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Have you seen the Viral Dot Cakes trend all over social media? They’re super fun to look at and eat (cake and frosting, sign me up) but if you want a tutorial on how to make a dot cake at home so you can skip the pricey NYC bakery, here is the recipe for you!
What is a Dot Cake?
These recently popped up on social media as the product of a New York City bakery. The bakery was selling mini cakes placed in small cups, topping them with frosting and nonpareil sprinkles, then chilling them so the top is hard (you probably saw videos of the spoon tapping on top).
Basically, dot cakes are just vanilla cupcakes with vanilla buttercream packaged in a new way: in a cup so you eat it with a spoon instead of using a cupcake liner. As for the “dotted” topping, that’s not new either: I’ve been eating sprinkle cakes my entire life! And if you look to other cultures, the Mexican Pink Cake (or Cortadillo) is a classic dot cake that’s been around forever.
But, trends are trends, and now cakes in cups with nonpareils are all the rage, so let’s learn how to make them!
Dot Cakes Ingredients
- Baked and cooled cake(s): The classic version I’m seeing online is vanilla or yellow cake, but you could use chocolate or any flavor, really. You can use my homemade recipe or make a box mix, the only thing you need to think about is how you want to layer your cake.
- Buttercream Frosting: Vanilla frosting seems to be the main flavor used online, but chocolate frosting would be delicious too (or make a Mexican version using pink frosting!) You can use homemade or canned frosting.
- Nonpareils: This is what makes them a dot cake instead of a boring old cupcake! Non-pareils are the little round ball sprinkles that are usually sold in rainbow mixes, but often you can find single colors at craft stores and on Amazon (if you want to personalize the colors for a holiday, etc). Or use Australian Hundreds & Thousands (which look just like nonpareils but are actually chocolate inside!)
- Serving cups or jars: Before assembling you’ll need small jars, ramekins, cups or something to serve your cakes in. Look for a wide mouth shallow vessel (like an 8-ounce cup or jar). These 8-ounce cups with lids would be great, or use paper ice cream cups.
SAVE THIS RECIPE
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Dorothy’s Testing Notes & Tips
I spent an afternoon fighting with cake and getting sprinkles everywhere to work out all the kinks for you.
- Depending on your serving cup, decide if you want layers of cake and frosting or one layer of cake. Because the cups shown were a little deeper than the normal ones online, I went with a layered cake. If your cups are wider and shorter, you can just use one layer.
- If you want one layer, use one 9×13-inch pan to bake your cakes. If you want to have two layers, as I show, use two 9×13-inch pans so you get two thin layers of cake.
- You’ll need extra frosting if doing two layers.
- Dip the tops in sprinkles over the sink unless you like cleaning up nonpareils for days (weeks).
- To get the signature tap-tap-tap of the spoon the dot cakes need to be chilled. However, they taste better room temperature.
- If they fit, place your cups of cake and sprinkles in muffin pans to chill. Then they won’t fall over!
Dot Cakes Recipe
Equipment
- 10 Small cups or plastic cups with lids
Ingredients
- 1 recipe yellow cake or a box yellow cake mix
- 1 recipe vanilla frosting, or 3-4 cans vanilla frosting
- 1 cup nonpareil sprinkles, any colors
Instructions
- Decide if you want one layer cakes or two layer cakes (the depth of your cup can help decide this).
- Prepare cake according to recipe or package directions. For a single layer dot cake, bake in one 9×13-inch pan. For a double layer dot cake (as shown), bake in two 9×13-inch pans. Line your pan(s) with parchment paper for easy removal of the cakes after they cool.
- Bake as directed; baking time will be cut approximately in ½ – ⅔ time for a single layer, so check after half the time called for on your recipe/box. Cool completely.
- Use the cup or jar you're using for your dot cakes to cut rounds of cake. Nestle each cut as close together as possible (and you can use scraps to make additional cakes).
- If making a single layer, place the cake in the jar. If making a double layer, place one layer in, add frosting, then add the second layer.
- Top the cakes with frosting all the way to the top of the cup, flush with the edge.
- Place sprinkles in a bowl. Holding the bowl over the sink, dip the dot cake upside down and press to coat with sprinkles. Repeat with rest of cakes. Chill until set.
- Store in refrigerator, covered, for up to 3 days or freeze for up to a month.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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How to make Dot Cakes at Home
- Use the jar or cup to cut out circles of cake (cut them as close as possible so you have less scraps).
- Place first layer in the cup. The dollup of frosting on top doesn’t need to be perfect.
- Press down when adding the second layer and it’ll squish the frosting filling evenly.
- The frosting should be leveled at the top of the cup.
- You may need to press a few times to get sprinkles fully covering the top (this is the messy part).
- A muffin tin is perfect for holding the jars or cups so they don’t fall over in the fridge.
