I’m sharing the recipe I used to make the Viral Dot Cake: Piña Colada edition! I figured if I was going to voluntarily trigger my trypophobia with this task, I might as well do it with a beachy flare to make it more fun for myself. If you keep reading (or just want to jump to the bottom), I’ll give my honest review of what I thought about the viral dot cake.
Piña Colada Dot Cake Recipe
Makes 6-8 individual dot cakes.
Ingredients
For the Coconut Cake
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon coconut extract
- ¾ cup full-fat canned coconut milk
- ½ cup crushed pineapple, well drained
For the Pineapple Filling
- 1 cup crushed pineapple, drained
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon pineapple juice
For the Coconut Buttercream
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 2-3 tablespoons cream of coconut
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon coconut extract
- Pinch of salt
For the “Dot Cake” Topping
- 2-3 cups nonpareil sprinkles – beachy pastels encouraged!
Instructions
Step 1: Bake the Coconut Cake
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×13-inch baking pan.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla and coconut extracts.
Alternate adding the dry ingredients and coconut milk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Fold in the drained crushed pineapple.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 28-32 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Allow the cake to cool completely.
Step 2: Make the Pineapple Filling
In a small saucepan, combine the crushed pineapple, sugar, cornstarch, and pineapple juice.
Cook over medium heat for 3-5 minutes, stirring frequently, until the mixture thickens.
Transfer to a bowl and allow to cool completely.
Step 3: Prepare the Coconut Buttercream
Beat the butter until smooth and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.
Gradually add the powdered sugar, mixing on low speed until incorporated.
Add the cream of coconut, vanilla extract, coconut extract, and salt. Beat until light, fluffy, and spreadable.
Step 4: Assemble the Dot Cakes
Crumble or cube the cooled cake (I used the dessert cup as a circle cutter).
Fill clear dessert cups with a layer of cake, followed by a spoonful of pineapple filling, then another layer of cake. Leave room at the top for frosting.
Spread a thick layer of coconut buttercream over the top of each cup and smooth flat.
Step 5: Create the Dot Cake Finish
Pour the nonpareil sprinkles into a shallow bowl or plate.
Gently press the frosted tops into the sprinkles until fully coated.
Refrigerate for 20-30 minutes before serving.
Storage
Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Allow to sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes before serving for best texture.
Final Thoughts on the Viral Dot Cake
Alright y’all, so my immediate thought with the first bite was: “What the heck is the hype with these dot beads, I’m about to crack a freaking tooth.” You can’t convince me that the dot beads are actually enjoyable to eat. I believe they are purely for aesthetic purposes. I bought my nonpareils at Hobby Lobby and had to go back and double check that I did in fact find them in the baking aisle and not the jewelry making aisle. Maybe I bought the wrong kind or something, but they kind of ruined it for me.
Next time, I would not use nonpareils for the topping (I know… that defeats the purpose of the “dot cake” but I don’t care.) The icing was a 10/10 but I couldn’t even enjoy it because it acted like a glue for the nonpareils. And I tried to scrape them off but ended up scraping off half of the icing in the process, which was a bummer. I think toasted coconut flakes, or a shortbread cookie crumble (like Chessmen) would be a much more delectable topping option.
Like I said, the icing was a 10/10. Next time, I would do a second layer of icing in between the layers of cake with the pineapple filling. I feel like the icing didn’t get the recognition it deserves when it should’ve been the main character instead of the “dots.”
Maybe my trypophobia makes me kind of a hater, but I truly do not see the appeal of the “viral dot cake.” I do think the nonpareils added an aesthetic appeal, but they took away from the actual enjoyment of the cake itself. All in all, I will be making the piña colada cake again, but I won’t be doing it as a “dot cake.”
