Viral Dot Cakes Recipe

Close-up of a mini dot cake with a bite missing showing the vanilla cake and frosting center.

These viral dot cakes are soft, sweet and covered in colorful nonpareil sprinkles. They start with a vanilla cake mix and turn into the cutest mini layered cakes with frosting inside.

Prep Time20

Cook Time30

Cooling Time1

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: dot cakes recipe

Servings:

Calories: 230kcal

Author: Sarah Hayes

Equipment

5 oz disposable ramekins

Ingredients

15.25 ounce vanilla cake mix
3.4 ounce instant vanilla pudding mix
3 eggs
1 cup warm water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup buttermilk , or sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cans vanilla frosting
nonpareils sprinkles

Instructions

Preheat oven to 325°F and grease 14 ramekins then set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or using a handheld mixer, combine cake mix, pudding mix, eggs, water, oil, buttermilk and vanilla extract.
Mix on low speed, scrape down bowl and increase mixer to medium speed for about 1-2 minutes or until combined.
Pour batter into prepared ramekins and bake 25-30 minutes.
When a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, remove from oven. Rest for 10 minutes then gently pop the cakes out of the pan. Gently slide a knife around the edges if the cake seems stuck.
Cool completely.

Assembly

Place a thick layer of nonpareil sprinkles on a shallow plate or pan.
Slice each miniature cake in half. Place one of the cake layers back into a ramekin then spread a thin layer of frosting onto the layer.
Repeat with one more cake layer pressing it into the ramekin for a snug fit. Frost the top of the 2nd layer.
Flip the ramekin upside and press the top of the frosting into the 'dots'.
Refrigerate for 30-60 minutes for the signature 'crack' when you break through the topping.

Notes

All ovens vary, mine took about 28 minutes but yours may bake in the range of 25-30 minutes. Remove from the oven when a toothpick comes out clean with only a few crumbs.

Check the cake mix size! Some brands have shrunk to 13.25 oz, if your cake mix is smaller, add an additional flour 2 ounces flour with a small amount of sugar and pinch of baking powder mixed in.

We found these worked best to dip in the sprinkles if the cake layers were packed back tightly into the ramekins.

Use any store-bought or homemade icing. Change the icing flavor to chocolate, cream cheese, lemon or whatever you like.

I used 1/2 cup almond milk mixed with 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice for an easy DIY buttermilk.

Fill the ramekins about 2/3 cup full, if you fill 3/4 full they are prone to spill out.

If you find that your cake is crumbling (mine didn't) you can chill the miniature cakes first before assembling.

Store dot cakes in the refrigerator up to 5 days. You can also store at room temperature for a softer cake.

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