Introduction

The Ball Drop Cake is an impressive and festive dessert featuring layers of moist vanilla cake filled with rich chocolate cheesecake mousse. Topped with a silky buttercream and a shimmering mirror glaze, this cake is perfect for special celebrations.

A shiny, dome-shaped dessert covered in a smooth, dark brown glaze with gold specks on it, placed on a white shallow plate. The dome is topped with three lit sparklers, creating bright golden sparks that spread out widely. The background is a soft peach color, and the dessert sits on a white marbled surface with scattered colorful sequins nearby. Photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Ingredients

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
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
10 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
1 cup (113 g) confectioners’ sugar

1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
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

Step 1: Arrange racks in the center and lower third of the oven. Preheat to 350°F. Grease two 9-inch round cake pans with cooking spray and line the bottoms with parchment paper.
Step 2: In a large bowl, beat butter and granulated sugar with a handheld or stand mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy. Add vegetable oil and beat for another minute. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Mix in vanilla extract.

Step 3: Add flour, baking powder, and salt. Beat just until a few dry streaks remain. Add milk and beat on low speed until combined. Divide batter evenly between pans and spread smoothly.
Step 4: Bake cakes for 15 to 18 minutes, rotating pans halfway through baking. Check doneness with a tester; it should come out clean. Cool cakes for 20 minutes, then invert onto wire racks and cool completely.
Step 5: Line a 9-inch wide, deep bowl with plastic wrap, leaving overhang. Press wrap to mold to the bowl shape with minimal air pockets.

Step 6: Cut one cake layer in half horizontally; refrigerate the other layer. Place one half into the bowl with the cut side up, gently pressing to fit the bowl shape. Cut 1 1/2-inch-wide strips from the other half and stand them vertically along the top edges to raise the cake walls. Fill any gaps with scraps. Refrigerate until ready.
Step 7: For the chocolate cheesecake mousse, place semisweet chocolate chips in a heatproof bowl. Heat 2/3 cup heavy cream until hot, pour over chips, and let sit 30 seconds. Whisk until smooth and cool to room temperature.
Step 8: Beat remaining 1 cup heavy cream in a large bowl until stiff peaks form. In another bowl, beat cream cheese, confectioners’ sugar, cocoa powder, and salt until smooth. Add cooled ganache and mix well. Fold whipped cream gently into the chocolate mixture.

Step 9: Spread chocolate mousse evenly into the cake mold. Top with the reserved whole cake layer. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight.
Step 10: Beat softened butter for the buttercream until smooth. Add confectioners’ sugar and vanilla extract, beating until light and creamy.
Step 11: Unwrap cake and invert onto a wire rack. Remove bowl and plastic wrap. Frost cake with a thin, smooth layer of buttercream. Chill if needed to smooth frosting with a warm spatula. Refrigerate until ready to glaze.

Step 12: For the mirror glaze, sprinkle gelatin over 1/4 cup water in a shallow bowl and let sit 5 minutes. In a medium pot, heat granulated sugar, corn syrup, and 3/4 cup water over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves and mixture begins to boil. Remove from heat and whisk in gelatin and sweetened condensed milk until smooth. Add bittersweet chocolate chips and whisk again.
Step 13: Strain glaze through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl. Stir every 10 minutes until glaze reaches 85°–90°F, about 1 to 2 hours.
Step 14: Line a baking sheet with parchment. When glaze reaches 90°F, stir in 1 1/2 tsp gold edible glitter evenly. Remove cake from fridge and place on a wire rack over the baking sheet.

Step 15: Pour glaze over the center of the cake in a steady stream, working outwards in concentric circles until fully covered. Let glaze drip for a few seconds, then pour additional glaze on top for coverage.
Step 16: Mix 3/4 tsp vodka with remaining 1 tsp gold glitter, and silver glitter with remaining 3/4 tsp vodka in separate small bowls. Using a small brush, splatter gold glitter over the cake, then repeat with silver glitter for a sparkling finish.
Step 17: Refrigerate cake for at least 2 hours or overnight to set the glaze.

Step 18: To serve, use a large knife or spatula to transfer the cake carefully from the rack to a platter.

Tips & Variations

Use a small offset spatula for smoother frosting and consider chilling the cake before smoothing the buttercream with a warm spatula to avoid lumps.
For a different flavor, swap the vanilla cake for a chocolate or red velvet base.

If you don’t have edible glitter, finely grated chocolate or gold dust can be a nice alternative for decoration.

Storage

Store the cake covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The glaze and mousse are best served chilled. To reheat, allow cake slices to come to room temperature for 20 minutes but avoid microwaving to maintain texture.

How to Serve

A round dome-shaped cake with a shiny dark chocolate outer layer speckled with gold spots is placed on a white plate on a white marbled surface. The cake is cut to show two inner layers: a soft, light yellow sponge cake on the top and bottom, and a thick, fluffy milk chocolate mousse layer in the middle. A slice of the cake is lifted, clearly showing the smooth chocolate glaze on the outside and the contrasting creamy texture of the mousse inside, with the sponge cake layers providing structure. Photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I make this cake gluten-free?

Yes, substitute the all-purpose flour with a gluten-free flour blend that measures cup-for-cup, and ensure your baking powder is gluten-free.

How far in advance can I prepare the cake?

You can assemble the cake and refrigerate it overnight before glazing. The mirror glaze and final decorations should be done the day you plan to serve the cake for the best shine and freshness.