White Chocolate Drip Graduation (Printable Page)

Delicate vanilla sponge layered with white chocolate buttercream and adorned with edible gold balloons.

# What You Need:

→ Vanilla Sponge

01 - 2½ cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2½ teaspoons baking powder
03 - ½ teaspoon salt
04 - 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
05 - 2 cups granulated sugar
06 - 4 large eggs, room temperature
07 - 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
08 - 1 cup whole milk, room temperature

→ White Chocolate Buttercream

09 - 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
10 - 4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
11 - 6 ounces white chocolate, melted and cooled
12 - 2 to 3 tablespoons heavy cream
13 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
14 - Pinch of salt

→ White Chocolate Drip

15 - 6 ounces white chocolate, finely chopped
16 - ¼ cup heavy cream

→ Gold Balloons Decoration

17 - 1 cup white chocolate crispy pearls or malt balls
18 - Edible gold spray or gold-dusted luster powder
19 - Toothpicks or thin cake wires

# Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and line three 8-inch round cake pans with parchment paper.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
03 - In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until pale and fluffy, approximately 3 minutes. Beat in eggs one at a time, then add vanilla.
04 - With mixer on low speed, alternate adding flour mixture and milk, beginning and ending with flour. Mix until just combined.
05 - Divide batter evenly among prepared pans. Smooth tops and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
06 - Cool cakes in pans for 10 minutes, then turn out onto wire racks to cool completely.
07 - Beat butter until smooth. Gradually add sifted powdered sugar, mixing well. Pour in melted white chocolate, vanilla, salt, and 2 tablespoons cream. Beat until light and fluffy, adding more cream as needed for desired consistency.
08 - Level cooled cakes if needed. Place first layer on serving plate, spread with buttercream. Repeat with remaining layers, then cover entire cake with a thin crumb coat. Chill for 30 minutes.
09 - Apply a final thick coat of buttercream, smoothing sides and top with an offset spatula.
10 - Heat cream until just simmering, then pour over chopped white chocolate. Let sit 1 minute, then stir until smooth. Cool to room temperature.
11 - Using a spoon or squeeze bottle, drip white chocolate ganache around the top edge of the cake, allowing it to cascade down the sides. Fill center with additional ganache and smooth.
12 - Spray crispy pearls or malt balls with edible gold spray, or roll in luster powder. Allow to dry, then insert toothpicks or cake wires. Arrange on top of cake in a festive cluster.
13 - Chill cake until ready to serve. Bring to room temperature before slicing.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The vanilla sponge is impossibly tender and stays moist for days, which means you can actually bake it ahead without stress.
  • White chocolate buttercream is silkier and more forgiving than you'd think, and it photographs like a dream.
  • The drama of that drip is pure theater, but it's easier to execute than it looks.
02 -
  • Room temperature ingredients aren't a suggestion—they're essential for proper emulsification, and skipping this step results in a separated, grainy buttercream that no amount of mixing will fix.
  • The white chocolate drip is only dramatic because it's cooled to just the right temperature; too warm and it runs off the cake entirely, too cold and it won't flow at all.
03 -
  • If your white chocolate drip ends up too thick, gently reheat it for a few seconds and try again—you can usually salvage it.
  • Keep your cake pans level during baking by investing in an oven thermometer; uneven heat is often why one layer bakes faster than the others.
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