Can I use canned frosting for drip cake? I've seen this question so many times recently and the answer is yes, you can use canned frosting for a drip cake! And yes, the results are fabulous!! So today I'm sharing how to make a Canned Frosting Drip Cake.
But first, a little background. It wasn't too long ago that I hadn't even heard of using canned frosting to do the drip on a cake. So when I saw it suggested in my cake group, All Things Cake, I was quite intrigued.
Click here to join All Things Cake!!
Those who use it were saying it was super easy, even fool-proof and well... I'm all about an easy solution to a cake problem.
Not that creating drip cakes was a problem; but it is certainly not always fool-proof. Having tried candy melts and ganache, I knew it was a challenge to always get the drip "just right." I even addressed this issue in my book, Cake Decorating for Beginners.
And the truth is, drip cakes are beautiful and trendy and popular... but also easy to mess up. Ask me how I know? 😉
But now, after finally trying the canned frosting to do a drip cake, I can say with confidence that canned frosting is by far the easiest way to add colored drips to the extremely popular drip cakes! So let's get to it...
Canned Frosting Drip Cake
To do the drip, you'll need two things... canned white frosting and food coloring. I wouldn't recommend anything other than gel colors. Oh. And a spoon 😁
Start with a chilled cake.
Alrighty... you'll need to have your cake already filled and frosted and chilled. For this cake, I used a 6-inch strawberry cake with vanilla buttercream. I filled it, frosted it, then chilled it so that it would be good and firm (and cold).
Melting the canned frosting.
To prep the frosting, I opened up the top, peeled off the foil cover, and placed it in the microwave without a lid. Then I warmed it for 10 seconds. I stirred and warmed another 10-seconds. And repeated one last time, for a total of 30 seconds.
The timing will vary based on the power of your microwave but basically you want the frosting melted, warm, smooth and pourable. You don't want it so hot that it starts to bubble.
I used a butter knife to stir mine so I could get into the corners and it worked perfectly.
Coloring the canned frosting.
Immediately after it got to the right consistency and was melted through, I added a few drops of Electric Pink gel coloring and stirred again. I wanted the drip to be pretty bright so I ended up adding more drops.
The frosting won't really change colors after it sets (like homemade buttercream frosting) so go ahead and get it the color you want.
Spoon the frosting on to form drips.
Okay - so when the frosting is ready, get your chilled cake and place it on a turntable. Then using a spoon, gently add a small amount of the frosting near the edge of the cake (but not on the edge).
Then using the edge of the spoon, gently push a tiny bit out and over the edge until it starts to run down. Then turn a tiny bit and repeat.
You'll keep working around the cake, adding drips approximately one inch apart. If you find the drips are running down the cake as far as you'd like, you can push a little more over the edge.
I like to vary the amount so that the drips aren't all exactly the same length.
Keep going until you get back to where you started. When you have all the drips done, then it's time to fill in the center.
Use the spoon to add more frosting and smooth it as you go, until the center is completely covered with frosting. It doesn't set really fast so you should be able to get it as smooth as you like.
I sometimes go back and clean up the edges if I see any places that I don't like.
The finished drip cake:
I was so incredibly pleased with how easy it was to make a drip cake with canned frosting. It was easy to work with, easy to color, and super smooth and pretty.
I'm not sure I'll ever use anything else to do drips! Before I did any more decorating, I placed the cake in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes to set the drips. I'm also told they'll set up at room temperature, but it'll take longer.
My friend Holly at Once Upon a Cupcake has even used the white frosting (without coloring), let the drip completely set, then painted the drips gold with great success (see pic above!!)
See how I paint with gold in this Unicorn Horn tutorial!
Finishing the cake...
I didn't photograph the rest of my decorating for this cake, but I can give you some details.
I used a 1M tip to pipe on the border and the little clouds of frosting on top of the cake.
Then I added Valentine's sprinkles and called it a day. This cake was so easy to make and your clients will love it if you offer these for Valentine's Day or change up the colors and do this design for any holiday!
And that's it - a finished Valentine's Drip Cake made with canned frosting!
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But how does it taste?
Well, it tastes like canned frosting. Obviously, if you hate the taste of canned frosting, you will not want to use this on your cakes. Personally, it's not my favorite (because ganache is amazing!), but I like it well enough to use it for sure.
Also, most of my clients aren't nearly as picky or discerning as I am so I don't foresee any complaints from them.
It's like the difference between homemade pizza and Pizza Hut pizza. Clearly they're not the same. I love homemade pizza way better - because it's homemade. But that never stops me from tearing up a piece of Meat Lovers Pizza when given the opportunity. Or when I need a quick meal that I don't have to cook. Know what I mean?
Ultimately, it's a personal choice, but if you don't hate the taste, I think it's a great solution!
Can I use pre-colored canned frosting?
I'm gonna guess "yes", but I only experimented with white, so I make no guarantees. You might ask in the All Things Cake group on this thread.
Check out these other popular cake tutorials:
- How to Smooth Frost a Cake and How to Get Sharp Buttercream Edges {Video Tutorial}
- Messy Ruffles Cake Decorating Video Tutorial
- How to Use a Silicone Pearl Mold
- How to Sell Paint-Your-Cookie Sets (the ebook!)
- Can You Freeze a Fondant Decorated Cake?
- How to Organize Ribbons
Do you have any other questions? Leave me a comment!
