Chocolate Drip Cake

• Prep1 h 15 min
• Cook35 min
• Total4 h
• Serves12

Ingredients

Chocolate cake

• Butter or baking spray and cocoa powder, for the pans
• 190 g all-purpose flour (1 1/2 cups)
• 60 g unsweetened cocoa powder (2/3 cup)
• 300 g sugar (1 1/2 cups)
• 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 3/4 tsp baking powder
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 180 g buttermilk or whole milk (3/4 cup)
• 80 g vegetable oil (1/3 cup)
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 180 g hot brewed coffee or hot water (3/4 cup)

Pink buttercream

• 340 g unsalted butter, softened (1 1/2 cups)
• 600 g powdered sugar (5 cups)
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 45 g heavy cream (3 tbsp)
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• Pink gel food coloring

Chocolate drip

• 100 g semisweet chocolate, in pieces (3 1/2 oz)
• 100 g heavy cream (1/3 cup plus 1 tbsp)

To decorate

• 5 or 6 pink macarons, homemade or store-bought
• 5 or 6 small meringue kisses
• 100 g mixed raspberries, blueberries and blackberries (3/4 cup)

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Grease three 15 cm (6 in) round cake pans, line the bottoms with parchment paper and dust the sides with cocoa.
2. Place the flour, cocoa, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt in the mixing bowl and mix 10 sec/speed 4. Add the eggs, buttermilk, oil and vanilla and mix 15 sec/speed 4.
3. Add the hot coffee and mix 10 sec/speed 3. Scrape down the sides and mix 5 sec/speed 3. Divide the thin batter evenly among the pans and bake in the oven for 28 to 34 minutes, until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs. Cool 10 minutes in the pans, then turn out onto a rack and let cool completely.
4. Wash and dry the mixing bowl. Place the butter in it and mix 1 min/speed 4. Add the powdered sugar and salt and mix 30 sec/speed 3. Add the cream, vanilla and a little pink coloring and mix 1 min/speed 4, scraping down halfway, until pastel pink.
5. Level the cakes with a serrated knife and stack them on a cake stand with a layer of buttercream between each. Spread a thin coat all over, refrigerate 20 minutes, then cover with the rest of the buttercream and smooth the top and sides. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes, until firm and cold.
6. Rinse and dry the mixing bowl. Place the chocolate in it and chop 10 sec/speed 8. Add the cream and melt 3 min/60°C (140°F)/speed 2, until smooth and glossy. Pour it into a measuring cup and let it cool 15 to 20 minutes, until lukewarm but still runny.
7. With a spoon or a squeeze bottle, let the ganache run over the top edge in drips, a little at a time, turning the cake as you go. Pour the rest in the center and spread it to the edges. Refrigerate 10 minutes to set.
8. Arrange the macarons, meringue kisses and berries on top.

Tips

• Test one drip on the back of the cake first. If it runs all the way down, the ganache is too warm, so wait 5 minutes. If it barely moves, warm it for 10 seconds in the microwave.
• For homemade macarons on top, see the pink macarons recipe. Bake them a day or two ahead.
• Bake the layers a day ahead, wrap them well once cool and keep them in the refrigerator.
• Keep the cake in the refrigerator up to 3 days and take it out 1 hour before serving. Add the macarons and berries the day you serve it.