Making dot cakes gave me newfound confidence in my baking skills.
I spend most of my Sunday mornings scrolling through TikTok. It’s how I like to occupy myself while I sip my coffee, because it always helps me get some much-needed inspiration for the week ahead. Sometimes it helps me find easy weeknight dinner ideas. Other times it brings me fun desserts like 10-cent cookies or the magic cake from the ’90s—and, most recently, dot cakes.
I’m sure you’ve seen the colorful and intriguing trend by now. The cake has made its way across the internet with rapid speed. At first there didn’t really seem to be much about the dot cake that was special—save for the layer of nonpareil sprinkles lining the top. But as I saw more and more creators making their own versions at home, I knew I had to give it a try.
What is a dot cake?
The Dot Cakes is actually a bakery in Roslyn, New York. Its entire business is dedicated to customizing these flat, individual servings of cakes with custom messages on top. It’s a cute design that quickly inspired copycat recipes. Now, “dot cake” has emerged as a general name for the trending treats.
There are so many variations, but basically an at-home dot cake is a small layer cake served in a ramekin or small glass jar. The top is covered with a thick, flat layer of frosting, which is then dipped into a pile of nonpareils to give it a uniform dotted top. It’s meant to be a single serving, so you can dig right in with a fork or spoon.
How do you make a dot cake?
The process is incredibly simple, even for a novice baker like me. I actually had all the supplies in my pantry already, which felt like such a #bakingwin. All you need is a box of cake mix (I used my favorite yellow cake boxed mix), a container of frosting, and your favorite tiny sprinkles. The classic dot cake is made with nonpareils, but you can really use whatever you have on hand.
A circular cookie cutter that’s about the same size as the ramekin or jar is helpful for cutting and assembling, as is an offset spatula for spreading the frosting evenly on top.
I prepared the cake batter according to the box directions, then baked it in a 13×9-inch baking dish. After allowing the cake to cool for 10 minutes, I cut it into several small circles with my cookie cutter. Then, I assembled the dot cakes in my jars. The easiest assembly would be cake, then frosting, then nonpareils. But if you have deeper jars or ramekins, you can build a layer cake as a fun alternative. Slice the cake circles in half so that you have two rounds. Place one cake round at the bottom, top it with frosting, then add another cake slice. Spread more frosting on top and flatten it out before dipping it in sprinkles.
Dipping the top into sprinkles is the best part! I couldn’t believe how easy this was, and how it immediately transformed my cake into a beautiful and Pinterest-worthy dessert. I can definitely see what the hype is about. Experiment with any colors you like, mix and match, or use rainbow nonpareils to get all the shades on one cake.
How does a dot cake taste?
Now, I’ve seen a lot of backlash online about how this is nothing revolutionary. It’s just frosting, cake and sprinkles—so why is everyone going crazy over it? First of all, simple ingredients doesn’t mean boring. The entire Taco Bell menu is basically a combination of cheese, beans, potatoes and ground beef, and no one seems to complain about that!
But really, this cake tastes delicious. I think what people are missing about its “basic” construction is that the layer of nonpareils on top gives the cake an incredibly crunchy texture. I’ve never had sprinkles like that! It was such a good contrast to the creamy frosting and moist cake, that I can’t believe more cakes and cupcakes aren’t being sold like this. I used the most basic of ingredients too: yellow cake with vanilla frosting. And it was still a delight.
What’s more, this cake gave me confidence as a baker. I had never made a layer cake before, and seeing how simple it was to manage on a small scale made me want to attempt a larger version. Piping frosting is also a difficult skill that takes time to master, so I enjoy having a fun and easy option for decorating the top of a cake. It absolutely has a “wow” factor despite its simplicity. Sometimes going back to basics is exactly what you need to move forward in your culinary journey.
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