Easy Homemade Viral Dot Cakes Recipe

If you’ve been scrolling social media lately, you’ve probably seen these TikTok Viral Dot Cakes popping up everywhere. These cute little single-serving cakes are topped with creamy buttercream and completely covered in rainbow sprinkles, making them as cute as they are delicious – no fancy decorating required! They’re easy to make, perfect for birthdays and special occasions, and a fun way to enjoy the latest viral dessert trend. 

Dot Cakes

As soon as I started seeing these cute little dot cakes all over social media, I knew I wanted to make a homemade version to share. There’s really nothing complicated about them, but somehow putting cake in a small jar makes it feel extra fun and special!

The original dot cake reportedly started in New York and quickly became a social media sensation, with bakeries on Long Island and the Upper East Side drawing long lines of customers eager to get their hands on these colorful little treats.

Since I live nowhere near New York and cake is my specialty, I decided to make my own Dot Cakes recipe at home using a Funfetti cake mix, homemade buttercream, and plenty of rainbow sprinkles. They turned out absolutely adorable!

The best part? This sweet treat is incredibly easy to make. This recipe yields 12 perfectly sized 4-ounce Mason jar cakes with a soft cake layer, creamy frosting, and lots of colorful sprinkles. They’re perfect for birthdays, parties, baby showers, or anytime you want a fun dessert that’s guaranteed to make people smile.

What Are Viral Dot Cakes?

These delicious cakes are essentially miniature birthday cakes, making them perfect for special occasions, parties, baby showers, or anytime you want a fun individual dessert. I’m not sure what made Dot Cakes viral but I certainly understand the love!

You could even make these for a kid’s birthday party instead of a traditional birthday cake, and kids would go crazy for them!

Home bakers can use a from-scratch recipe, a doctored cake mix (like me), or even a box mix made just using the box instructions. Each cake is in its own small cup or jar, and since it’s covered in rainbow sprinkles, no decorating skills are required!

While you’ll find variations made with white cake, red velvet, vanilla chip, or even chocolate frosting, this Funfetti version is my favorite.

Why You’ll Love This Dot Cake Recipe

• Easy to make with a boxed cake mix
• Perfect single-serving cakes
• Great for birthdays and celebrations
• No complicated decorating skills required
• Makes 12 individual desserts
• Kids absolutely love them
• Easy to customize with different cake flavors and sprinkles

Equipment Needed

• 9×13-inch baking pan
• Non-stick cooking spray or cake release spray
• Large bowl
• Electric mixer
• Small offset spatula
• Piping bag (optional but helpful)
• 12 four-ounce Mason jars

What to Make Dot Cakes In

There are so many fun ways to serve Mini Dot Cakes! I chose 4 oz Mason Jars but here are some other options that range from 4-8 ounces:

• Small cups with lids
• Small paper cups
• Mini aluminum baking pans
• Pink dessert goblets (I love these!!)
• Ceramic ramekins

Ingredients

There are zero fancy ingredients for these fun little cakes!

Dots Cake Ingredients

• Pillsbury Funfetti Cake Mix
• Eggs
• Oil
• Water or whole milk
• Sour cream
• Vanilla extract (optional)

Buttercream Ingredients

• Shortening
• Butter
• Vanilla extract
• Butter vanilla emulsion (optional)
• Powdered sugar
• Milk, heavy cream, or water

For Decorating

• Rainbow sprinkles

How to Make Viral Dot Cakes

1. Preheat your oven to 325°F and generously coat a 9×13-inch pan with non-stick cooking spray or cake release. 
2. In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, eggs, oil, water, sour cream, and vanilla extract. Mix until smooth and fully combined. 

3. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for approximately 33 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool completely.

4. Once the cake has cooled, use your Mason jars as cutters. Simply press each jar down into the cake and lift. The cake round will stay inside the jar, making assembly quick and easy. Note: A 9×13-inch cake yielded exactly 12 cake portions for my 4-ounce Mason jars.

5. To make the buttercream, beat the butter and shortening until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla extract and butter vanilla emulsion, then mix until combined. 
6. Gradually add the powdered sugar, mixing well after each addition. 
7. Add the milk, cream, or water a little at a time until the frosting reaches a smooth, spreadable consistency. Continue beating until light, fluffy, and creamy.

8. Transfer the buttercream to a piping bag and pipe a generous layer of frosting onto each cake. Use a small spatula to smooth the frosting so it’s level with the rim of the jar.

9. Pour the rainbow sprinkles onto a shallow plate or dish. 
10. Turn each cake upside down and gently press the frosting into the sprinkles until completely covered.

11. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate until ready to enjoy.

Pro Tips

• These 4-ounce jars are perfect for Dot Cakes! You could also use small cups, ramekins, or even cocktail glasses – containers 4-8 ounces in size are best. And if you want to make extra dot cakes, you can place the cake scraps into the bottoms of more jars for more cakes!
• Use a 9×13 Pan – Many versions of this recipe suggest creating multiple layers of fluffy cake by baking a thinner cake in a jelly roll sheet pan, but I found a single layer of cake worked perfectly in 4-ounce jars. The proportions felt just right and produced a balanced cake-to-frosting ratio.  You could also use a biscuit cutter or a round cookie cutter to cut out the circles and place them in your cups or jars.
• Pipe the Frosting – You could certainly spoon the frosting onto the cake and then smooth it but piping the frosting first creates a more even layer of frosting and makes it easier to achieve that perfectly smooth top.
• Chill Before Serving – If you have time, refrigerate the finished cakes for about 30 minutes before serving. This helps the frosting firm up slightly and keeps the sprinkles in place.

