Protein Dot Cakes (Viral TikTok Trend, Made Healthier)

The viral TikTok dot cake trend, but make it high protein. Soft funfetti cake layered with creamy Greek yogurt frosting in a glass, coated in rainbow sprinkles. 28 grams of protein per cake and ready in 30 minutes.

If you’ve opened TikTok in the last week you’ve seen them. Tiny cakes in little glasses, covered in rainbow nonpareil sprinkles, getting scooped with a spoon. Dot cakes. They’re everywhere and they’re not slowing down.

The original NYC bakery version is just funfetti cake and buttercream in a jar. Cute, nostalgic, and about 600 calories of pure sugar. So I did what I always do. I made a high protein version that tastes just as good, with 28 grams of protein and 312 calories per cake.

These protein dot cakes are made with a soft gluten free funfetti cake (no butter, no oil), layered with a Greek yogurt birthday cake frosting that genuinely tastes like the real thing, and coated in rainbow sprinkles for that iconic dot cake top. They take 30 minutes start to finish and make 3 dot cakes in a 3-inch glass.

If you’ve been waiting for a healthy way to jump on this trend, this is it. And honestly? Once you make these you’re not going back to boxed funfetti mix.

If you love protein desserts you’ll also want to try my Birthday Cake Protein Ice Cream and my Edible Cottage Cheese Cookie Dough.

Why You’ll Love These Protein Dot Cakes

• Naturally gluten free. Made with a 1:1 gluten free flour blend. Tastes identical to a regular funfetti cake.
• TikTok-worthy. These look incredible on camera. Film yourself making them and watch the saves roll in.
• Make-ahead friendly. Bake the cake and mix the frosting up to 3 days ahead. Assemble whenever you need a treat.
• Customizable. Swap the protein powder flavor and sprinkle color and you’ve got a different dessert for every season or holiday.
• Kid-approved. They taste like funfetti birthday cake. No one will know they’re high protein unless you tell them.

What Is a Dot Cake?

A dot cake is a viral TikTok dessert trend started by a NYC bakery and made famous by creators like Ashley Markle and Anna Sitar. It’s a layered mini cake served in a small glass or jar, made with funfetti cake, vanilla frosting, and a thick coating of rainbow nonpareil sprinkles on top to create the iconic “dot” look. The trend exploded in May 2026 and has racked up tens of millions of views across TikTok and Instagram.

The original is a sugar bomb. This version is the high protein remix.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Full measurements are in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

For the cake

• Gluten free all-purpose flour — I use a 1:1 GF blend like Bob’s Red Mill or King Arthur. Regular AP flour works fine if you’re not gluten free.
• Birthday cake protein powder — this is what gives the cake its funfetti flavor. I use a whey or whey/casein blend. I used 1UP Nutrition Birthday Cake protein powder.
• Truvia granulated monk fruit sweetener — measures 1:1 like sugar. Allulose or any 1:1 monk fruit blend works as a substitute.
• Baking powder — for the lift. Don’t skip it.
• Salt — balances the sweetness.
• Plain Greek yogurt — full fat or 2% for the best texture. This is what keeps the cake moist and packs in the protein. Don’t use non-fat or it’ll dry out.
• Unsweetened applesauce — replaces the butter and oil. Keeps the cake moist without any added fat and brings a subtle natural sweetness.
• Eggs — two large, room temperature if you can.
• Vanilla extract — pure, not imitation if you can.
• Rainbow sprinkles — in the batter for the funfetti look. Plus extra for the top coating.

For the Greek yogurt frosting

• Plain Greek yogurt — full fat is best, but 2% works.
• Light Cool Whip — this is the secret to making the frosting taste like real birthday cake frosting without the sugar. Hear me out, it works.
• Birthday cake protein powder — same one you used in the cake.
• Sugar-free vanilla pudding mix — the magic ingredient. Adds that bakery-style flavor and helps thicken the frosting.
• Truvia granulated monk fruit sweetener — just a touch to round out the sweetness.
• Vanilla extract and salt — for balance.

How to Make Protein Dot Cakes

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease an 8×8 baking pan with non-stick spray.
2. Mix the cake batter. In a large bowl, whisk together the gluten free flour, protein powder, Truvia monk fruit, baking powder, and salt. Add the Greek yogurt, applesauce, eggs, and vanilla. Mix until smooth, then fold in the sprinkles.
3. Bake. Pour the batter into the greased pan and bake for 20-23 minutes, until lightly golden and a toothpick comes out clean. Let it cool completely. (This is important. Warm cake will melt the frosting.)
4. Make the frosting. While the cake cools, mix the Greek yogurt, Cool Whip, protein powder, pudding mix, Truvia monk fruit, vanilla, and salt in a medium bowl until smooth and creamy. Chill in the fridge until you’re ready to assemble.
5. Cut the cake circles. Use the rim of your glass or a small biscuit cutter to cut out circles the size of your glass. You want them to slide in snugly.
6. Assemble the dot cakes. Place one cake circle in the bottom of your glass. Spread or pipe a thick layer of frosting on top. Add another cake circle. Top with a generous layer of frosting and smooth the top. Put in freezer for 15-20 minutes so frosting sets before adding sprinkles.
7. Sprinkle time. Pour rainbow nonpareils onto a small plate. Flip the glass upside down (carefully) and press the frosted top into the sprinkles until fully coated. Or just spoon them generously over the top if you don’t want to flip.
8. Chill and serve. Pop them in the fridge for 15 to 30 minutes to set, or eat immediately if you can’t wait. (I never wait.)

