I had just enough time to make one more cake before Easter this year, and couldn’t resist making a Peeps cake.

Nothing screams Easter more than peeps, and their bright colors were the main inspiration for this cake.

Fun fact, I don’t actually like eating Peeps. They kind of taste like nothing to me. But for some reason I buy them every year, and love the idea of them.

It’s almost like if peeps aren’t there, it isn’t Easter! I think they’re one of those things I like to eat with my eyes more than my mouth…kind of like meringue kisses!

Checkerboard Surprise Inside

Not only does the color scheme of this cake matches the peeps, there’s also a checkerboard pattern hiding inside the cake!!

My favorite vanilla layer cake recipe works great for making a checkerboard pattern cake. It’s sturdy enough to be cut into the rings you need to create this pattern.

I used 8 inch cake layers, and cut them with with 6″, 4″, and 2″ circle cutters. While amazon has tons of packs of assorted circle cutters, they usually range in size from 1 inch – 4 inches.

I use 3 different sized circle cutters to make my checkerboard cake cutouts. The 2″ and 4″ circle cutter are from an assorted pack, and I purchased the 6″ circle cutter separately.

Seems like a lot to buy, but it’s worth it if you plan to make more checkerboard cakes in the future.

Having assorted circle cutters on hand is also great for sugar cookies, or fondant features for cakes. I find myself using them all the time. In my opinion, they really are worth the investment.

Colorful Drip Tips

To get perfect drips on your cakes, I have a couple tips for you!

The first is to be sure your cake is full chilled. Let is sit in the freezer for at least 20 minutes, or in the fridge for an hour!

The second is making sure your ganache is the right temperature! It should be just slightly warm to the touch. Do one test drip (and let it sit for about 1 minute), to see if your ganache is flowing the way you want it to.

If it’s not, either let it cool a bit more, or heat it in the microwave for another 3-4 seconds.

Do keep in mind the drips will continue to run down the cake after they’re initially added. You’ll really wait a bit after that test drip to make sure it looks the way you want it to.

I’ve also shared an in-depth video tutorial on how to add drips onto a cake on my YouTube channel. It’s great to watch if you’re more of a visual learner.

Share Your Creations With Me!

If you try this peeps cake recipe, please tag me @chelsweets. Also use the #chelsweets so that I can see your amazing creations!

Nothing makes me happier than when I get emails or DMs with photos of your amazing cakes. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to me with your triumphs, or questions <3