Publix's Bakery Is Making A Viral Dessert That Has Customers Ready To 'Move Back To Florida'

Publix shoppers will soon be able to get a taste of TikTok's trendiest cake, or at least an approximation. On June 4, the chain posted a video on Instagram teasing sprinkle-covered "Dotcakes" which the video promises are coming soon. "We heard you like a certain type of cake," the chain captioned the ASMR-inspired video. "New Bakery goodness drops June 16." The post has racked up over 30,000 likes.

If you're not chronically online, you might be wondering what a Dotcake is — and why people are so excited that they're coming to Publix. The trend started with the New York-based Dotcake bakery, which sells nonpareil-crusted cakes in individual cups. The cakes have gone mega-viral. Customers wait for hours outside Butterfield Market, the New York grocery store where the cakes are sold, and social media sites are flooded with videos of fans digging in.

The virality of Dotcakes recalls a simpler time: The cakes are reminiscent of the sugary, rainbow-colored Insta-famous foods of the 2010s, like candy-crusted "freakshakes." If the relaunch of Starbucks' nostalgic Unicorn Frappuccino is any indication, colorful sweets may be due for a return.

The cakes themselves are simple. The sprinkles cover a thin layer of icing while the cakes itself comes in chocolate, vanilla, red velvet, funfetti, and vanilla chocolate chip (which of these flavors Publix will carry remains to be seen). They make for irresistible social media content, though. The coating of colorful, spherical sprinkles is dense enough to create a creme brulee-style crust, which makes a satisfying sound when you scrape or tap it with a spoon.

Publix fans turned to the comments to express their excitement — and praise the cult-favorite, Florida-based grocery store, which ranks as one of America's top grocery chains for customer satisfaction. "Nothing is better than Publix bakery," wrote one fan. "Publix always understands the assignment," added another. Others were hyped to try the cake themselves. "I've been wanting to try one and now Publix is coming out with one," one commenter wrote. "And on my birthday no less!"

Some fans expressed regret they wouldn't be able to try the cake themselves. "Come to New York!" begged one commenter. "May have to move back to Florida for this," wrote another. Still, the cakes don't necessarily necessitate a trip to Miami. While 917 of Publix's 1,489 locations are in the Sunshine State, the chain extends throughout the Southeast. Shoppers in Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, Virginia, Kentucky, and the Carolinas will be able to get a taste of the sprinkle-crusted cakes.

Personally, I don't get the appeal of Publix. My hometown has a few and I find them overpriced. I don't get the appeal of Dotcakes, either. Still, if you're eager to try one of the candy-colored cakes, mark your calendar. If the comments under Publix's teaser video are any indication, the chain's version of the viral cakes may have customers lining up, too.