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Ball Drop Cake Recipe

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★★★★★

4.7 from 96 reviews

The Ball Drop Cake is a stunning and decadent dessert featuring a moist homemade vanilla cake shaped in a bowl, layered with a rich chocolate cheesecake mousse, coated with a smooth buttercream, and finished with an elegant mirror glaze decorated with edible gold and silver glitter. This impressive cake combines multiple textures and flavors, making it perfect for special occasions or celebrations.

Ingredients

Scale

Vanilla Cake

  • Cooking spray
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 3 large eggs
  • 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cups (180 g) all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/4 cup whole milk

Chocolate Cheesecake Mousse

  • 1 cup (170 g) semisweet chocolate chips
  • 1 2/3 cups heavy cream, divided
  • 2 (8 oz) packages cream cheese, softened
  • 1/2 cup (57 g) confectioners’ sugar
  • 2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt

Buttercream Frosting

  • 10 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup (113 g) confectioners’ sugar
  • 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Mirror Glaze

  • 1 cup water, divided
  • 2 tbsp unflavored gelatin
  • 1 1/2 cups (300 g) granulated sugar
  • 3/4 cup light corn syrup
  • 3/4 cup sweetened condensed milk
  • 12 oz bittersweet chocolate chips (about 60% cacao)
  • 2 1/2 tsp gold edible glitter, divided
  • 1 tsp silver edible glitter
  • 1 1/2 tsp vodka, divided

Instructions

  1. Preheat and Prepare Pans: Arrange racks in the center and lower third of the oven and preheat to 350°F. Grease two 9-inch round cake pans with cooking spray and line the bottoms with parchment paper.
  2. Make the Vanilla Cake Batter: In a large bowl, beat softened butter and granulated sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy. Add vegetable oil and continue beating for about one minute. Beat in eggs one at a time, then add vanilla extract.
  3. Combine Dry Ingredients: Mix flour, baking powder, and kosher salt, then add to the wet mixture. Beat until only a few dry streaks remain. Stir in whole milk on low speed until just combined.
  4. Bake the Cakes: Divide batter evenly between prepared pans and spread evenly. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, rotating pans halfway through. Let cool 20 minutes before inverting onto a wire rack to cool completely.
  5. Shape Cake Layers in Bowl: Line a 9-inch deep bowl with plastic wrap with enough overhang to cover. Cut one cake layer in half horizontally; place half into the bowl, cut side up, gently pressing to fit bowl shape. Cut 1.5-inch-wide strips from the other half to form vertical sides inside the bowl. Use scraps to fill gaps. Refrigerate until ready.
  6. Prepare Ganache for Mousse: Place semisweet chocolate chips in a heatproof bowl. Heat 2/3 cup heavy cream until hot, pour over chips, let sit 30 seconds, then whisk until smooth. Cool to room temperature.
  7. Whip Cream: Beat the remaining 1 cup heavy cream until stiff peaks form.
  8. Prepare Mousse Base: Beat cream cheese, confectioners’ sugar, cocoa powder, and salt until smooth. Add cooled ganache and mix until combined, scraping bowl sides as needed.
  9. Combine Mousse: Gently fold whipped cream into the chocolate mixture until just combined.
  10. Assemble Cake Mousse Layer: Spoon mousse into the prepared cake mold bowl, spreading evenly. Top with the reserved whole cake layer. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight.
  11. Make Buttercream: Beat softened butter for 2 to 3 minutes until smooth. Add confectioners’ sugar and vanilla extract, beating for 2 to 3 minutes until light and creamy.
  12. Unmold and Frost Cake: Invert the chilled cake onto a wire rack, remove plastic wrap and bowl. Frost cake with a thin, smooth layer of buttercream using a small offset spatula. Refrigerate the cake to set frosting; for smooth finish, optionally smooth with a hot spatula after chilling.
  13. Prepare Gelatin for Mirror Glaze: Pour 1/4 cup water into a wide shallow bowl and sprinkle gelatin over, ensuring gelatin touches water. Let sit for 5 minutes to bloom.
  14. Make Mirror Glaze Base: In a medium pot, combine sugar, corn syrup, and remaining 3/4 cup water over medium heat. Stir until sugar dissolves and mixture nears boiling. Remove from heat.
  15. Add Gelatin and Other Ingredients: Whisk gelatin and sweetened condensed milk into the hot mixture. Add bittersweet chocolate chips and whisk until smooth.
  16. Strain and Cool Glaze: Strain glaze through a fine-mesh sieve into a medium bowl to avoid bubbles. Stir every 10 minutes until temperature reaches 85° to 90°F, which takes 1 to 2 hours depending on conditions.
  17. Prepare for Glazing: Line a large baking sheet with parchment. When glaze reaches 90°F, stir in 1 1/2 tsp gold edible glitter.
  18. Glaze the Cake: Remove cake from fridge and place on wire rack over parchment. Pour glaze in a smooth, steady stream starting at center, working outwards in concentric circles until completely covered. Allow glaze to drip off, then add more glaze as needed to cover bare spots.
  19. Decorate with Glitter: Mix 3/4 tsp vodka with remaining 1 tsp gold glitter in a small bowl, and in another small bowl combine silver glitter with 3/4 tsp vodka. Using a small non-silicone pastry brush, splatter gold and silver glitter over the glazed cake. Adjust liquid amount to control splatter size.
  20. Chill the Cake: Refrigerate cake for at least 2 hours or overnight to set the glaze fully.
  21. Serve: Use a large knife or spatula to transfer the cake from the wire rack to a serving platter. Slice and enjoy your elegant Ball Drop Cake.

Notes

  • The cake batter is made with a combination of butter and vegetable oil for moisture and tenderness.
  • Carefully shaping the cake inside the bowl with plastic wrap allows for the characteristic ‘ball’ shape of the cake.
  • The chocolate cheesecake mousse layer adds richness and a creamy texture contrast.
  • Thin, smooth buttercream under the glaze helps prevent lumps and ensures a smooth finish.
  • The mirror glaze requires careful temperature control to pour correctly and achieve the shiny finish.
  • Edible gold and silver glitter creates a dazzling, festive appearance fitting for celebrations.
  • Refrigerate the cake adequately between steps to ensure stability and ease in handling.
  • If smoothing buttercream is challenging, chilling and using a hot spatula is an effective technique.

Keywords: Ball Drop Cake, Vanilla cake, Chocolate cheesecake mousse, Buttercream frosting, Mirror glaze, Edible glitter cake, Elegant dessert cake

Find it online: https://thefoodrecipe.com/ball-drop-cake-recipe/