These chocolate dot cakes are individual chocolate cake cups layered with creamy vanilla buttercream and rolled in rainbow nonpareil sprinkles for a delightful crunch. They’re perfect for birthdays or gatherings — fun to assemble and even more fun to eat.
Table of Contents
- What is a Dot Cake?
- Ingredient Notes
- What Type of Cups Should I Use?
- Top Tips
- Storage
- Freezing
- Dot Cakes Copycat Recipe
What is a Dot Cake?
A dot cake is a single-serving cake cup made from a moist cake layer topped with buttercream, then coated in tiny round sprinkles (nonpareils) to create a colorful polka-dot exterior. These treats come in many flavors — chocolate, vanilla, Funfetti, and red velvet are all popular — and are often made with boxed mixes, though a from-scratch version offers better flavor and texture.
Ingredient Notes
See the recipe card below for quantities and full instructions.
- Butter – Use unsalted, softened butter for a smooth buttercream.
- Sprinkles – Rainbow nonpareil sprinkles give the classic dot cake look, but any small sprinkles work.
- Hot Coffee – Adds depth to the chocolate without a coffee taste; hot water can be used instead.
- Buttermilk – Keeps the cake tender and moist.
What Type of Cups Should I Use?
Disposable paper or plastic party cups in 8–9 ounce sizes work best for serving dot cakes. They’re easy to fill, transport, and present at parties.
Top Tips
- Chill the baked cake before cutting to get cleaner rounds.
- Use a piping bag (or a zip-top bag with the corner snipped) to pipe the frosting, then smooth it with an offset spatula.
- Brown sugar adds extra moisture and a richer chocolate flavor; if you prefer not to use it, replace with additional granulated sugar to taste.
- Oil in the cake batter helps keep the cake moist, especially if refrigerated.
- Hot coffee or water blooms the cocoa powder and intensifies the chocolate flavor; a thin batter is normal when using hot liquid.
- Cutting cake rounds with a cookie cutter can be messy; a light spray of oil on the cutter helps release the rounds.
- Round thickness depends on pan size — the example cake yielded layers about 1½ inches thick.
Storage
Store assembled dot cakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Bring them to room temperature for 15–30 minutes before serving for best texture and flavor.
Freezing
Freeze uncoated cake cups for up to 2 months. Wrap each cup tightly in plastic wrap and place them in an airtight container. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight, then bring to room temperature briefly before coating with nonpareils.
If you make these dot cakes, please leave a star rating in the recipe card and consider leaving a review in the comments below.
Dot Cakes Copycat Recipe
Equipment
- 9×13 inch baking pan
- Mixing bowls
- Whisk
- Stand mixer or hand mixer
- Rubber spatula
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Cooling rack
- Offset spatula
- Piping bag
- Paper, plastic, or glass cups
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
- 1½ cups granulated sugar
- ½ cup light brown sugar (lightly packed)
- ¾ cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1½ tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 1/3 cup sour cream, room temperature
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla bean paste or extract
- 1 cup hot coffee or hot water
For the Frosting and Decorating
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 3.5 cups powdered sugar
- 3 tablespoons heavy cream or milk
- 2 tsp vanilla bean paste
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 (4.6 oz) container nonpareils (about 1 cup)
- Paper cups for serving
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×13-inch pan and line the bottom with parchment. A light-colored metal pan gives the most even bake.
- Whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl.
- Add the buttermilk, oil, sour cream, eggs, and vanilla. Whisk until mostly combined, scraping the bowl as needed.
- Gradually pour in the hot coffee while whisking until the batter is smooth. The batter will be thin — that’s normal. Avoid overmixing.
- Bake 30–35 minutes, or until the center springs back and a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs.
- Cool completely to room temperature. For easier cutting, chill the cake in the freezer 20–30 minutes before assembling.
For the Frosting
- Beat softened butter until smooth, creamy, and pale.
- Gradually add powdered sugar on low, then increase speed and beat until light and fluffy.
- Add heavy cream, vanilla, and salt. Beat until smooth, then on medium-high for 2 minutes until airy.
For Assembly
- Lightly grease a cookie cutter slightly smaller than your cups and cut rounds from the chilled cake. Place one round into each cup, leaving about ¼–½ inch below the rim for frosting.
- Pipe frosting to the rim of each cup and smooth the tops with an offset spatula or knife.
- Pour nonpareils into a shallow bowl. Invert each frosted cake into the sprinkles and press gently until fully coated.
Notes
- The paper cups used in the original recipe are available from common online retailers.
Nutrition
Nutrition info is an estimate and should be used as a guideline.
Additional Info
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