Lea
I have to ask, how does it taste? My personal opinion is, that right out of the can that stuff is horrible tasting. Maybe eating it with a bite of your buttercream and cake masks the taste, but I'm skeptical. I'm all for easy, but if it doesn't taste good it ruins the cake. Just my 2 cents worth.
Rose
I don't hate the flavor and I use a lot of buttercream on my cakes, so it's not a deal-breaker for me. Also, I doubt most clients would be as critical of canned frosting as we are. But if you're totally opposed to it, then certainly skip this idea!
Malissa Lima
Can this be done with homemade buttercream? Or only the store bought?
Rose
Some readers in my Facebook group said it can be done with homemade frosting. You can check it out here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/AllThingsCakebyRoseBakes/permalink/1458496007659167/
Linda Roberts
Eating it with the cake does make a difference. Adding a flavor also helps I have used on a lemon bundt cake and added lemon to it and it was great. I use the chocolate mostly and after it is heated I add about a tbl spoon of butter and let it melt. That should keep it's shine
Maria Cruz
Hi interesting, can't wait to try. I wonder if adding a little bit of flavor could mess the perfect drip.Thanks!
Rose
I doubt a small amount would hurt anything, but I'd keep it to a minimum.
Shannon K.
Hi Rose! Thanks for this info! So helpful!! I LOVE the cake! Were you able to add the sprinkles to the drip after it was set or did you add them before?
Rose
I added after it had been in the fridge for about 5 mins. So it was a little set, but not completely.
Renne Free
I have been leery of using canned frosting, but oh wow! Next drip I do I will be using it for sure!!! I do have one question. How is the flavor of the canned icing with your buttercream and cake? Does it “override” the buttercream?
Rose
It's not bad! I use *a lot* of buttercream on my cakes, so I don't feel like it was overpowering at all.
June Banks
I used the choc fudge can icing on my choc buttercream wedding cakes in the mid nineties - so easy. Nice to see it come around again!
Rose
That's so cool to know!
Sydney
So, I have a question- if you can use canned frosting for the drip- why couldn’t we use our homemade buttercream and use the same technique? I think it would work and then there would be no worry about”canned “ icing flavor! Just a thought! Also I appreciate you posting this! I do the ganache method and I just want it to set hard, which it never seems to do! Thanks again!!
Rose
You know that very thing crossed my mind but I haven't tried it yet. Maybe...
Cecilia Heyaime
Hello..can you use the already colored canned frosting for the drip??
Thanks in advance for your response.
Rose
I haven't tried anything but white but I don't see why colored frosting wouldn't work!
Jessica
Does the drip frosting also work on fondant cakes? Or does it run right off?
Thanks!!
Rose
No, I don't think it would run off of fondant, but I haven't tried it yet.
Kimberly
Hi Rose,
This is genius time saver idea. I use ganache and hate waiting for it to set. Definitely trying this on my next drip cake.
Amanda
How long does the cake need to sit in a refrigerator before it’s ready? I’ve been wanting to try a drip cake for a long time, and this seems so easy!
Rose
Usually 10-15 minutes is good.
Mi
Great, I love super easy ideas but things like canned frosting are not readily available where I stay. Can i use royal icing for drips on buttercream?
Susan
You may be able to use royal icing on a buttercream cake, but I would recommend doing a ganache drip instead.
Alana
Hi there. Can you use any type of colour in the canned frosting or does it hve to be gel colour
Rose
I would recommend gel or powder. I think the liquid would change the consistency.
Mabel Efa
Pls I'm new here and I believe I will learn a lot from Rose Bakes
Laken Nall
Hi, how long did you let the icing cool after melting it, before adding the drips?
B
Can you do this to a bare cake to ice the whole cake? I am doing a shaped cake and thought this would be a quicker and easier way to ice the whole cake.
Susan
I've seen others cover a whole cake with this method. I would do a smooth crumb coat first though.
Anita
I'm excited to try this, but I'm wondering -- it seems like there's a fair bit of frosting left over in the can after you do the cake. Can you save it and reuse it later? Does it resolidify, and if so, is the quality affected if you melt it again? I just hate the idea of wasting so much!
Rose
Yes. I often save the frosting and refrigerate it for another cake.
Denise Gonzales
Thanks for that information, I wondered how and if can frosting would work for drips!
Emily
Do you think this would work on a cake that’s frosted but without using a scraper to smooth it? I did my best and the frosted cake is now in the freezer. I’m going to decorate next week. This would be a fun decoration but I wasn’t sure if my hand smoothing would be enough for the drips to run nicely.
Rose
I do! As long as the drip is warm enough - it should run just fine!
Susan
Thanks for this great tutorial! I tried it on a small practice cake and the drip looked great, so I put it back in the fridge overnight after doing the drip. It has continued to drip a little more overnight, so all of my shorter drips are down to the cake board now or are all longer. How do you get it to stop dripping and set?
Rose
Was your cake cold when you did the drip? That will help it set up quicker!
Patricia Oxford
I had the same problem as Susan - and yes, my cake was cold when I put it on. It was great as long as it was in the fridge. I took it to a birthday party (fortunately for a relative so they didn't care) and once it had set out for a while, the drips continued to drip and the room temp was under 70 degrees. When we cut the cake, the cake was still cold, but the drips were puddled onto the cake board.