Easy Chocolate Drip Cake

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease 8 round pans with cooking oil and line them with parchment.

In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir well combine.

Add butter, milk, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla extract to the dry ingredients. Mix well with a hand mixer or mixer on medium speed for 2 minutes.

Add water to the batter and mix gently until well combined. Pour into pans.

Bake for 30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted at the center comes out clean.

Let the cakes cool in the pans for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.

To make buttercream frosting, beat 1 1/2 cups butter in a large bowl until creamy. Add 6 cups powdered sugar, 1/2 cup heavy cream, 2 tsp vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt to the bowl. Beat on high speed until well combined and fluffy.

Level off the tops of the cakes with a serrated knife, if needed. Place one cake layer on a cake stand or plate. Spread a layer of frosting on top of the cake, using a spatula.

Place the second cake layer on top of the frosting. Repeat the same process with all the remaining layers.

Use the remaining frosting to frost the entire cake. Smooth the sides and the top of the cake with a bench scraper or a spatula.

To make the chocolate ganache, place chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Heat cream in a saucepan until not boiling. Pour the hot cream over the chopped chocolate. Let sit for 2 minutes, then stir until well and glossy.

Pour the ganache over the top of the cake, letting it drip down the sides.

Decorate the cake with sprinkles, fresh fruit, or edible flowers as desired.