Viral Dot Cake Recipe
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This dot cake recipe brings the viral NYC Butterfield Market treat straight to your kitchen. Fluffy vanilla sheet cake layered into individual cups with creamy vanilla buttercream and a full coating of rainbow nonpareil sprinkles on top. Ready in under 90 minutes and perfect for parties, gifting, or a fun weekend bake.
- Prep time
- 20 minutes
- Cook time
- 30 minutes
- Total time
- 1 hour 30 minutes
- Yield
- 12 dot cakes
Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour 1.5 teaspoons baking powder 0.5 teaspoon baking soda 0.5 teaspoon salt 1 cup unsalted butter, softened (2 sticks) 1.5 cups granulated sugar 3 large eggs, room temperature 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract 1 cup whole milk, room temperature 2 tablespoons rainbow jimmies (for batter) 1.5 cups unsalted butter, softened (for frosting) 4 cups powdered sugar, sifted 3 tablespoons heavy cream 1.5 teaspoons pure vanilla extract (for frosting) 1 pinch of salt (for frosting) 1.5 cups rainbow nonpareil sprinkles (for topping)Instructions
- Preheat and Prep: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease and flour a 9x13 inch baking pan and line it with parchment paper.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: Beat the softened butter and granulated sugar on medium speed for 4 to 5 minutes until pale, light, and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition, then mix in the vanilla extract.
- Combine Batter: Alternate adding the flour mixture and milk to the butter mixture on low speed, beginning and ending with flour. Fold in the rainbow jimmies by hand.
- Bake the Sheet Cake: Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smooth the top, and bake for 25 to 30 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely.
- Make the Buttercream: Beat the softened butter for 3 minutes until pale. Gradually add sifted powdered sugar, then add the heavy cream, vanilla, and salt. Beat on medium-high for 3 minutes until light and fluffy. Transfer to a piping bag.
- Punch Out Cake Rounds: Use a small round cutter or shot glass (about 2.5 inches diameter) to punch circles from the cooled sheet cake.
- Assemble the Cups: Place a cake scrap at the bottom of each cup, pipe a thin layer of buttercream, add a full cake round, then pipe a generous smooth dome of buttercream over the top, slightly above the rim.
- Apply the Dot Top: Press each frosted top face-down into a shallow bowl filled with rainbow nonpareil sprinkles. Press gently until the frosting is fully coated with a solid blanket of sprinkles.
- Chill and Serve: Refrigerate the assembled dot cakes for at least 30 minutes before serving. Serve cold with a spoon and enjoy.
Notes
For clean cake rounds, make sure the sheet cake is fully cooled before cutting. Use nonpareil sprinkles (the tiny round ball kind) for the top coating, not jimmies. The frosting dome should sit slightly above the rim of the cup so the sprinkles coat all edges. Assembled dot cakes keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 4 days. You can freeze the baked cake layer without frosting for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge then assemble fresh. For variations, swap vanilla cake for chocolate, red velvet, or lemon. Cream cheese frosting or mascarpone cream also work beautifully in place of buttercream.Nutrition
- Calories
- 420
- Fat
- 22g
- Saturated fat
- 13g
- Sugar
- 48g
- Sodium
- 180mg
- Protein
- 4g
- Carbohydrates
- 54g
- Fiber
- 0.5g