What's The Difference Between The Viral Dotcake And A Traditional Mexican Cortadillo?

Whimsical, colorful, and cute, Dotcakes have taken over social media feeds. Boosted into the limelight by Dotcakes in Roslyn, New York, the bakery sells the cakes to Butterfield Market in Manhattan, where long lines begin to form as early as 6 a.m. Since rising in popularity, many have likened the small cakes covered in sprinkles to Mexican cortadillo. The pan dulce is commonly found in neighborhood panaderías in Mexico, and it's been served with frosting and rainbow sprinkles long before dot cakes started popping up online.

The aesthetic similarities between the viral Dotcake and the classic Mexican dessert are noticeable. At first glance, both feature a fluffy-looking cake, creamy frosting, and a generous coating of rainbow nonpareils. Yet there is more than what meets the eye. While a Dotcake is presented in a single-serving cup, a cortadillo is traditionally made as a sheet cake, sliced and served. Bakers have recognized there are many ways to make and decorate cortadillo, and for many communities, a slice of this cake offers a taste of familiar comfort. 

In addition to the sprinkles, pink frosting can be a characteristic element of cortadillo. Though Dotcakes have become a recent social media sensation, the cortadillo has long held a place in Mexican bakeries, where customers have enjoyed slices for generations without waiting in line.

Online conversations about the two treats have run hot, with some pointing to cultural appropriation and accusing bakers of repackaging a long-established Mexican bakery staple. Others have noted that sometimes a cake is just a cake, regardless of where it is made, and have pointed out similarities between school cake served in the U.K., Australian fairy bread, and Puerto Rican Bizcocho de Novia.

"I'm Mexican and I believe ... the 2 can coexist without people getting sensitive about how similar they are. Vanilla cakes with sprinkles can exist in different cultures," wrote one user on YouTube. "The dot cake is literally just cake and sprinkles. The pan Dulce is a lot more dense. It's just too simple to say it's stealing from Mexican culture," added another. "Honestly this trend will bring so much business to our Mexican bakeries, we always winning," pointed out one user on Instagram. 

The sprinkles may look similar, but the stories surrounding these two recipes are decidedly different. Next time you're craving a Dotcake, consider skipping the wild line and visiting a local panadería for a slice of cortadillo instead — odds are, you'll be equally as satisfied.