Spring Floral Drip Cake (Printable)

Delight in layers of vanilla sponge with lemon frosting, topped by white chocolate drip and edible flowers.

# Ingredient List:

→ Vanilla Sponge

01 - 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
03 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
04 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
05 - 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
06 - 4 large eggs, room temperature
07 - 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
08 - 1 cup whole milk, room temperature

→ Lemon Frosting

09 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
10 - 4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
11 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
12 - 2 teaspoons lemon zest
13 - 2 to 3 tablespoons whole milk

→ White Chocolate Drip

14 - 1 cup white chocolate chips or finely chopped white chocolate
15 - 1/3 cup heavy cream
16 - Gel food coloring, optional for pastel shades

→ Decoration

17 - Edible flowers such as violets, pansies, or rose petals, pesticide-free and food-safe
18 - Sprinkles, optional
19 - Lemon zest, optional

# How To Make:

01 - Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. 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, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy, approximately 3 to 4 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in vanilla extract.
04 - Alternate adding flour mixture and milk to the butter mixture, beginning and ending with flour, mixing until just combined.
05 - Divide batter evenly among prepared pans. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cakes cool in pans for 10 minutes, then turn out onto wire racks to cool completely.
06 - Beat butter until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating until smooth. Mix in lemon juice, lemon zest, and enough milk to achieve a spreadable consistency.
07 - Level cooled cakes if necessary. Place one cake layer on a serving plate. Spread a generous layer of lemon frosting on top. Repeat with remaining layers, then frost the top and sides of the cake smoothly.
08 - Heat heavy cream until just simmering, do not boil. Pour over white chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Let sit 2 minutes, then stir until smooth. Tint with gel food coloring if desired. Cool until slightly thickened but still pourable.
09 - Using a spoon or squeeze bottle, gently drip white chocolate ganache around the edge of the cake, letting it run down the sides. Pour remaining ganache on top and spread gently.
10 - Decorate the top of the cake with edible flowers, sprinkles, and extra lemon zest as desired.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • The lemon frosting is bright enough to make you close your eyes for a second when you taste it, but not so sour it overwhelms.
  • Three layers mean you get enough cake to feed people without it feeling like you spent all day baking, even though it looks like you did.
  • Edible flowers on top transform this from a nice cake into something that belongs on a spring table, and everyone notices.
02 -
  • Room temperature ingredients are not optional—I learned this the hard way when I used cold eggs and ended up with a grainy, broken batter that baked into a disappointing dense cake.
  • Don't skip sifting the powdered sugar for frosting; lumpy frosting is impossible to spread smoothly and will leave you frustrated.
  • White chocolate seizes instantly if it touches water or gets too hot, so use dry bowls and equipment, heat the cream separately, and stir gently rather than whisking.
  • Edible flowers are beautiful but verify they're pesticide-free before using them, because your gorgeous cake isn't worth making someone sick.
03 -
  • If your white chocolate drip sets too quickly before you can spread it, gently reheat it for five seconds at a time, stirring between, until it moves again.
  • Level your cake layers with a serrated bread knife and a gentle sawing motion rather than pressing down, which compresses the delicate crumb.
  • Make the frosting and drip ahead of time to reduce stress on serving day—both keep beautifully refrigerated for up to two days.
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