Dot Cake is a modern British recipe (based on an American original) for a classic sponge cake baked in a ramekin that's topped with cream cheese buttercream icing and spherical multi-coloured sprinkles. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic British version of: Dot Cake.
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This is the latest TikTok culinary sensation. A mini cake covered with colourful sprinkles served as a dessert that were made famous by The Dotcakes bakery in New York. In essence they’re a sponge cake baked in a ramekin where the top is levelled before being topped with cream cheese buttercream icing and covered with tiny sprinkle balls.
They’re relatively low stress to prepare at home and go down a storm at children’s birthday parties. They also work well in the oven or air fryer. I had a few minutes spare over the weekend and wanted to do some baking so I decided to prepare these and put up a recipe on the site.
In the US they’re desserts but here in the UK they could just as well be indulgent tea-time cakes and also go well with morning coffee.
Ingredients:
For the cakes:
150g plain (all-purpose) flour
1 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
60g unsalted butter, softened
60ml Neutral oil
125g Sugar
2 large eggs
120ml buttermilk (see the home-made buttermilk recipe for making your own)
1½ tsp vanilla extract
For the topping:
Multi-coloured spherical sprinkles
Method:
Pre-heat your oven to 180°C (or your air-fryer to 160°C). Grease 4 x 225ml ramekins and arrange on a baking tray.
Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt into a small bowl and set aside.
Cream together the butter and sugar in a large bowl until pale and fluffy. Add in the eggs, one at a time, beating thoroughly to combine after each addition.
Once the eggs are fully incorporated beat in the oil and vanilla extract.
Add the flour mixture to the butter mix, alternating with the buttermilk and beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Mix just until combined and smooth. Do not over-mix.
Divide the resultant batter between the ramekins, filling each one no more that ¾ full.
Transfer to the centre of your pre-heated oven or set in your per-heated air fryer and bake for 25–30 minutes, or until the cakes are lightly golden and a toothpick inserted into the centre emerges cleanly.
Once baked, transfer the ramekins to a wire rack and allow the cakes to cool completely in the ramekins.
If the cakes have domed whilst baking, run a knife around the edges and carefully remove them from the ramekins. Trim the tops slightly with a bread knife to create a flatter surface, then return them to the ramekins. (This step is optional but gives a cleaner final appearance.)
For the icing: In a medium-sized bowl, cream together the butter and powdered sugar until pale and fluffy. Work in the cream cheese and vanilla extract, beating until smooth and fluffy. If needed, add double cream, 2 tbsp at a time, until the frosting reaches your desired consistency.
Pipe or spread the icing generously over each cake (you really want it level with the rims of the ramekins). Smooth the tops with a palette knife, then cover generously with spherical sprinkles, pressing lightly so they stick well and fully cover the icing.
Refrigerate for at least 1–2 hours before serving for the best texture and cleaner slices.
