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Five viral dot cakes in clear cocktail glasses covered in rainbow nonpareil sprinkles on white marble

Viral Dot Cake Recipe

The viral dot cake recipe that took over TikTok — single-serving vanilla cake cups pressed into rainbow nonpareil sprinkles for that signature dotted top. Ready in under 90 minutes including cooling, makes 10 to 12 cups, and matches the NYC original from Butterfield Market. Two rules: cool the cake completely before cutting, and use nonpareils — never jimmies.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 28 minutes
Cooling Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 18 minutes
Servings: 10 cups
Course: Dessert, Snack
Cuisine: American
Calories: 395
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Vanilla Sheet Cake
  • 2.25 cups all-purpose flour 280 g
  • 1.75 cups granulated sugar 350 g
  • 1 tbsp baking powder
  • 0.5 tsp fine salt
  • 0.5 cup unsalted butter softened, 113 g
  • 0.25 cup neutral oil vegetable or canola
  • 3 large egg whites room temperature
  • 1 cup whole milk room temperature
  • 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
Vanilla Buttercream
  • 1 cup unsalted butter softened, 226 g
  • 4 cups powdered sugar sifted, up to 5 cups
  • 3 tbsp whole milk plus more if needed
  • 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 1 pinch fine salt
Assembly
  • 1 cup rainbow nonpareil sprinkles round ball-shaped only
  • 10 clear cups or cocktail glasses 3 to 4 oz
  • 1 round cookie cutter 2.5 to 3 inches

Method
 

Bake the Cake
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9x13-inch baking pan with parchment, grease with butter, and dust lightly with flour. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.
    Flat-lay of dot cake ingredients on white marble: flour, butter, eggs, vanilla, cream cheese, powdered sugar, and rainbow nonpareil sprinkles
  2. Beat softened butter and neutral oil on medium for 3 full minutes until pale and fluffy. Add sugar, beat 2 more minutes. Add egg whites one at a time, then vanilla. Alternate flour mixture and milk in three additions each, starting and ending with flour. Mix on low until just combined — do not overmix.
    Flat-lay of dot cake ingredients on white marble: flour, butter, eggs, vanilla, cream cheese, powdered sugar, and rainbow nonpareil sprinkles
  3. Pour batter into prepared pan, spread evenly, and bake 25 to 28 minutes until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs. Cool in pan 20 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.
    Hands pressing a frosted dot cake cup face-down into a plate of rainbow nonpareil sprinkles — the signature dot cake technique
  4. The cake must reach full room temperature before cutting. Minimum 30 minutes on the counter or 15 minutes in the freezer. Warm cake crumbles under a cookie cutter. This is the most critical step in the entire viral dot cake recipe.
    Hands pressing a frosted dot cake cup face-down into a plate of rainbow nonpareil sprinkles — the signature dot cake technique
Make Frosting and Cut Rounds
  1. Beat softened butter on high for 3 minutes until very pale. Reduce to low and add sifted powdered sugar one cup at a time, alternating with tablespoons of milk. Add vanilla and salt. Increase to medium-high and beat 2 minutes until light and fluffy.
    Flat-lay of dot cake ingredients on white marble: flour, butter, eggs, vanilla, cream cheese, powdered sugar, and rainbow nonpareil sprinkles
  2. Use a 2.5 to 3-inch round cutter to press circles from the cooled cake. Drop one round into each cup, add 2 to 3 tablespoons of buttercream, and spread into an even layer flush with the cup rim. For two layers, add a second round and more buttercream on top.
    Hands pressing a frosted dot cake cup face-down into a plate of rainbow nonpareil sprinkles — the signature dot cake technique
Apply the Sprinkles
  1. Pour rainbow nonpareils into a shallow plate to at least a quarter-inch depth. Optional: refrigerate frosted cups 10 minutes first for a firmer grip. Hold each cup upside-down and press the frosted surface firmly into the nonpareils for 3 full seconds. Lift straight up without rotating. Tap the cup side to remove loose sprinkles. Serve immediately or refrigerate.
    Five viral dot cakes in clear cocktail glasses covered in rainbow nonpareil sprinkles on white marble

Notes

Use nonpareils only — never jimmies. Jimmies dissolve on contact with frosting and bleed color. Cool the cake completely before cutting or rounds will crumble. Apply sprinkles close to serving time — they soften after 24 hours in the fridge. Boxed cake mix works well: reduce liquid by 2 tablespoons, add one extra egg yolk.