Make your own Dot Cake at home with this easy recipe made from boxed cake mix. It’s a soft, moist cake coated in creamy frosting and colorful nonpareil sprinkles that add a little crunch in every bite.
This Viral Dot Cake recipe has been trending all over social media, so I had to try it for myself but with my own twist. The viral dessert trend is usually made by baking an entire sheet cake and then using a small jar or ramekin to stamp out perfectly round cake circles before coating them frosting and sprinkles.
My version, inspired by the bakery DotCakes, is a little different. Instead of cutting circles from a larger cake, I baked the cake directly in individual oven-safe ramekins. Once cooled, each mini cake is frosted and rolled in nonpareil sprinkles to create that signature dotted look.
Not only does this save time, but it also creates perfectly portioned desserts that are great for parties, baby showers, bake sales, or whenever you’re craving a sweet treat.
If you’re looking for more viral recipes from TikTok, also try my Baked Oats and Boat Dip.
Dot Cake Ingredients
Box Cake Mix: Use your favorite flavor cake such as vanilla, funfetti, chocolate, etc. or use a homemade cake recipe.
Cake Mix Ingredients: Eggs, water and oil as called for on the box
Frosting: Store brought buttercream frosting works great, or make homemade buttercream frosting from your favorite recipe.
Nonpareil Sprinkles: These tiny round sprinkles create the dotted appearance. Use rainbow for a colorful look or themed colors for holidays and special occasions.
Will Also Need: Small oven-safe ramekin bowls
How to Make a Dot Cake
1. Preheat the oven and prepare the cake batter as instructed on the box.
2. Lightly grease the ramekin bowls with nonstick cooking spray.
3. Fill each bowl about two-thirds full with cake batter. The cake will rise as it bakes, and you want the finished cake to reach close to the rim of the dish as possible.
4. Place the ramekins on a baking sheet and bake according to the box directions, checking for doneness with a toothpick inserted into the center.
5. Remove from oven and allow the cakes to cool completely. If needed, level the tops of the cakes with a serrated knife for a smooth surface.
6. Spread a generous layer of frosting over the top of each cake.
7. Pour the nonpareil sprinkles into a shallow bowl.
8. Gently roll and press the frosted cakes into the sprinkles until completely covered.
9. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve.
Dot Cake Recipe Variations
- Funfetti Dot Cake: Use funfetti cake mix and rainbow nonpareil sprinkles.
- Chocolate Dot Cake: Make with chocolate cake, chocolate frosting and brown nonpareil sprinkles.
- Strawberry Dot Cake: Use strawberry cake mix and pink sprinkles for Valentine’s Day or baby showers.
- Lemon Dot Cake: Pair lemon cake with vanilla or lemon frosting and yellow sprinkles for a bright summer dessert.
- Holiday Dot Cakes: Match the sprinkle colors to any holiday, such as red and green for Christmas, pastel colors for Easter, or red, white and blue for Fourth of July.
Helpful Tips for Making Dot Cakes
- Allow the cakes to cool completely before frosting to prevent the frosting from melting.
- Place the frosted cakes in the refrigerator for about 10-15 minutes after frosting and adding sprinkles for it to harden a bit.
- Don’t overfill the ramekins or the cake may rise over the edges while baking.
- If the tops dome too much, trim them flat with a serrated knife once cooled.
How to Store Dot Cakes
- Refrigerator: Cover and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Freezer: You can freeze unfrosted Dot Cakes for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then frost and decorate before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Nonpareils create the signature dotted look, but you can use other small sprinkles if desired. Larger sprinkles will create a different texture and appearance.
This can happen if the oven door is opened too early, the batter is overmixed, or the cakes are underbaked.
Buttercream is the most popular, but cream cheese, whipped or flavored frostings can also work.
Small oven-safe ramekins that hold 4 to 6 ounces work best for individual-sized Dot Cakes.
Recipe
Dot Cake Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 boxed cake mix
- Eggs, Water, Oil: ingredients listed on cake box
- 1 container of frosting
- Nonpareil sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat the oven and prepare the cake batter as instructed on the box.
- Lightly grease the ramekin bowls with nonstick cooking spray.
- Fill each bowl about two-thirds full with cake batter. The cake will rise as it bakes, and you want the finished cake to reach close to the rim of the dish as possible.
- Place the ramekins on a baking sheet and bake according to the box directions, checking for doneness with a toothpick inserted into the center.
- Remove from oven and allow the cakes to cool completely.
- If needed, level the tops of the cakes with a serrated knife for a smooth surface.
- Spread a generous layer of frosting over the top of each cake.
- Pour the nonpareil sprinkles into a shallow bowl.
- Gently roll and press the frosted cakes into the sprinkles until completely covered.
- Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve.
Notes
Helpful Tips for Making Dot Cakes
- Allow the cakes to cool completely before frosting to prevent the frosting from melting.
- Place the frosted cakes in the refrigerator for about 10-15 minutes after frosting and adding sprinkles for it to harden a bit.
- Don’t overfill the ramekins or the cake may rise over the edges while baking.
- If the tops dome too much, trim them flat with a serrated knife once cooled.
How to Store Dot Cakes
- Refrigerator: Cover and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Freezer: You can freeze unfrosted Dot Cakes for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then frost and decorate before serving.
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclosure
Nutritional facts are estimates and are provided as a courtesy to the reader. Please utilize your own brand nutritional values to double check against our estimates. Nutritional values are calculated via a third party. Changing ingredients, amounts or cooking technique will alter the estimated nutritional calculations.
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