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Viral Dot Cakes are a nostalgic sweet treat, filled with confetti cake and buttercream, and topped with nonpareil sprinkles.

viral sprinkle cake cups like dot cakes with nonpareils spoonful showing a bite from inside.

These viral NYC Dot Cakes first gained attention thanks to Butterfield Market on the Upper East Side of New York City after influencers shared them on TikTok. They are actually made by Dot Cakes, which makes the most delicious and even custom cakes using nonpareils!

The nostalgic combination of vanilla cake, fluffy buttercream, and crunchy rainbow nonpareils instantly reminded people of classic childhood birthday cakes. I always thought it was my mom and my favorite sprinkles, but it turns out everyone loves them too!

close up of nonpareils topped frosting with cake in a snack cup.

Making these mini cakes in snack cups instantly brought me right back to childhood. I used to make a round or rectangular cake every birthday and then covered it with rainbow nonpareils. Now seeing these nostalgic sprinkle-covered cakes all over every social media feed, I knew I had to remake them!

sprinkle cakes like viral dot cakes in snack cups.

One thing I learned while testing this recipe is that dye-free sprinkles can slightly tint the batter yellow as the colors melt into the cake. It still tastes amazing, but it definitely gives the cake a warmer color than the white cake I use as my confetti cake.

So if anything, learn from my mistake and don’t use nonpareils inside the batter, haha. They will definitely lose their color. Stick with regular sprinkles, and if using dye free, make sure they’re ones that can handle the heat.

This recipe makes about 8-10 servings, depending on how much you can fit in your cups. It’s perfect for birthdays, celebrations, or whenever you want a sweet treat!

Quick Bites About This Recipe

Skill Level: Beginner-friendly with simple decorating.
Swaps: Use melted butter instead of oil or dairy-free milk if needed.
Make Ahead: Bake the cake 1-2 days ahead of time and frost before serving.
Freezer Friendly: Freeze unfrosted cake for up to 2 months.
Variations & Substitutions: Try chocolate frosting, pastel sprinkles, or themed holiday nonpareils.

inside of cake layers with buttercream and nonpareil sprinkles.

Viral NYC Dot Cake Recipe Ingredients

Whole milk: Helps create a soft, moist cake texture. Mixing it with vinegar makes a quick homemade buttermilk substitute. I recommend Oatly full fat for dairy free.
Vinegar: Reacts with baking powder to create a fluffy cake crumb. Don’t skip the curdling step.
All-purpose flour: Gives the cake structure while still keeping it tender. Be careful not to overmeasure.
Granulated sugar: Sweetens the cake and keeps it soft and moist.
Baking powder: Gives the cake its lift and fluffy texture.
Salt: Balances the sweetness and enhances the vanilla flavor.
Neutral oil: Keeps the cake extra moist. Avocado oil, vegetable oil, or melted butter all work well.
Vanilla extract: Adds that classic bakery-style birthday cake flavor.
Egg: Helps bind the batter together and adds richness.
Rainbow sprinkles: Give the cake that nostalgic confetti look. Sprinkles or Jimmies work best in batter because nonpareils bleed too much.
Butter: The base of the fluffy buttercream frosting. Make sure it’s softened first. I recommend country crock plant butter sticks for dairy free.
Powdered sugar: Sweetens and thickens the buttercream.
Milk: Helps loosen the frosting to the perfect spreadable consistency.

viral dot cake recipe copycat in snack cups.

How to Make Viral NYC Dot Cake Recipe

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and grease a 9×13 baking pan well with butter or nonstick spray.

milk plus vinegar in a white bowl sitting to make diy buttermilk.

Combine the milk and vinegar and let it sit for about 5 minutes to curdle slightly. This creates a quick homemade buttermilk substitute that keeps the cake soft.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt to remove any clumps.

wet ingredients in white bowl, egg, vanilla extract, oil.

Add the oil, vanilla extract, and egg into the milk mixture and whisk together. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.

cake batter with sprinkles mixed in a stand mixer bowl.

Fold in the rainbow sprinkles gently. If you’re using dye-free sprinkles like I did, the batter may turn slightly yellow from the colors blending into the cake.

Pour the batter into the prepared 9×13 pan and smooth the top evenly.

Bake for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with minimal crumbs.

Allow the cake to cool completely before cutting.

Use a biscuit cutter or a round cookie cutter to cut circles out of the cake.

hand using biscuit cutter to cut out mini cakes in 9x13 cake pan.

Place one cake round into a dessert cup and top with a layer of frosting.

spreading buttercream on mini cake in snack cup for dot cakes.

Add another cake layer on top and finish with more frosting.

upside down snack cup filled with cake and buttercream in a bowl of nonpareils to make dot cakes.

Place rainbow nonpareils into a bowl and gently dip the frosted tops upside down into the sprinkles until coated.

Serve immediately or chill until ready to enjoy.

close up of viral sprinkle cake cups aka dot cake copycat.

Storing and Reheating (If There’s Any Leftovers!)

Refrigerate: Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 3-5 days.
Freeze: Wrap slices tightly and freeze for up to 2 months.

bite of nonpareils, buttercream and cake.

Recipe Tips and Notes

Don’t use nonpareils inside the batter because the colors bleed too much.
Jimmies hold their shape much better in confetti cake batter.
Freeze the cake layers before frosting for cleaner edges.
Press the nonpareils onto the frosting gently so they stick evenly.
Dye-free sprinkles may slightly tint the batter yellow.