If you’ve spent any time on TikTok lately, chances are you’ve seen the viral Dot Cakes popping up everywhere. Inspired by the famous NYC bakery-style cakes covered in rainbow nonpareils, this Confetti Dot Cake Sheet Cake is my homemade take on the trend, and honestly, I may love this version even more. It has all the nostalgic birthday cake flavor you remember as a kid but with an extra soft, fluffy bakery-style texture that makes it feel a little more elevated. These are also super similar to my viral nonpareil cookies!
This cake starts with a super moist vanilla confetti sheet cake that stays incredibly soft thanks to sour cream, whole milk, and just a little oil. It’s topped with smooth vanilla buttercream and completely covered in rainbow nonpareils for that iconic “dot cake” look. The colorful sprinkle-filled slices are so fun for birthdays, summer parties, or honestly just because you want cake sitting on your counter all week long.
WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS CAKE
- Inspired by the viral NYC Dot Cakes trend
- Ultra soft and fluffy bakery-style vanilla cake
- Nostalgic birthday cake flavor
- Easy single-layer sheet cake
- Covered in rainbow nonpareils for the iconic “dot” look
- Perfect for birthdays, celebrations, or summer parties
- Easy to decorate with no piping required
RECIPE TIPS
- Cream the butter and sugar together for a full 3-5 minutes. This helps create a lighter, fluffier cake texture.
- Be careful not to overmix once the flour is added or the cake can become dense or gummy.
- Use rainbow jimmies inside the batter instead of nonpareils. Nonpareils tend to bleed color when baked into cakes.
- For the true viral dot cake look, use tiny rainbow nonpareils ONLY on top of the frosting.
- A light-colored metal 9×13 pan bakes much more evenly than a dark pan and helps prevent overly dark edges.
- An offset spatula makes frosting sheet cakes so much easier and gives a smoother bakery-style finish.
STORAGE
Store the cake tightly covered at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. If refrigerated, let the cake sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes before serving so the cake softens back up and the frosting becomes creamy again.
SPRINKLE & FLAVOR SUBSTITUTIONS
You can easily customize this cake for different holidays or occasions by swapping out the sprinkles. Use pastel nonpareils for Easter or spring parties, red white and blue for Memorial Day or Fourth of July, or classic rainbow for birthdays. You can also leave out the confetti sprinkles inside the cake entirely if you want a more classic vanilla version that stays closer to the original viral bakery cake.
For flavor variations, try adding a little lemon extract for a bright citrus version or use almond extract for a stronger nostalgic bakery-style flavor.
I love that this cake feels both nostalgic and trendy at the same time. It has the look of the viral bakery cakes everyone is talking about but with a homemade soft and fluffy texture that’s even better than store-bought. Plus, there’s something so satisfying about slicing into the colorful sprinkle-filled cake and seeing those perfect little rainbow dots covering the top.
If you’re looking for a fun summer dessert, birthday cake idea, or just want to recreate the viral Dot Cake trend at home, this Confetti Dot Cake Sheet Cake is definitely worth making.
Confetti Dot Sheet Cake
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 1 cup salted butter room temperature
- 1 ¾ cups granulated sugar
- 4 eggs room temperature
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp almond extract add up to ½ tsp more for a more bakery style cake!
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp corn starch can omit if you prefer
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- 1 cup whole milk room temperature
- ⅓ cup full fat sour cream room temperature
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- ½ cup rainbow sprinkles don't use nonpareils they will bleed color into the batter!
For the frosting:
- 1 cup salted butter room temperature
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 3-4 tbsp heavy cream room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 cups rainbow nonpareil sprinkles
Instructions
For the cake:
- Preheat oven to 325°F. Grease and line a light-colored metal 9×13 cake pan with parchment paper. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar together on medium-high speed for 3-5 minutes until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Mix in the vanilla and almond extract.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt. In another bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the milk, sour cream, and vegetable oil. With the mixer on low speed, alternate adding the dry ingredients and wet ingredients, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix just until combined. Fold in the rainbow jimmies sprinkles.
- Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until the center is set and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Allow the cake to cool completely in the pan before frosting.
For the frosting:
- Beat the butter until smooth and creamy, 2-3 minutes. Add powdered sugar one cup at a time on low speed. Add vanilla, salt and heavy cream. Increase speed to medium-high and beat for 2-3 minutes until fluffy and smooth.
To decorate:
- Once the cake has completely cooled spread the frosting evenly over the top while it is still in the pan. Immediately cover the frosting with rainbow nonpareils, gently pressing them into the frosting so they fully adhere. Refrigerate the cake for 20-30 minutes before slicing for the cleanest bakery-style squares.