon, yogurt and milk
- Slowly pour in one-third of the milk mixture into the mixing bowl. With the speed on low, mix together. Be careful as it may spill! Pour in the rest of the milk in two more additions, mixing slowly after each addition. Beat for 2 minutes. Your batter will be liquidy
- Pour the batter into your two pans. Bake for 25-30 minutes. A toothpick inserted into the cake will come out clean. Remove from the oven and let cool for 15 minutes. Take the cake out of the tin and let it cool completely
Make Frosting
- In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and powdered sugar together on low speed
- Increase the speed to medium-high and beat until it becomes thick
- Add the peppermint extract and salt and beat on medium-high
- Turn the mixer to low, and pour in the cream until it becomes creamy and spreadable
Make white chocolate drip
- Place your chopped chocolate in a medium bowl. Heat up your cream in the microwave for 1-2 minutes, or in a small saucepan over medium heat, until it begins to simmer.
- Pour the simmering cream over the chocolate and let it sit for a couple of minutes. Use a rubber spatula to mix the white chocolate and cream together until it is completely smooth. If it isn't hot enough to melt, place it back in the microwave briefly.
Assembly
- Place one layer down and spread some of the frosting over it. Place the next layer on top and gently press down. Frost the cake and chill for 10 minutes.
- Use a spoon to place the drip over the edge and let it slowly drip down. Repeat all along the cake. If the ganache doesn't drip down, heat it up in the microwave for a few seconds. If the ganache runs down too quickly, then let it sit out for a bit longer. Spoon over the remaining ganache on top and use a small offset spatula to evenly spread the ganache on top.
Pat
Am I missing something here...or maybe are you missing something here? The first word in the name of this cake is EGGNOG, yet there isn't a drop of it listed in the ingredients. Tell me...is this the right recipe for the cake??
Ella
Hey there! So, I whipped up this cake with a nod to eggnog, using bourbon and nutmeg for that familiar flavor kick. Now, I know eggnog isn't on every shelf around here (it isn't available where I live), so I got creative with what I had. Thanks and have a lovely day.
Rosalind
Beautiful... show stopper.