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image of a cute peeps cake that's been decorated with colorful white chocolate ganache drips and different colored peeps
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4.95 from 57 rating

Peeps Drip Cake

This Peeps cake is the perfect cake for Easter! It's made with colorful checkerboard cake layers, matching drips, and loads of Peeps.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time34 minutes
Additional Time1 hour
Total Time1 hour 49 minutes
Course: Cakes
Cuisine: American
Servings: 24
Calories: 667kcal
Author: Chelsey White

Ingredients

Checkerboard Cake Layers

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour 375g
  • 3 cups granulated sugar 600g
  • 2 1/2 tsp baking powder 10g
  • 1 tsp fine salt 6g
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature 226g
  • 1 cup carton egg whites or 7 large egg whites, room temperature 235g
  • 1 1/2 cups full-fat sour cream, room temperature 360g
  • 2 Tbsp vegetable or canola oil 30g
  • 1 Tbsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste 12g
  • Pink, yellow, blue, and pink gel food coloring

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

  • 2 1/2 cups unsalted butter, room temperature 565g
  • 1 Tbsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste 12g
  • 1/2 tsp fine salt 3g
  • 9 cups powdered sugar 1125g
  • 1/3 cup heavy whipping cream, room temperature 80g

Colorful Drip Recipe

  • 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream, room temperature 60g
  • 1 cup white chocolate chips 175g
  • Pink, purple, yellow, and blue gel food coloring

Additional Decorations

  • Colorful Peeps

Recommend Equipment

Instructions

Checkerboard Cake Layers:

  • Preheat oven to 350°F / 175°C. Line four 8" round cake pans with parchment rounds and grease with non-stick baking spray or homemade cake pan release.
  • Mix 3 cups all-purpose flour, 3 cups sugar, 2 1/2 tsp baking powder, and 1 tsp salt together in a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or hand mixer until fully combined.
  • Mix in 1 cup of room temperature, unsalted butter slowly into the dry ingredients on a low speed. Continue to mix until no large chunks of butter remain, and the mixture looks like moist sand.
  • Pour in 1 cup of egg whites and mix on low until just incorporated. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed with a rubber spatula.
  • Then mix in 1 1/2 cups sour cream, 2 Tbsp of vegetable oil, and 1 Tbsp of vanilla on a low speed until fully incorporated.
  • Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula one more time, then beat on a medium speed for about 30 seconds to make sure everything is properly mixed together. This also helps lighten the texture of the cake layers.
  • Divide the batter evenly between four bowls (about 450 grams of batter per bowl). Create blue, purple, pink, and yellow batter using a squirt of gel food coloring. Mix by hand with a spatula until the batter is evenly colored.
  • Pour each color into one of the prepared cake pans. Bake for 31-35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let the pans cool for 10 minutes, then run an offset spatula around the perimeter of the pan to separate the cake from the pan.
  • Place cake layers into the freezer for 45 minutes to accelerate the cooling process. Once the layers are fully cooled, carefully flip the pans, and remove the layers from the pans.
  • Use a serrated knife to level the tops of the layers. Then use a 6", 4" and 2" circle cutter to carefully cut each layer into four rings. If you don’t have circle cutters those sizes, make a 6”, 4”, and 2” template with
    parchment paper and cut the layers with a small, sharp knife. Carefully reassemble the layers, following the same color pattern (blue, purple, pink, yellow). Set aside.
  • If you make these cake layers in advance and freeze them, let them thaw for about 20 minutes before making the cake. The cake layers should still be slightly cold to the touch, which will make it easier to assemble the cake.

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting:

  • While the cake layers bake and cool, make the vanilla buttercream frosting.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer or a large bowl, beat 2 1/2 cups of unsalted butter on a medium speed for 30 seconds with a stand mixer and paddle attachment or hand mixer until smooth.
  • Mix in 1 Tbsp of vanilla extract and 1/2 tsp salt on a low speed. Gradually mix in 9 cups of powdered sugar and 1/3 cup of heavy cream on a low speed.
  • Continue to mix on a low speed for a few minutes until the desired consistency is reached.  If the frosting seems too thick, add in additional cream (1 Tbsp at a time). If the frosting seems too thin, add in more powdered sugar (quarter of a cup at a time).
  • Cover the buttercream flush with plastic wrap to prevent crusting, then set aside.

