Polka Dot Cake

Name: Polka Dot Cake
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 90 min
Yield: 10
Ingredients: Eggs 6.35 oz; Type 00 flour 1 ¾ cup; Butter 0.9 cup; Sugar 1 ¼ cup; Dark chocolate 7 oz; Whole milk 0.4 cup; Baking powder 2 tsp; Water 0.3 cup; Sugar 1 cup; Egg whites 4.2 oz; Butter (cold) 10 oz; Vanilla bean 1; Powdered sugar ½ cup; Sugar paste 2 lbs; Food coloring red to taste; Edible glue to taste; Food pencils bright, mother-of-pearl color to taste; Glitter sugar to taste; Food decorations soft silver beads to taste; Powdered sugar (for dusting) to taste

it es fr de br

1161

Calories per serving

Vegetarian

Energy Kcal 1161
Carbohydrates g 172.7
of which sugars g 155.9
Protein g 7.8
Fats g 48.8
of which saturated fat g 28.2
Fiber g 0.9
Cholesterol mg 187
Sodium mg 58

Difficulty: Average
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 45 min
Serving: 10

PRESENTATION

Torta a pois is, honestly, the kind of polka dot cake that puts a smile on everyone’s face the second it hits the table. Just picture it: a soft chocolate cake, covered in pink sugar paste with neat white dots scattered all over, like something out of a happy song. It's got this real moist bite, filled with sweet buttercream that makes every slice feel like a little celebration. There’s no deep old-school tradition behind this one—Italians call it a modern twist, but it’s become a real star at birthday parties and special get-togethers.

And look, the appearance alone brings out the fun, kinda like a funfetti cake or one of those classic confetti cakes, but this version feels extra playful with the bright colors and those perfect dots. Kids and grown-ups both love it, especially when the cake shows up at a party and everyone starts humming that famous tune about polka dots—suddenly, the cake’s the centerpiece and everyone’s ready to dig in.

You get a nice tender texture, a little bit rich from the chocolate, and the color pop from the outside turns every bite into something you almost want to take a picture of before eating. In Italy, this torta a pois has become a favorite when folks want something eye-catching and sweet, but still pretty easy to pull off. People love how it takes just a handful of steps to get that cool dotted look—no fancy skills required.

The buttercream inside gives the cake that creamy taste, and the pink and white theme makes it perfect for birthdays, baby showers, or any day when you want dessert to do more than just taste good. Some even compare it to a rainbow cake because of how much joy it brings to the table. But honestly, this one stands out with its polka dots and that glossy finish. For real, anyone searching for an easy cake recipe or fun birthday cake ideas will find this one checks all the boxes: it’s colorful, soft, and just plain cheerful. Serve it up and you’ll see folks reaching for a second slice, probably still humming that catchy song about dots—while the cake keeps the mood bright and festive all day long. Seriously good.

INGREDIENTS

1161

Calories per serving

Ingredients for the base: Eggs 6.35 oz (180 g); Type 00 flour 1 ¾ cup (220 g); Butter 0.9 cup (200 g); Sugar 1 ¼ cup (250 g); Dark chocolate 7 oz (200 g); Whole milk 0.4 cup (100 g); Baking powder 2 tsp (8 g)

For the buttercream: Water 0.3 cup (85 g); Sugar 1 cup (225 g); Egg whites 4.2 oz (120 g); Butter 10 oz (280 g) - (cold); Vanilla bean 1; Powdered sugar ½ cup (50 g)

For decorating and dusting: Sugar paste 2 lbs (900 g); Food coloring to taste - red; Edible glue to taste; Food pencils to taste - bright, mother-of-pearl color; Glitter sugar to taste; Food decorations to taste - soft silver beads; Powdered sugar to taste - (for dusting)

Preparing the base (for a 9-inch diameter cake pan)

To prepare the polka dot cake, start with the batter: chop the dark chocolate 1 and melt it in a bain-marie 2: the pot's water should not touch the bottom of the bowl containing the chocolate. Add the butter in pieces 3

Then add the milk 4 and melt everything over low heat, stirring with a spatula. Once melted, add the sugar 5, stir, and then transfer the mixture to a stand mixer. Add the eggs 6

Sift the baking powder 7 and flour 8, then add the dry ingredients to the rest of the batter 9, stirring with a spatula.

Pour the batter into a greased and parchment-lined 9-inch diameter cake pan 10; then level it with a spatula 11 and bake in a preheated static oven at 340°F for 45 minutes (if using a convection oven, bake at 300°F for about 35 minutes, using a toothpick to check for doneness). Once baked, remove it from the oven 12 and let it cool slightly, then remove it from the pan to cool completely on a wire rack.

Buttercream and fondant

For the buttercream: pour the water and granulated sugar into a small pot 1, dissolve the sugar and bring to a boil: use a kitchen thermometer to ensure it doesn't exceed 250°F. Meanwhile, scrape the seeds from a vanilla bean 3

and when the syrup reaches 240°F, pour the egg whites and vanilla bean seeds into the mixer bowl 4. Then sift 50 g of powdered sugar 5, add it to the egg whites, and start beating the mixture at maximum speed. When the syrup reaches 250°F, pour it in a thin stream while continuing to beat 6

Switch to the paddle attachment and gradually add the softened butter 7. Once all the butter is incorporated, transfer the cream to a piping bag and set aside. Then prepare the covering: take 2 blocks of fondant 8 and combine them 9

then color them with red food coloring 10 until you achieve a pink hue 11; knead and form a ball of fondant, then roll it out with a rolling pin into a thin disk about 1/16 inch thick 12 (you can dust the work surface with powdered sugar to make it easier to roll out).

Take another block of fondant: roll out half into a disk 1/16 inch thick and use various sized cookie cutters to create disks 13. With the other half, create a twisted cord: divide the fondant in half 14 and roll each piece into a log, then twist them together 15.

Assembling the polka dot cake

When the cake is completely cool, divide it into two layers 1; place the base layer on a cake stand, spread a layer of buttercream using the piping bag 2: distribute it evenly over the surface with a spatula (the cream layer should not exceed 3/16 inch thick). Top with the other cake layer 3

Cover the outside of the cake with a layer of buttercream no thicker than 3/16 inch 4, then use a rolling pin to drape the pink fondant over the cake 5, and trim any excess fondant just below the bottom edge to ensure the sides are well covered 6

You can place the cake on a cake stand, then decorate the perimeter with the twisted white fondant cord 7. Use edible glue to brush the white fondant polka dots 8. Arrange them on the surface starting with the largest ones 9,

then take other decorations: silver beads 10, gel decorations, and glitter sugars, and use them to decorate the larger dots with gel decorations and glitter sugars 11, finishing with the beads attached to the smaller dots using edible glue. Your polka dot cake is ready to be served 12!