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The actor’s microwavable dotcake is a fresh take on the original.

Key Points

• Valerie Bertinelli shares a quick, microwaveable lemon dotcake recipe perfect for a single serving.
• The recipe uses simple ingredients like flour, sugar, lemon zest, and jarred lemon curd for ease.
• Bertinelli’s fun twist on the viral dotcake trend is easy, customizable, and ready in minutes.

If there’s one certainty in life it’s this: Just when you’ve gotten a taste of the latest social media food trend, another one comes along to take its place. The latest in the long line of viral confections is the dotcake, which is a fairly simple, small—yet hugely popular—cake, topped with a light layer of frosting and rainbow-hued nonpareils. New Yorkers can get these cups of cake at Butterfield Markets, and many people have tried to make their own (and shared the results on social media).

Valerie Bertinelli, the actress and television personality known for her work on One Day at a Time and the Food Network (plus her bestselling cookbooks), has taken on the challenge of creating her own version of the viral dotcake. Bertinelli shared her fun microwaveable twist on the dotcake trend on Instagram.

In a segment called “Meals for One,” Bertinelli shares her summery version of the dotcake, using the bright flavor and color of lemon to make it her own. She took a cute mug and added a “heaping” ¼ cup of flour (you can just add 1 extra tablespoon to your leveled measuring cup). She also spooned in 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, ¼ teaspoon baking powder and a pinch of salt. Mix the dry ingredients together. In a separate bowl or cup, melt 2 tablespoons of butter and add it to the dry ingredients along with some fresh lemon zest and juice. Add in 3 tablespoons milk and mix well so all ingredients are evenly combined.

And when it comes time to bake your cake? “We’re using the microwave, making your life easy,” says Bertinelli. She suggests that you start with a minute, though you might need to go up to 75 seconds to fully cook the cake. When she took it out of the microwave, the cake had puffed up to fill the mug to the brim. She set it aside to cool.

Once cool, she spooned jarred lemon curd over the top of the cake. “Yes, you can make your own, but why bother,” she says—and we love that jarred lemon curd makes this recipe so easy. Continuing to keep it simple, Bertinelli breaks out a tub of cream cheese frosting and says the frosting is her preference, but you can use the frosting of your choice. “It’s your cake. Do it the way you want it,” she says. She spoons a generous dollop of frosting on top and smooths it with a knife.

In some videos of homemade dotcake, they apply the nonpareils by turning the cake upside down and dipping it into the sprinkles, but Bertinelli doesn’t think her delicate concoction is “structurally sound enough,” so she sprinkles the nonpareils on top, using her hand to contain them within the mug. She has the mug set atop a small plate to catch any strays. She puts the cake in the fridge for two hours to firm up.

The verdict? “It’s so good!” Bertinelli said after digging in. “Okay, internet. I approve.” If Bertinelli is impressed, we might just have to try this sweet bite sooner rather than later. In the meantime, here are a few more effortless desserts to keep in your arsenal: