Hey everyone,

Please can anyone tell me whats causing the horrible white outline around the chocolate drip on my pink icing? (pic below)

Is it because my chocolate drip is to thin? My drips looking a bit flat...

Also I used milk chocolate, now learned that a semi-sweet or dark is best...

Is it to do with the temp of the fridge?

Please see the picture below-

Thanks, my loves xx

I have absolutely no idea!  I don't think your chocolate is too thin because your drips look perfect.  Remember, only you would ever notice this, not even another decorator unless you pointed it out.  It is not as bad as you think.

I wonder at the temperature of your chocolate when you poured it. 

If it was quite warm and your icing is butter based it may have warmed up the icing enough to alter the colour slightly? Otherwise, no idea sorry.

I agree with the others.  The drips looks perfect.  It's a reaction between the icing and chocolate - don't worry about it.  

Hi Guys,

Thanks so much for replying, the drip was room temperature when i poured it on the cake.

I am a perfectionist and I hate how it looks... Arghhh!

I have never seen this on anyone else's drip cakes before. If this has happen to anyone else please let me know...

Em x

I've done a bunch of drip cakes but not with dark buttercream - maybe that has something to do with it.  I also keep my cakes in the fridge about an hour before adding the drippy chocolate.  Not sure if that matters - but I don't want my chocolate to drip down to the board so I apply it on a very cold cake.  I've never had that white halo appear around the chocolate.  I also use dark chocolate.   

Not sure if any of that helps.  I'm a perfectionist too  :-)

Hi MsGF,

When you say dark buttercream, you mean like how mine is pink?

maybe I put the drip on to early... probably about 20 mins after being in the fridge. I will wait longer next time and see if that makes a difference.

and yes, change to dark chocolate!

Being a perfectionist is hard work LOL. I kept opening the fridge to look at the cake...

Oh this morning I realised that the chocolate ganache has cracked in some places!!

i wonder if this is because my fridge is too cold?? I live in a hot country..

Em x

Yes your pink buttercream is a fairly dark shade - I haven't done the drippy chocolate on a dark shade like that.  

My fridge is also colder then most.  I would definitely let the cake cool longer and change to dark chocolate - it has less sugar and filler.   I use 1:1 ratio of dark chocolate to heavy cream (35%).  I also make the chocolate the day before I want to use it.  And just let it set up in a bowl on the counter, stir it once in a while.  Once it's room temperature I cover it with plastic wrap.  When I'm ready to use it I microwave it for 5 second, stir, 5 more seconds, stir etc..  until it's the consistency I want, not too runny but not too thick. 

Yes it's stressful and time consuming to make things up to our standards  LOL!  :-)

Hope this helps.

Thanks MsGF!! Yes has helped, will report back when I try this again!