The Easiest Chocolate Drip Cake | A Simple, Reliable Method
Chef Alan TetreaultIn this tutorial: What You'll Need · Preparing the Cake Drip · Coating the Top · Creating the Drips · Decorating the Finished Cake
Drip cakes look impressive, but they're surprisingly simple to pull off — especially with the right product. In this tutorial, Chef Alan Tetreault of Global Sugar Art demonstrates how to create a beautiful chocolate drip cake using Roxy & Rich's squeeze-bottle cake drip, from heating and applying the drip to decorating the finished cake with buttercream and cookies.
What You'll Need
- Roxy & Rich Chocolate Cake Drip — available in 14 colors; the dark and milk chocolate contain cocoa butter and cocoa solids, while the colored varieties are sweetened with pure Canadian maple syrup
- Buttercream-iced cake — chilled or room temperature (see tip below)
- Small offset spatula — for spreading the drip across the top of the cake
- Microwave — for heating the drip bottle
- Buttercream icing — for piping decorations on top
- Cookies, truffles, or chocolate bars — for topping and garnish
Preparing the Cake Drip
- Remove the cap from the squeeze bottle and peel off the inner seal.
- Replace the cap and microwave on high power for exactly 30 seconds — no more, no less.
- Make sure the cap is tight, then shake gently for about one minute until the contents feel liquified and loose inside the bottle.
⚠️ Warning. Do not overheat this product. Stick to exactly 30 seconds at high power.
Coating the Top of the Cake
- Squeeze a thin layer of the drip onto the top of the cake.
- Use a small offset spatula to spread it evenly, bringing it right to the edge.
💡 Tip: The drip will stay in place on top of the cake without running over the edge — just work it out to the rim with your spatula.
Creating the Drips
- Start with less than you think you need. Squeeze a small amount right at the edge of the cake and let gravity pull it down.
- Add small dollops along the edge, spacing them as you go around the cake.
- Step back and assess after completing a full pass around the cake.
- Fill in gaps by adding heavier drips between existing ones for a fuller look.
- Lengthen individual drips by adding a small amount at the top of an existing drip — the new product will follow the drip path down, extending it further.
💡 Tip: To control how far the drips travel, chill the buttercream-iced cake in the refrigerator for about 1 hour before applying the drip. On a room-temperature cake, the drips will run further down the sides.
Decorating the Finished Cake
- Refrigerate the cake for at least 30 minutes to let the chocolate drip firm up before adding decorations.
- Pipe buttercream rosettes or swirls on top of the cake.
- Add cookies, truffles, or chocolate bars as toppers — Chef Alan uses Oreo cookies for a simple, eye-catching finish.
💡 Tip: If you plan to place flowers or more elaborate decorations, definitely let the drip harden in the refrigerator first. For simpler toppings like cookies, you can decorate right away.
Quick Reference
| Step | Time | Key Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Heat the drip | 30 sec | High power, microwave only |
| Shake the bottle | ~1 min | Gentle shaking until liquified |
| Chill cake (optional) | ~1 hr | Controls drip length |
| Apply drip to top | — | Thin coat, spread to edge |
| Create drips around edge | — | Start small, add more as needed |
| Chill before decorating | ~30 min | Lets chocolate firm up |
This tutorial is part of Global Sugar Art's library of free cake decorating videos by Chef Alan Tetreault. Browse all tutorials →
