The viral Dot Cakes, made at home with a banana cake twist! This homemade version is gluten-free, refined sugar-free, dairy-free spin! Moist banana cake topped with “cream cheese” frosting and rainbow sprinkles, served in mason jars!
What are the viral dot cakes?
Dot cakes are mini cake cups topped with a layer of nonpareils that come in flavors like classic white, chocolate, red velvet, and chocolate chip. The Dotcups from The Dotcakes bakery in New York have been going viral to the point that they sell out quickly at the popular New York City store Butterfield Market. The assembly is what makes these cakes unique and fun! After spreading on the icing, the frosted cakes get pressed face-down into a plate of nonpareils, and the sprinkles coat the entire top in one clean, even layer for the perfect crunch!
And, if you’ve been on social media lately, you’ve probably seen them taking over your feed and as many of us aren’t located in New York, there’s tons of homemade recipes going around. So of course, I knew I had to make my own version (with a gluten and refined sugar-free spin!). I wanted to leave two options – a store bought option with better ingredients and a homemade option, because sometimes easy is best 😉
Recipe video
Why These Paleo Dot Cakes Are So Popular
This recipe takes everything people love about the viral trend (the cuteness, the flavor, the sprinkle crunch) and makes them in a little more wholesome way 😉
- Paleo, gluten-free, refined sugar-free, and dairy-free options
- Fluffy and tender with lightly crisp edges
- Perfect for birthdays, parties, celebrations, summer BBQ’s, or anytime you need a fun dessert!
- Super quick & effortless!
Ingredients You’ll Need
The viral Dot Cakes come in four flavors – red velvet, classic white, chocolate, and chocolate chip. However, I wanted to put a fun spin on them and do banana cake! You can totally use your favorite cake flavor, though! Be sure to scroll to the recipe card for the full recipe and measurements!
Homemade cake:
- Almond Flour – Gives the cakes their fluffy, tender texture while keeping them grain-free.
- Tapioca or Arrowroot Starch – Helps create the perfect bounce and lightness.
- Eggs – Adds structure and richness.
- Maple Syrup or Honey – A natural sweetener that keeps everything refined sugar–free.
- Pantry staples: baking soda, sea salt, vanilla extract
Store bought:
- Simple Mills Cake Mix or Stellar Eats Cake Mix
- Miss Jones organic frosting
- Supernatural sprinkles
How to Make the Viral Dot Cakes
Scroll to the recipe card for full instructions!
- Mix the batter & bake
Stir the batter ingredients until smooth. Then pour into the prepared pan and bake. - Make the frosting
Blend together all of the frosting ingredients and place in the fridge to firm up. - Assemble the jars
Grab a jar and press it into the cake. Use your fingers to pack the cake down into the bottom of it. You can add a layer of frosting and then press the jar into the cake again for layered cake. For single layers, you can add a thick layer of frosting or press the jar into the cake again, using your fingers to pack it down, and then add frosting. Add the sprinkles to a bowl and press the tops of the jars into the sprinkles. Enjoy!
Tips for Perfect Dot Cakes
- Don’t skip parchment paper. Parchment paper is what makes the cake easy to get out of the pan
- Use your jar as the “cutter”. Pressing the jar into the cake helps create the perfect size cake cut-outs!
- Be generous with the sprinkles!! This is what creates that unique texture and look.
- Let the cake cool before trying to cut into it.
- Use a small frosting knife or spatula to frost the cakes.
Flavor Variations
There are so many different flavor cakes you can make!
- Chocolate cake
- Red velvet
- Chocolate chip
- Vanilla or classic white
- Pistachio cake
- Pumpkin cake
- Blueberry cake
- Lemon cake
More healthy dessert recipes to try
- No-bake strawberry cheesecake
- Cookie Tiramisu Cheesecake
- Frozen protein S’mores
- Healthy no-bake cookie dough bars
- No-bake carrot cake slice
- Healthy rice crispy treats without marshmallows
- No bake peanut butter oatmeal fudge bars
- Healthy vegan fudge bites
Viral Dot Cake Recipe
Ingredients
Store-bought version
- 1 box Simple Mills Banana bread mix, prepared
- 1 container Miss Jones cream cheese frosting
- SuperNatural Sprinkles
Homemade cake verison
- 2 1/4 cups almond flour
- 1/4 cup tapioca flour
- 1 cup mashed super ripe banana
- 1/2 cup monk fruit or coconut sugar
- 3 eggs, room temp
- 3 tbsp coconut oil, melted
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp vanilla extracct
Homemade frosting
- 1 1/2 cups raw cashews
- 1/3 cup refined coconut oil, melted
- 1/3 cup coconut yogurt
- 3 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup maple syrup
- pinch of sea salt
Instructions
Homemade cake
- Add all of the ingredients to a bowl and mix well until no lumps remain.
- Spread into a parchment-lined 8×8 baking dish. Bake for 32-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Allow to cool.
Homemade frosting
- Place the cashews in a bowl and cover with very hot water. Soak for 15 minutes, then drain. Add the cashews to a high-speed blender with the remaining ingredients and blend for a few minutes until completely smooth and creamy.
- Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for 2–3 hours, or until thick and spreadable.
Assembling the cakes
- Press the mason jar or cup into the cooled cake. I like to twist the jar to ensure it removes the cake from the pan entirely. You can do a layer of frosting and then press it into the cake again for layers, do a thick layer of frosting, or press it into the cake twice and use your fingers to pack the cake down before adding a layer of frosting for a fuller jar.
- Add the frosting, scraping any excess of smoothly. Add the sprinkles to a deep bowl. Press the top of the jars into the sprinkles. Enjoy!
Store-bought option
- Prepare and bake the cake mix according to instructions.
- Take your jars and press them into the cake to get the perfect round cut. Top them with frosting, scraping the tops so they're flat.
- Add the sprinkles to a bowl and press the top of the cake jars into the sprinkles so they stick into the frosting.
- Enjoy!
