Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease three 8-inch round cake pans, line with parchment paper rounds, then grease the parchment paper.

Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

In a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar on high speed until light and fluffy (about 3–4 minutes). This step gives you that soft bakery-style texture.

Mix in eggs one at a time, then add vanilla.

Add dry ingredients in three additions, alternating with milk, ending with the dry ingredients. Mix just until combined.

Toss chocolate chips in flour (prevents sinking), then gently fold into batter.

Divide batter evenly between pans. Bake for 20–30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Cool in pans on a cooling rack for 1 hour, then remove from the pans to cool completely. The cakes must be completely cooled before frosting.

Place 1 ½ cup of unsalted room temperature butter into a mixer bowl. Beat on medium speed for about 2 minutes until fluffy.

Add 6 cups of sifted icing sugar adding in 3 batches(so 2 cups at a time) on low speed. Add in an ⅛ teaspoon of salt. Then add 6 tablespoons of milk or cream and 2 ½ teaspoons of vanilla extract.

Increase to high speed and continue to mix for 3 minutes. (Reserve some butter cream if you want to make buttercream swirls on the top, about ¾ cup (180 grams) before adding the chocolate chips.) Fold in the mini chocolate chips.

Level cake layers if needed with a large serrated knife. Set one cake layer onto your cake stand, turntable, or serving plate. Spread about 1 cup of frosting evenly over the top. Add the second layer upside down and frost with another 1 cup of frosting, smoothing it out evenly. Place the third layer on top (right side up or upside down—either works!). Use the remaining frosting to cover the top and sides of the cake. For the smoothest finish, I recommend using a large straight icing spatula to apply the frosting.

Refrigerate the cake for at least 20 minutes, or up to 8 hours. The frosting must be cold when you add the chocolate drip on top.

Place chopped chocolate in a medium heat-proof bowl with a pour spout (I use a 2-cup glass liquid measuring cup). Heat the cream in a small saucepan over medium heat until it begins to gently simmer. (Do not let it come to a rapid boil—that’s too hot!) Pour over the chocolate, then let it sit for 2–3 minutes to gently soften the chocolate. With a metal spoon or small rubber spatula, very slowly stir until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth. The finer you chop the chocolate, the quicker it will melt with the cream. If it’s not melting, do not microwave it. Once the ganache mixture is smooth, transfer it into a squeeze bottle or piping bag with a small round tip or the corner snipped off. You could also just use a Ziploc plastic bag with the corner snipped or even just a spoon.

ake the cake out of the refrigerator. Using a gentle zigzag motion, squeeze the warm ganache around the edge of the cake while slowly rotating it. The ganache should drip naturally down the sides and begin to set as it flows.

Once you’ve gone all the way around, pour the remaining ganache over the top and spread it into an even layer with an offset spatula. Garnish as desired with fresh berries, chocolate chips, or any leftover cake crumbs from levelling the layers.

Refrigerate the cake uncovered for at least 20 minutes, or up to 6 hours, before slicing and serving. After the ganache has fully set, you can pipe on any reserved buttercream. I used a Wilton 2B piping tip for the swirls.