Viral dot cakes are all over TikTok. My lemony version starts with a cake mix and layers soft cake with lemon buttercream and that crunchy sprinkle-paved top.
Social media is full of viral recipes, and most of them aren’t worth the scroll time. But every once in a while one catches my eye. With over 900 dessert recipes under my belt, I know a good idea when I see one. Dot cakes are simple, clever, and genuinely fun to make and share.
Dot cakes, or Dotcups, started with The Dotcakes bakery in Roslyn, New York, then blew up in Manhattan when Butterfield Market began selling them. By May 2026 they were all over TikTok: little cake cups with a flat frosting top pressed into rainbow nonpareils, so you get that crunchy sprinkle shell before you hit soft frosting and cake below.
The good news: you don’t need to wait in line in New York ~ let’s make dot cakes at home!
How to make lemon dot cakes
- BAKE: Bake your cake in a sheet pan.
- I use a standard boxed lemon cake mix (Duncan Hines), baked on a 10×15-inch jelly roll pan.
- CUT: Use a cookie cutter to cut out circles the same diameter as your cups or ramekins.
- FROST: Top with homemade lemon buttercream frosting ~ make sure it gets right to the top ~ and smooth out the surface so it is flat and even.
- PRESS: the frosted top into a shallow bowl of sprinkles.
Best cups for dot cakes
You’ll want 6 or 8-ounce cups. size cups, jars, or ramekins. 6-ounce is great for kids and parties. 8-ounce for a more generous dessert.
- I used classic white ceramic ramekins, you can buy them here.
- Glass Weck jars or small canning jars work well, find them here.
- Paper cups work well for larger groups or outdoors, you can find them here.
You asked…
What kind of sprinkles should I use?
The viral cakes use nonpareils, the tiny round sprinkles. You can use any sprinkle you like.
How do I get that flat sprinkle top?
Pipe or spoon frosting right to the top of the cup, smooth it flat with an offset spatula, then press the top into a shallow bowl of nonpareil sprinkles.
Can I make dot cakes ahead?
Yes. Assemble them a day ahead and keep them covered in the refrigerator. The sprinkle tops are crunchiest the day they’re made, but still fun the next day.
Can I change the cake mix flavor?
Absolutely. Lemon is bright and summery, but vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, funfetti, and red velvet would all work.
What about using a homemade cake recipe?
Sure, you just have bake it thin enough to cut into rounds.
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Lemon Dot Cakes
Equipment
- 6-8 ounce jars, cups, or ramekins
- cookie cutter the same, or slightly smaller than, the diameter of your cups
- jelly roll baking sheet (10×15)
- electric beaters
Ingredients
- 15 ounce lemon cake mix, prepared according to box directions.
- 1 cup salted butter, at room temperature
- 6 cups powdered sugar
- 8 Tbsp lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- nonpareil sprinkles
Instructions
Make the cake
- Preheat the oven to 350F and grease your 10×15 jelly roll pan.
- Prepare the cake mix according to its directions and spread into your prepared pan. Bake for about 18 minutes, or until it springs back when lightly touched in the center. A toothpick will come out without wet batter on it. Set aside to cool.
Make the frosting
- To make the frosting beat the softened butter until fluffy in a large bowl. Slowly add the sugar, a cup at a time, along with the lemon juice and vanilla. Beat until smooth and silky. If your frosting seems too thin add a bit more sugar, and if it seems too thick, thin it down with more lemon juice.
Assemble the dot cakes
- When the cake has cooled use your cookie cutter (in the same size as your cake cups) to cut out rounds of cake. Note: if you don't have a cookie cutter you can actually use the cups or ramekins themselves to cut out the circles of cake. They might be a bit rough around the edges but no one will see that.
- Place a round of cake into each cup. Top with the frosting, and bring it right to the top. Smooth it out so that it is completely flat.
- Place your sprinkles in a bowl and dip each cup headfirst down into the sprinkles so that they cover the whole surface.
- The cakes will keep at room temperature for a day or two. They can be refrigerated for longer storage. Have fun!
Notes
Nutrition
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