Make the viral Dot Cake trend at home with these Mini Dot Cakes! Learn how to make what I’m calling “Dot Shots” with an easy upgraded box cake recipe and homemade chocolate frosting perfect for a cute stress-free party dessert!
Mini Dot Cakes Recipe – Easy “Dot Shots” Party Dessert
If you want the ultimate easy party dessert, let’s turn the viral dot cake trend into Mini Dot Cakes aka “Dot Shots“! I filled shot glasses with vanilla cake, layered with rich chocolate buttercream frosting, dipped in rainbow sprinkles, and served on a party platter with gold plastic spoons for a gorgeous, grab-and-go look.
Check out my recipe below for my favorite box cake hack using a few secret ingredients to make your cake taste just like a bakery. Best of all, you can make these cute desserts ahead of time and freeze them for stress-free entertaining! Scroll down for the full recipe, step-by-step instructions, and easy assembly tips.
If you prefer brownies over cake, don’t miss my homemade recipe for Dot Cake Brownies.
What You’ll Need
You only need a few simple ingredients and supplies to pull this together:
- 1 box Yellow Cake Mix (plus the ingredients on the back—see my secret upgrade below!)
- Chocolate Frosting – Try my from scratch Chocolate Buttercream Frosting recipe or use 1 can of frosting.
- Rainbow Nonpareils Sprinkles
- Small Plastic Shot Glasses
- Plastic Spoons (Regular size works great and gold looks so fancy!)
How to Make Box Cake Taste Like a Bakery
We are keeping things easy with a boxed mix, but that doesn’t mean it has to taste like one! To give your Dot Shots a rich, dense, bakery-quality texture, use these two simple swaps:
The Secret Upgrade: Add one extra egg than what the box calls for, and stir in one small package of instant vanilla pudding mix right into the dry batter.
The pudding mix adds incredible moisture and flavor, while the extra egg gives the cake a perfect, velvety crumb that holds up beautifully when layered in the shot glasses.
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Mini Dot Cakes (Dot Shots)
Ingredients
For the Upgraded Cake Layer:
- 1 box 15.25 oz Yellow Cake Mix
- 1 box 3.4 oz Instant Vanilla Pudding Mix
- 4 Large Eggs This includes the extra egg to create that rich, dense bakery crumb
- Water Amount specified on your specific cake mix box
- Vegetable Oil Amount specified on your specific cake mix box
For the Frosting & Topping:
- 16 oz Chocolate Frosting <– Get my recipe here
- 1 cup Rainbow Nonpareils Sprinkles
Instructions
Bake & Cool the Cake
- Mix your vanilla cake batter using the box directions plus the extra egg and instant pudding. Bake it in a sheet pan so the cake stays relatively thin. Let it cool completely.
Punch & Press
- Take an empty plastic shot glass, turn it upside down, and press the rim directly into the cake to cut a perfect circle. Flip it right side up and use your spoon to gently push the cake round down to the bottom of the glass.
Frost Cake
- Pipe or spoon chocolate frosting on top of the cake layer. Use a paper towel to wipe off any extra frosting that might have gotten on the side rim of the glass.
Dip Into Sprinkles
- Pour your rainbow nonpareils into a shallow bowl. Take each shot glass, invert it, and gently press the chocolate frosting top directly into the sprinkles until completely coated.
Add the Spoon
- Push a plastic spoon straight down into the center of each "dot shot." Arrange them on a platter, and they are ready for the party!
Notes
Recipe Video
Nutrition
Pro-Tips for the Ultimate Stress-Free Entertaining
- Keep it Clean: Don’t skip the paper towel wipe in step 3! Wiping the rim before dipping in the sprinkles is what keeps the outside of the glass looking flawless and professional.
- Transporting to a Party: If you are taking these on the road, leave the spoons out until you arrive. Layer the shot glasses snugly inside a shallow container lined with a piece of paper towel to prevent sliding. Once you set them up on your serving platter at the party, pop the spoons in!
- The Refrigerator Method (1 Day Ahead): If you are hosting tomorrow, you can fully assemble these Dot Shots—including the gold spoons—and keep them in the refrigerator for up to 1 day before serving. Just pull them out about 20 minutes before the party so the frosting softens slightly.
- The Freezer Method (Up to 1 Month Ahead): If you like to get a head start on party prep, these are perfect for the freezer! Assemble the cake, frosting, and sprinkles, but leave the spoons out so they stack easily. Place them in a single layer inside a large, airtight container and freeze for up to 1 month. On party day, set them out 30 to 45 minutes before guests arrive to thaw, then pop the gold spoons in right before serving.