Assembling This Peeps Cake:

  • Stack and frost the checkerboard cake layers on a greaseproof cake board or flat plate using a dab of frosting to help stick the first cake layer to the board. Keep the color order in mind as you stack the layers to make sure the checkerboard is aligned properly. Start with the layer that has a blue outer edge, then add the purple, pink, and yellow layers.
  • Spread an even layer of buttercream between each cake layer with a large offset spatula.
  • Add a thin coat of frosting around the cake to fully cover the cake layers. Smooth using a bench scraper, then chill the cake in the fridge (30 minutes) or freezer (10 minutes).
  • Then spread a second, thicker layer of frosting to the cake, and smooth using a bench scraper. Place the cake again in the freezer to chill for 10 minutes or in the fridge for 30 minutes, or until the frosting is firm to the touch.

Colorful White Chocolate Ganache Drips:

  • While the cake chills, heat 1/4 cup of heavy cream in a heat-proof bowl in the microwave for 45 seconds, or until it's just beginning to bubble. Gently pour 1 cup of white chocolate chips into the heavy cream. Make sure they are fully covered with cream. Let the mixture sit for 1 minute.
  • Stir slowly until the cream and white chocolate are combined and smooth. If any bits of chocolate aren't fully melted yet, heat the mixture again for 20 seconds and stir. Repeat as needed until the chocolate is fully melted.
  • Divide the ganache evenly between four small bowls. Use gel food coloring to make pink, purple, yellow, and blue ganache. Let the ganache cool and thicken a bit (barely warm to the touch).
  • Pour each color of ganache into its own small piping and seal the top with a rubber band.

Decorating This Peeps Drip Cake:

  • Once the frosting is firm to the touch, snip a small opening at the base of each piping bag and add colorful drips to the cake. Add the drips in color blocks with about 3 drips per section.
  • Then decorate the top of the cake with a ring of different colored peeps and your favorite Easter candies.

Video

Notes

If you need to make any substitutions or swaps in this recipe, please see the section in the post above on ingredient substitutions.

Recipe Variations

One batch of cake batter makes about 1800 grams or 10 cups. If you plan to use four circular cake pans, add 450 grams (about 2.5 cups) of batter into each pan.
This recipe can also be used to make a sheet cake! One batch will make 2, 9 x 13-inch cake layers that are about 1-inch tall. I would recommend marbling together the colorful batter if you make a sheet cake.
Bake the sheet cake for 35-40 mins at 350 F / 175 C. I recommend using heating cores if you have them to help large cake layers like this bake more evenly and quickly.
You can also make one 9 x 13-inch cake layer that's about 2 inches tall, but bake time will be 45-55 minutes at 350 F/ 175 C.

Tips for Making the Best Peeps Cake

  • Ingredients at room temp mix together better! Set out any cold ingredients ahead of time.
  • Properly measure your flour (spoon into the cup measure, then level). Or better yet, use a kitchen scale to measure your dry ingredients.
  • Level the room temperature or thawed cake layers with a serrated knife to make them easier to stack.
  • Make sure the buttercream is the right consistency. This will help give the cake proper structure and make it easier to decorate.
  • Chill the cake layers in the freezer for about 20 minutes before assembling the cake. It makes them so much easier to stack and frost!
  • If your cake layers turn out less than perfect, read my cake troubleshooting guide to see where things might've gone awry.

Making This Checkerboard Layer Cake in Advance & Storage Tips

Make the cake layers in advance and freeze them. It breaks the process up and makes it more approachable.
The frosting can also be made ahead of time too or you can save any leftover frosting! It can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a month, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Be sure to give it a good stir once it thaws to get the consistency nice and smooth again.
A frosted cake can last in the fridge for up to a week, or in the freezer for up to a month. The buttercream locks in all the moisture, keeping the cake fresh and delicious!
If you cut into the cake and have leftovers, use any remaining frosting to cover the cut section to keep it moist and store in the fridge for up to a week.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 | Calories: 667kcal | Carbohydrates: 84g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 36g | Saturated Fat: 21g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 12g | Cholesterol: 89mg | Sodium: 247mg | Sugar: 71g