Tips for the Best Protein Dot Cakes

• Use full-fat or 2% Greek yogurt. Non-fat makes both the cake and the frosting dry and rubbery. The fat is what makes these taste like a real treat.
• Use unsweetened applesauce. Sweetened applesauce will throw off the sugar balance and make the cake too sweet.
• Let the cake cool completely before frosting. If the cake is even a little warm, the Cool Whip in the frosting will melt and you’ll lose the structure.
• Pick the right glass. A 3-inch wide rocks glass or short tumbler gives you 3 generous dot cakes. A smaller mason jar will give you more, smaller cakes.
• Pipe the frosting for cleaner layers. A piping bag (or a ziplock with the corner snipped) gives you that bakery-style smooth layer between the cake rounds.
• Chill before topping with sprinkles. A 10-minute freezer chill stop firms the top layer of frosting so the sprinkles stick in an even, dot-like coating instead of sinking.
• Use rainbow nonpareils, not jimmies. The tiny ball sprinkles are what give dot cakes their signature look. Jimmies (the longer rod-shaped sprinkles) won’t get the same effect.

Variations + Substitutions

• Chocolate protein dot cakes. Swap the birthday cake protein powder for chocolate, add 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder to the cake batter, and use chocolate sprinkles. This is what Anna Sitar’s viral version looks like.
• Cookies and cream. Use vanilla protein powder and crush an Oreo into the batter and the frosting.
• Strawberry funfetti. Add a teaspoon of strawberry extract to the cake batter and use strawberry sprinkles.
• Make it vegan. Use a plant-based protein powder, plant-based Greek yogurt (Kite Hill or Forager work well), a flax egg, and vegan whipped topping in place of the Cool Whip.
• Make it nut-free. This recipe is naturally nut-free, just double check your protein powder doesn’t contain nut traces.
• Higher protein. Use 0% Greek yogurt instead of full fat for an extra 2-3 grams of protein per cake (cake texture will be slightly drier so add an extra tablespoon of applesauce).

How to Store Protein Dot Cakes

Protein dot cakes keep in the fridge, covered, for up to 3 days. The cake stays soft and the frosting holds up beautifully. They don’t freeze well because the Greek yogurt frosting changes texture when thawed, so I’d just make a fresh batch.

If you’re meal prepping, store the cake and frosting separately and assemble right before eating. The cake circles will keep for up to 4 days in an airtight container, and the frosting holds for 3 days in the fridge.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much protein is in one dot cake? Each protein dot cake has 28 grams of protein and 312 calories. The Greek yogurt, protein powder, and eggs all contribute. That’s more protein than a typical protein shake, packed into a dessert that tastes like funfetti birthday cake.

Can I use regular flour instead of gluten free? Yes. Swap the gluten free flour 1:1 with regular all-purpose flour. The texture will be very similar.

What protein powder works best? Whey or whey/casein blend birthday cake protein powders give the best flavor and texture. I use 1UP Nutrition Birthday Cake Protein Powder. Plant-based protein powders will work but may need an extra splash of milk because they absorb more liquid.

Can I make these without protein powder? Yes, but they won’t hit the high protein claim. Replace the protein powder in the cake with 2 tablespoons of extra flour and 1 extra tablespoon of Truvia monk fruit. For the frosting, just skip the protein powder and add 1 extra tablespoon of pudding mix.

Can I use cottage cheese instead of Greek yogurt? Yes, blended cottage cheese works as a 1:1 swap in both the cake and the frosting. It’ll bump the protein even higher.

Do I have to use Truvia monk fruit? Nope. Any 1:1 sugar substitute works. Regular Truvia (stevia), monk fruit blends, allulose, and erythritol blends all work. Regular sugar works too if you want to make a non-keto version.

Can I bake this in a different pan? The 8×8 gives you the right cake thickness for layering. If you only have a 9×9 your cake will be slightly thinner (still works, just slightly less height per layer). A 9×13 is too big and will make the cake too thin to cut circles from.

More Protein Dessert Recipes You’ll Love

• Frozen Protein S’mores (Birthday Cake)
• Protein Birthday Cake Cookie Dough Bark
• Easy Protein Rice Krispie Treats
• Cottage Cheese Lava Cake
• High Protein Strawberry Cheesecake Bites
• Protein Banana Bark

If you make these protein dot cakes, I’d love to see them. Leave a star rating and comment below, share a photo on Instagram and tag @basicswithbails, or pin it on Pinterest for later. And if you film yourself making these on TikTok or Reels, tag me, I’ll be hyping you in the comments.