The internet is obsessed with Dotcakes

What is worth $11 USD and a several hour wait? For many people, it’s Dotcakes, the latest internet food trend (gift link). What are Dotcakes? The name gets you most of the way there: they are cakes topped with frosting and packed with nonpareil sprinkles. The inventor, Alex Posner, clarifies this by noting “People say it’s just cake and sprinkles, because it is just cake and sprinkles.”

Forgive me for not understanding this obsession. Unlike mashups such as the Cronut, this confection isn’t breaking any new ground. According to the NY Times article, the cakes taste like they come from a box. My guess is that the main attraction is that it photographs well and there is an ASMR-quality to the sound of running a spoon over the sprinkles. You can get the original Dotcakes at Posner’s bakery in Roslyn, New York, in vanilla, chocolate, red velvet, vanilla chocolate chip, and funfetti flavors. Copycats are popping up everywhere, so there are probably more options floating around.

In addition to the rainbow kaleidoscope seen in the photo above, Posner writes messages and creates custom images using different colors of sprinkles. There is a long wait if you want a custom Dotcake, and the website notes that it can’t take all orders. If you aren’t willing to go to New York and stand in line for hours, there are many DIY recipes floating around the internet, including one from The Kitchn, shown below.