Storage

• Store leftover dot cakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Or if you make your dot cakes in a cup that has a lid, then you have built in storage!
• Dot cakes can be frozen for up to two months. Cover each cake tightly with plastic wrap before freezing, then thaw in the fridge overnight before serving.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use a different cake flavor?

Absolutely! White cake, vanilla cake, chocolate cake, red velvet cake, or any other boxed cake mix.

Can I use different sprinkles?

Yes! Rainbow nonpareils create a classic look, but any colorful sprinkles will work. You could even customize them to match the type of party you’re having: pink or blue for a baby shower, your team’s colors for a game day party, etc.

How many cakes does this recipe make?

This recipe makes 12 individual 4-ounce Mason jar cakes.

Can I freeze them?

Yes. Freeze the frosted or unfrosted cake portions for up to 2 months. Thaw and decorate before serving.

More Delicious Desserts

• 43 Rainbow Cakes & Party Ideas
• Mini Heart Shaped Cakes
• Mini Chocolate Chip Muffins (Copycat Little Bites)
• Frozen Lemonade Pie (4-Ingredient Mini Pink Lemonade Pies)
• Instant Pot Funfetti Cheesecake
• Ultimate Funfetti Cake Recipe
• Homemade Funfetti Pancakes (Birthday Pancakes)
• Air Fryer Cake (Baking an Easy Confetti Birthday Cake)

Viral Dot Cakes Recipe

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5 from 2 reviews

Recipe by Rose Atwater

• Prep Time20
• Cook Time33
• Total Time53 minutes
• Yield12 1x

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Description

If you’ve been scrolling social media lately, you’ve probably seen Viral Dot Cakes popping up everywhere. These cute little single-serving cakes are topped with creamy buttercream and completely covered in rainbow sprinkles, making them as cute as they are delicious – no fancy decorating required! They’re easy to make, perfect for birthdays and special occasions, and a fun way to enjoy the latest viral dessert trend. 

Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

Equipment Needed:

• 9×13 baking pan
• 12 (4 oz) mason jars (or other small dishes – see the list above)

Cake Ingredients

• 1 box Pillsbury Funfetti Cake Mix
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 cup oil
• 1/2 cup water or milk
• 4 oz. sour cream
• 1 tsp vanilla extract (optional)

Buttercream Ingredients

• 1/2 cup shortening
• 1/2 cup butter, softened (1 stick)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons milk, heavy cream, or water

For Decorating

• 1 bottle rainbow sprinkles

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 325°F and generously coat a 9×13-inch pan with non-stick cooking spray or cake release.
2. In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, eggs, oil, water, sour cream, and vanilla extract. Mix until smooth and fully combined.
3. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for approximately 33 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool completely.
4. Once the cake has cooled, use your Mason jars as cutters. Simply press each jar down into the cake and lift. The cake round will stay inside the jar, making assembly quick and easy. A 9×13-inch cake yielded exactly 12 cake portions for my 4-ounce Mason jars.
5. To make the buttercream, beat the butter and shortening until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla extract, then mix until combined.
6. Gradually add the powdered sugar, mixing well after each addition. Add the milk, cream, or water a little at a time until the frosting reaches a smooth, spreadable consistency. Continue beating until light, fluffy, and creamy.
7. Transfer the buttercream to a piping bag and pipe a generous layer of frosting onto each cake.
8. Use a small spatula to smooth the frosting so it’s level with the rim of the jar.
9. Pour the rainbow sprinkles onto a shallow plate or dish.
10. Turn each cake upside down and gently press the frosting into the sprinkles until completely covered.
11. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate until ready to enjoy.

Equipment

Measuring Cups and Spoons

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Kitchenaid Mixer

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4 oz Mason Jars

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Notes

• • These 4-ounce jars are perfect for Dot Cakes! You could also use small cups, ramekins, or even cocktail glasses – containers 4-8 ounces in size are best. And if you want to make extra dot cakes, you can place the cake scraps into the bottoms of more jars for more cakes!
  • Use a 9×13 Pan – Many versions of this recipe suggest creating multiple layers of fluffy cake by baking a thinner cake in a jelly roll sheet pan, but I found a single layer of cake worked perfectly in 4-ounce jars. The proportions felt just right and produced a balanced cake-to-frosting ratio.  You could also use a biscuit cutter or a round cookie cutter to cut out the circles and place them in your cups or jars.

• • Pipe the Frosting – You could certainly spoon the frosting onto the cake and then smooth it but piping the frosting first creates a more even layer of frosting and makes it easier to achieve that perfectly smooth top.

• • Chill Before Serving – If you have time, refrigerate the finished cakes for about 30 minutes before serving. This helps the frosting firm up slightly and keeps the sprinkles in place.

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 cake
• Calories: 345
• Sugar: 32.8 g
• Sodium: 41 mg
• Fat: 22.8 g
• Carbohydrates: 35.1 g
• Fiber: 0 g
• Protein: 2 g
• Cholesterol: 56.1 mg

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