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A silver spoon lifting a rich bite of colorful homemade dot cake and white vanilla frosting out of a clear glass jar, with loose sprinkles falling through the air.

Homemade Dot Cakes Recipe

Recreate the viral NYC bakery sensation at home! These individual cake cups feature an ultra-moist buttermilk confetti sponge, silky vanilla buttercream, and a signature crunchy, perfectly flat rainbow nonpareil sprinkle top shell.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 420
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Confetti Cake Base
  • 2 cups cake flour sifted
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened to room temperature
  • 1/4 cup refined coconut oil room temperature
  • 1 1/4 cups superfine granulated sugar
  • 4 large egg whites room temperature
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste
  • 1 cup full-fat buttermilk room temperature
  • 1/2 cup rainbow confetti jimmies for interior batter
Silky Vanilla Buttercream
  • 1 cup unsalted butter softened to room temperature
  • 4 cups powdered sugar sifted
  • 3 tablespoons heavy cream cold
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 pinch fine salt
Signature Decoration
  • 1 cup rainbow nonpareil sprinkles tiny round ball sprinkles for the outer coating

Method
 

  1. Preheat your conventional oven to 180°C (350°F). Line a 9x13-inch baking pan with premium parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang sling on the long sides.
  2. In a medium mixing bowl, vigorously whisk together the sifted cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and fine sea salt to remove all clumps and aerate the blend.
  3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine the softened unsalted butter, room-temperature oil, and granulated sugar. Beat on medium-high speed for 5 minutes until exceptionally pale, light, and fluffy.
  4. Reduce the mixer speed to medium and slowly pour in the room-temperature egg whites one at a time, allowing each to fully incorporate before adding the next. Mix in the rich vanilla bean paste.
  5. Turn the mixer to low speed. Alternately add the dry flour mixture in three parts and the buttermilk in two parts, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix just until combined.
  6. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the rainbow confetti jimmies into the smooth batter. Pour into the prepared pan, smooth the top evenly, and bake for 28 to 32 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
  7. Cool the cake completely in the pan on a wire rack for 45 minutes, then place the entire pan into the freezer for 20 minutes to firm up the crumb structure.
  8. Whip the remaining 1 cup of softened butter for 3 minutes until light. On low speed, gradually add the sifted powdered sugar alternating with splashes of heavy cream. Add the vanilla and pinch of salt, then whip on medium-high for 3 minutes until cloud-like.
  9. Lift the chilled sheet cake out of the pan. Using the rim of your 6-ounce glass jars or ceramic ramekins, firmly stamp out circles from the cake. Drop one custom cake round cleanly into the bottom of each container.
  10. Pipe or spoon a generous amount of vanilla buttercream over the cake round to fill the container to the top. Use a small offset spatula to scrape firmly across the rim, creating an absolute flat, flush surface. Invert the container headfirst and gently press the flat frosting straight down into a shallow bowl filled with rainbow nonpareils to form the dot shell.

Notes

Always flash-chill your cake in the freezer before stamping out circles to avoid excessive crumbling. Use nonpareils exclusively for the outer shell to achieve the authentic tight mosaic look.