Dot Cake Slice

Dot Cake is the colourful cake craze that has taken social media by storm. And this slice version delivers all the fun in a convenient homemade form!

Dot Cake Slice starts with an incredibly soft, old-fashioned Hot Milk Sponge. It's followed by a generous layer of silky Russian Buttercream and a thick, crunchy coating of colourful hundreds and thousands.

It’s a little bit viral, a little bit fairy bread and, thanks to the traditional sponge cake, it has a touch of Nana Ling about it too.

Jump to:

• The viral trend
• The slice version
• Ingredient notes
• How to make Dot Cake Slice
• Storage and serving
• More lovely slices
• Dot Cake Slice Recipe

The viral trend

The Dot Cake trend can be traced to The Dot Cakes, a mother-and-daughter cake business founded by Alex and Sondra Posner in New York.

Alex reportedly made her first Dot Cake in 2017 as a gift for a friend. The idea grew into a business, but it was the smaller, single-serve Dotcups that eventually became an online sensation.

The original version is served in a cup and features layers of soft cake and buttercream beneath a thick coating of tiny, round rainbow sprinkles – the “dots”.

Videos of a spoon being pushed through the crunchy sprinkle coating and into the soft cake and creamy buttercream underneath were so satisfying to watch that they started attracting millions of views.

Although the original Dot Cake is American, there’s something wonderfully familiar about it for Australians. With all those colourful hundreds and thousands, it feels a little like fairy bread transformed into cake!

The slice version

The viral Dot Cakes are generally assembled in individual paper cups. That makes perfect sense when they’re being sold as a takeaway treat, but I wanted to create a version for making and sharing at home.

What's the point of using a collection of disposable cups when the cake isn't going anywhere? So I decided to bake it in a slice tin instead. It’s simpler, creates less waste and makes it easy to cut the cake into as many portions as you like.

Because this recipe relies on just three components – cake, buttercream and hundreds and thousands – I wanted each one to be especially good. So I set to work. I wanted to find the softest possible cake and the most delicious buttercream.

For the cake, I chose an old-fashioned Hot Milk Sponge. Hot milk cakes have been enjoyed for generations and are beautifully light, tender and moist. It was the perfect way to bring some traditional Nana Ling-style magic to this very modern creation.

For the topping, I chose Russian Buttercream, made by whipping butter with sweetened condensed milk. It’s wonderfully silky and creamy, with a lovely richness from the condensed milk. It’s also less sugary than traditional American buttercream, making it the perfect partner for the generous coating of hundreds and thousands.

The result is a fun and practical slice that includes everything people love about the original Dot Cake: soft cake, luscious buttercream and that crunch of colourful sprinkles in every bite that makes life feel just a bit lighter for a moment.

Ingredient notes

The full ingredient quantities are in the recipe card at the bottom of this post, but here are a few notes to help you achieve standout results.

Hundreds and thousands: Use the tiny, round rainbow variety, also known as nonpareils and sprinkles, to create the classic “dot” appearance and crunchy topping. Be generous – the thick layer of colourful dots is what makes this slice!

Plain flour and baking powder: This combination gives the cake its light, tender texture.

Caster sugar: Its fine crystals dissolve easily into the eggs, helping to create a light and evenly textured cake.

Eggs: If possible, bring them to room temperature before starting. Beat well with the sugar to help give the cake its lovely lift.

Vanilla extract: Adds warmth and flavour to both the simple sponge and its sweet topping. Use vanilla extract rather than vanilla essence for the best flavour.

Full-cream milk: The milk is heated with the butter before being added to the batter. Full-cream milk provides the best flavour and helps create a beautifully soft and moist cake.

Butter: You’ll need butter for both the cake and the Russian Buttercream. Soften the butter used for the icing to room temperature so it whips smoothly with the condensed milk. It should be soft enough to beat but not melted or greasy.

Sweetened condensed milk: This is what sweetens Russian Buttercream and gives it its silky texture and distinctive creamy flavour. Half a standard 395-gram tin is about the right amount for this recipe.

How to make Dot Cake Slice

The complete instructions and exact cooking time are in the recipe card below, but here’s a quick overview of the process.

Start by greasing and lining your slice tin, leaving enough baking paper overhanging the sides to help lift the cake out later.

Making the cake

Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs, vanilla extract and caster sugar until the mixture is pale, thick and increased in volume (see images 1 and 2). This step incorporates air into the batter and helps give the Hot Milk Cake its wonderfully light texture.

Gently fold the dry ingredients into the egg mixture, taking care not to knock out too much of the air (see image 3).

Heat the milk and butter together until the butter has melted and the mixture is hot and starts to simmer. Gradually add the hot milk mixture to the batter, folding gently until everything is just combined (see image 4).

TIP: Fold the ingredients together gently with a large spoon or spatula. If using handheld beaters, use the lowest setting and stop as soon as the mixture is combined.

Pour the batter into the prepared tin and bake until the cake is lightly golden. Allow it to cool in the tin for about 15-20 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack to cool completely (see image 5).

Icing and decorating

To make the Russian Buttercream, beat the softened butter (on high speed in stand mixer) until it becomes very pale, light and fluffy. Add the condensed milk gradually, continuing to beat on medium speed, until the buttercream is smooth and silky (see image 6).

TIP: For the best result, make sure the butter and condensed milk are at a similar room temperature.

Spread the buttercream evenly over the completely cooled cake (see image 7), then immediately cover it with a generous layer of hundreds and thousands (see image 8).

TIP: Keep the cake on the cooling rack and then place it on top of a large baking tray so that any stray hundreds and thousands fall into the tray rather than your kitchen floor!

Press the hundreds and thousands down very lightly so they adhere to the buttercream.

Allow the topping to firm up slightly before cutting the cake into neat squares or rectangles – and enjoy that colourful crunch!

Storage and serving

Store Dot Cake Slice in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days. For the softest cake and creamiest buttercream, let it sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before serving.

You can also wrap and freeze the slice in an airtight container for up to three months, although it is best enjoyed fresh.

More lovely slices

Ready for more new slice ideas? Check out these recipes:

Made this recipe and love it? Please take a moment to rate the recipe and leave a comment below. It’s such a help to others who want to try the recipe. (And it really makes my day to hear how Nana Ling's recipes are being made, shared and loved all around the world! - Libby x)

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