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I make dot cake bites when I want the viral dot cake in a poppable, two-bite form. Each one is a soft ball of vanilla cake and frosting under a crackly white chocolate shell, packed in so many rainbow nonpareils that the whole outside crunches before you reach the tender center.
The coating is the whole game with these, and I learned that the hard way. White chocolate sets fast, so I work one ball at a time and get it into the sprinkles before the shell can dry. Move slow and you end up with bald patches the nonpareils cannot cover.
This is the version I reach for when I want a party tray that looks like it came from a bakery without any of the fuss. You start with one baked white cake and end up with about 72 bites, so a single batch covers a crowd. No cake pop sticks, no special tools, you roll, dip, and coat.
These started as the leftover trick from my viral dot cakes, but they were so good I started baking a whole cake only for the bites.
Family Favorite
The Treat I Bring When I Want to Come Home With an Empty Plate
I bring these to parties and showers because they travel well and they are usually the first thing gone off the table. They look like a lot of effort and they are not, which is the whole reason I keep making them. People always think I picked them up somewhere fancy.
What You’ll Need
- Baked white cake: Bake one white cake mix and let it cool, then crumble it up. You want about 36 ounces of baked cake. I use white so the bites stay pale and birthday-cake colored instead of going golden.
- Buttercream frosting: This is the glue that turns dry crumbs into a roll-able dough. Add it a little at a time. Too little and the balls crack apart, too much and they get sticky and slump.
- White chocolate chips: The shell. Melt them low and slow so they stay smooth. White chocolate also lets the rainbow nonpareils show their color instead of muddying it.
- Rainbow nonpareils: The tiny round sprinkles, not jimmies and not stars. Only the little spheres give you that smooth, full dome of color. Jimmies leave gaps and the whole look falls apart. Buy the big container, you go through a lot.
- Vegetable or canola oil: Optional but handy. A tablespoon stirred into the melted chocolate thins it enough for a smooth, even coat. Thick chocolate makes clean sprinkle coverage almost impossible.
How to Make Dot Cake Bites
Step 1: Make the Cake Dough Combine the cooled cake and frosting in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix until it looks like cookie dough and holds together when you press it. A hand mixer works too, it only takes a little longer.
Step 2: Roll Into Balls Scoop out a tablespoon of the mixture and roll it into a ball, then set it on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat until all the dough is rolled, about 72 balls.
Step 3: Freeze the Balls Freeze the balls for 1 hour so they are firm enough to dip. Then pull them out and let them sit for about 10 minutes before you start. Do not dip them straight from the freezer or the chocolate seizes up almost instantly.
Step 4: Melt the Chocolate Put the white chocolate chips in a deep bowl and microwave for 2.5 minutes total, stopping every 30 seconds to stir so it does not scorch. Once it is smooth, stir in the oil if you are using it.
Step 5: Dip in the Chocolate
Using a fork, lower one ball into the melted chocolate and roll it around to coat. Lift it out on the fork tines, then tap and scrape the fork on the edge of the bowl to knock off the excess. You want a thin, even coat, not a thick glob, so the sprinkles stick cleanly.
Step 6: Roll in the Sprinkles
Drop the ball straight into the nonpareils and press them on fast from every side. Use your hands to make sure every bit of chocolate is covered before it starts to dry. Rotate the ball in the bowl if you need to, but move quickly, once the chocolate sets, the sprinkles won’t stick.
Step 6: Let Them Set Set each coated ball back on the parchment and let them rest 1 to 2 hours until the chocolate hardens. If the fork left a bald spot, dab a little chocolate over it and the sprinkles will hide it.
A Few Things Worth Knowing
- If the dough won’t hold together, it needs more frosting. Add it one tablespoon at a time and let it mix a full 30 seconds before you decide. Dry cake is the usual reason balls crack when you roll them.
- Pour out plenty of nonpareils and keep extra close. A full, deep bowl of sprinkles makes it easier to press on full coverage in one quick roll, and you go through them faster than you think.
If you like a no-bake cousin to these, my Funfetti cheesecake balls use the same roll-and-coat idea without turning on the oven.
How to Store Dot Cake Bites
Store the bites in an airtight container in a cool, dry spot for up to 5 days. Do not refrigerate them, the nonpareils get soggy and bleed their color onto your fingers. Do not freeze them either, the cold can crack the chocolate shell.
More Dessert Recipes
Dot Cake Bites
Ingredients
- 14.25 ounces Baked White Cake
- 12 ounces White Chocolate Chips
- ¾ cup Buttercream Frosting
- 10 ounces Rainbow Nonpareils
- 1 tablespoon Vegetable or Canola Oil (optional)
Instructions
- Combine the cake and frosting in a stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment (you can also use a hand mixer, it will just take a little longer). Mix the ingredients until they look like cookie dough.14.25 ounces Baked White Cake , ¾ cup Buttercream Frosting
- Line a baking sheet (or other flat, moveable surface) with parchment paper.
- Measure out a tablespoon of the cake mixture and roll it into a ball. Place it on the parchment paper. Repeat until all the batter has been turned into balls.
- Place in the freezer for 1 hour.
- Remove from the freezer and allow the balls to sit for about 10 minutes, while prepping the chocolate.
- Place the chocolate chips in a small bowl (deep enough to dip) and microwave for 2.5 minutes, pausing every 30 seconds to stir so the chocolate doesn’t burn or overcook.12 ounces White Chocolate Chips
- Once the chocolate is smooth when stirred, add the vegetable oil (if using) and stir well to combine.1 tablespoon Vegetable or Canola Oil (optional)
- Place the sprinkles in a small bowl similar to the one you used for the chocolate.10 ounces Rainbow Nonpareils
- Using a fork, place one ball at a time in the melted chocolate. Use a fork to roll it around and then scoop it up, with the ball on the tip of the fork tines. Tap the fork on the edge of the bowl, scraping it on the edge of the bowl to remove the excess chocolate as it falls away.
- Drop the ball straight into the sprinkles and quickly cover every bit of the white chocolate with sprinkles (I use my hands to ensure every spot is covered). You may have to rotate the ball in the bowl a bit to ensure it’s completely covered, but get it covered quickly so the sprinkles cover the entire ball before the chocolate starts to dry.
- Place the ball back on the parchment paper and repeat with all remaining balls.
- Let rest for 1-2 hours or until hardened. Enjoy!
Jenn’s Notes
Keep these in an airtight container in a cool, dry spot for up to 5 days. Do not refrigerate, the nonpareils get soggy and bleed, and do not freeze, the chocolate shell can crack.
Use only rainbow nonpareils for the smooth dome, jimmies and stars leave gaps. Freeze the balls for an hour so they hold up to dipping, but let them sit 10 minutes before you dip or the chocolate seizes on contact. Get the excess chocolate off each ball before the sprinkles for clean, full coverage, and work fast since white chocolate sets quickly. If the dough won’t roll, add frosting a tablespoon at a time.
