Viral Dot Cakes Recipe

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 25

Cooling Time 1

Total Time 1 55

Servings people

These homemade Viral Dot Cakes are the colorful bite-sized dessert taking over social media! Soft cake coated in sweet vanilla frosting and sprinkles creates a fun, easy party treat made with simple pantry staples and playful colors.

Ingredients

Vanilla Bean Frosting

▢ 1 cup unsalted butter 227g, room temperature
▢ 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste
▢ 4 cups powdered sugar 500g
▢ ¼ cup heavy cream
▢ ½ teaspoon salt

Topping

▢ 1 cup nonpareils

Instructions

Cake

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Grease a 13x18-inch baking pan with cake goop (or non-stick spray and line the bottom with parchment paper), and set aside.

Do not use as a smaller pan–the amount of batter *just* fits in the 13x18. If you don't have a pan that size, you could also divide the batter between two 9x13-inch baking pans. You can also make one 9x13-inch cake to make thicker, single-layer dot cakes.

Add 3½ cups cake flour, 2 cups granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons powdered milk, 4 teaspoons baking powder, and 1 teaspoon salt to a stand mixer bowl fitted with a paddle attachment and mix for 1 minute.
Add 1 cup unsalted butter and mix at medium-low speed until the mixture becomes sandy in texture.
Add the 2 large eggs and 4 large egg whites one at a time, mixing after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
Add 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste, then 1 cup whole milk in three parts, mixing for 1 minute after each addition and scraping down the bowl. Mix until the batter is smooth.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Smooth out the top of the batter and bake for 23 to 28 minutes (see notes) until the edges of the cake begin to pull away from the pan and the top springs back when touched. A cake tester should also come back clean from the center, and the cake should read 200°F on a kitchen thermometer.
Allow the cake to cool completely before cutting and assembling. About 1 hour.

Frosting

Cream 1 cup unsalted butter 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste, and ½ teaspoon salt in a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer or a stand mixer bowl fitted with a paddle attachment (recommend this method).
Add 4 cups powdered sugar 1 cup at a time, alternating with ¼ cup heavy cream 1 ounce at a time. Mixing at low speed after each addition just until incorporated.
Increase speed to high and whip for 2 to 3 minutes until light and fluffy. If the frosting looks wet or grainy, add an additional ½ cup of powdered sugar, if it's too stiff, add 1 tablespoon of heavy cream.
Transfer the frosting to a piping bag for assembling the cake.

Assembly

Add 1 cup nonpareils to a bowl with a base wider than the containers you'll be building the cakes in and set aside.
Use a round biscuit cutter to cut out cake rounds.

If you're using 8-ounce disposable containers like these plastic or these paper cups (great for farmer's markets, bake sales, or parties) I recommend a 2⅝-inch cutter, which will make 12 servings. If you're using 4-ounce mini mason jars, use a 2¼-inch cutter, which should make about 15 servings. You can really use whatever size you want and just use the biscuit cutter that works best.

Place one of the cake layers at the bottom of your jar/cup, then add some frosting on top to create a thin middle layer. Repeat with one more layer of cake and frosting. You can pipe this on and smooth it out with a bench scraper or knife. I start by placing the bench scraper in the middle of the frosting, then I scrape towards the edge to fill any gaps and smooth the top.
Flip the cup/jar upside down to press the top of the frosting into the nonpareils.

Notes

I recommend using European-style butter and letting it sit out overnight before using it for the best results.
There is a wide range in the doneness time because different ovens and pans bake differently. I recommend starting with 25 minutes, checking for doneness, and adding a few minutes at a time as needed. The center of the cake should be 200°F when fully done.
You can make the cake a funfetti cake by adding 2 tablespoons of nonpareils to the batter right before transferring to the pan.