Dot Cakes

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Dot cakes are the viral copycat sprinkle cakes, soft vanilla cake layered with creamy frosting and coated in rainbow nonpareils. One of my favorite make-ahead party desserts.

Prep Time45

Cook Time18

rest time1

Total Time2 3

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: Dot Cakes, 8 ounce cups

Calories: 982kcal

Author: Jennifer Fishkind

Ingredients

14.25 ounce box Betty Crocker Super Moist White Cake Mix (13.25 or 15.25 ounce boxes also work)
24 ounces Betty Crocker Whipped Butter Cream Frosting
3.4 ounces Instant Vanilla Pudding
1½ cups Whole Milk
½ cup Salted Butter melted
4 Egg Whites
1 tablespoon Clear Vanilla
4 ounces Rainbow Nonpareils
Nonstick Cooking Spray

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit. Spray a 15x10x1 baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray and cover the bottom only with parchment paper.
Nonstick Cooking Spray
In a large mixing bowl, combine the cake mix, milk, vanilla pudding mix (dry), melted butter, vanilla, and egg whites. Mix until thoroughly combined. The mix will be a little sticky in comparison to regular cake mix.
14.25 ounce box Betty Crocker Super Moist White Cake Mix, 3.4 ounces Instant Vanilla Pudding, 1½ cups Whole Milk, ½ cup Salted Butter, 1 tablespoon Clear Vanilla, 4 Egg Whites
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly to all the edges.
Bake for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Remove from the oven and let cool completely, this takes about an hour.
Using a 3-inch biscuit or cookie cutter, cut out 14 cake circles. They may not come out with the cutter, and that’s just fine. You’ll just use a butter knife to gently lift them out when you’re ready to use them.
Place one cake circle in the bottom of all 7 containers. Be sure to gently press down on the cake so it rests snug and flat in the bottom.
Place 12 ounces of frosting in a frosting bag with an Ateco #2 tip and pipe a small amount of frosting on top of the cake layer. I begin by going around the edge of the cake, then fill in the circle. You don’t want a ton of frosting, but the tip should help with limiting the amount. You don’t need to spread the frosting after adding it.
24 ounces Betty Crocker Whipped Butter Cream Frosting
Place another cake circle on top of the frosting, in each cup.
Using a butter knife, dollop frosting into the top of each cup, and then gently press it down until the top is full, then scrape the excess off the top, using the flat back of the knife, until the frosting is flush with the top of the cup.
Clean the edges of the cups using paper towels.
Place the sprinkles on a small plate (you’ll need to refill the plate a couple of times).
4 ounces Rainbow Nonpareils
Dip the cups, frosting side down, into the sprinkles. Give it a little press to ensure the sprinkles stick, but do not twist.
Lift the cup up and gently slide the excess sprinkles off the edge to make a clean circle of sprinkles. Grab a spoon and enjoy!

Notes

Storage:

These are one of my favorite make-ahead desserts. I tested them in the refrigerator, and even after four days, the nonpareils stayed intact without bleeding into the frosting, making them a great option to prepare several days before a party.
Keep the cups covered and refrigerated for up to 1 week. For longer storage, freeze them in an airtight container for up to 3 months. They’re just as delicious a day or two after assembling as they are when freshly made.

Tips:

Stick with nonpareils instead of jimmies. Those tiny round sprinkles create the smooth, even coating that gives these treats their signature look. Larger sprinkles, jimmies, or shaped varieties can leave gaps and won’t provide the same polished finish.
Pick up a larger container of sprinkles. You'll need quite a bit for this recipe—about 4 ounces—which is often more than a standard small jar contains. Having extra on hand makes the dipping process much easier.
Dip straight down and lift straight up. Avoid twisting the cup into the sprinkles. A simple press-and-lift motion keeps the frosting smooth and creates a neat, uniform coating.
Let the frosting come to room temperature first. Softer frosting is easier to pipe, smooth out, and coat with sprinkles. Cold frosting straight from the refrigerator can be difficult to work with and may not hold the sprinkles as evenly.

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