Instructions

Checkerboard Cake Layers:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line four 8 inch pans with parchment rounds, and grease with a light spray of non-stick cooking spray.
2. Mix together all dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt) in a stand mixer with a paddle with a few gentle pulses.
3. Mix chunks of room-temperature butter slowly into the dry mix, on a low speed. Continue to mix until no large chunks of butter remain, and the mixture becomes crumbly.
4. Pour in egg whites, and mix on low until just incorporated. Mix in the buttermilk in two installments, on a low speed.
5. Add in vanilla and oil, and mix at a low speed until fully incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula, then beat on low speed for about 15 seconds. 
6. Divide the batter evenly between four bowls (about 450 grams of batter per bowl). Create yellow, pink, blue and purple batter using a couple drops of gel food coloring. Mix by hand with a spatula until the batter is evenly colored.
7. Pour each color into one of the prepared cake pans.
8. Bake for 32-35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow the pans to cool for 10 minutes, then run an offset spatula around perimeter of the pan to separate the cake from the pan.
9. 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.
10. Use a serrated knife to level the tops of the layers.
11. With a 6", 4" and 2" circle cutter, carefully cut each layer into four rings. Carefully reassemble the layers, following the same color pattern (pink, purple, yellow, blue). Set aside.

Colorful White Chocolate Ganache Drips:

1. Heat heavy cream in a heat-proof bowl in the microwave for 45 seconds, until it's just beginning to bubble. Gently pour white chocolate chips into the heavy cream, making sure they are fully covered with cream. Allow mixture to sit for 1 minute.
2. Stir slowly until the cream and white chocolate are combined. Some bits of chocolate may not be fully melted yet. Heat the mixture again for 20 seconds, and stir. Repeat as necessary until all the chocolate bits are fully melted and incorporated.
3. Divide the ganache evenly between four small bowls. Use gel food coloring, to make a pink, yellow, blue, and purple ganache. Allow to cool until desired viscosity is reached (barely warm to the touch).
4. Either pour into plastic squirt bottles (if you have some on hand), or place plastic wrap over the bowls to prevent the ganache from forming a skin.

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting:

1. While the cake layers bake and cool, make the vanilla buttercream frosting.
2. Beat the butter on a medium speed for 30 seconds with a paddle attachment, until smooth. Slowly add in the powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time. Alternate with small splashes of cream.
3. Once fully mixed, add in the vanilla and salt, and beat on low until the ingredients are fully incorporated, and the desired consistency is reached. 
4. If the frosting is too thick, add in additional cream (1 teaspoon at a time). If the frosting is too thin, add in more powdered sugar (quarter of a cup at a time).
5. To create the colorful the buttercream used to fill the cake, place 1 cup of frosting into three separate bowls. Color them orange, green, and purple with a couple drops of gel food coloring.
6. Leave the rest of the buttercream white until the cake has been assembled.

To Assemble This Peeps Cake:

1. Stack and frost the checkerboard cake layers on a greaseproof cake board, using a dab of frosting to help stick the first cake layer to the board.
2. Add an even layer of buttercream between each cake layer.
3. Apply a thin coat of frosting around the the cake, to fully cover the cake layers. Smooth using a bench scraper, then chill the cake in the fridge (10 minutes) or freezer (5 minutes) until the frosting is firm to the touch.
4. Add a second, thicker layer of frosting to the cake, and smooth using a bench scraper. Place the cake in the freezer to chill for 10-15 minutes, or in the fridge for 30 minutes.
5. Add the colorful drips in color blocks, with 4-5 drips per section. Use either a plastic squirt bottle and a spoon to add the drips to the cake.
6. Then decorate as desired with different colored peeps and your favorite Easter candies.