A cake batter flavoured dip made without cake mix, so it stays smooth. Twelve servings, ten minutes.
Jimmies, not nonpareils
Half a cup, and the notes are specific for good reason.
Nonpareils are the tiny round balls, and their colour coating dissolves on contact with anything moist. Folded into a butter and sugar dip they bleed within minutes and turn the whole thing grey-brown.
Jimmies are the small rod-shaped sprinkles, and confetti are the flat discs. Both hold their colour.
This is the difference between a dip that looks like the photograph and one that does not.
Clear extracts keep it white
Which both extract lines note.
Standard vanilla extract is dark brown, and a teaspoon of it tints a white buttercream noticeably beige. Cake batter extract varies by brand but is often coloured too.
Clear versions of both are sold specifically for this reason. The flavour is the same; only the colour differs.
If you only have regular, the dip tastes identical and simply looks creamier rather than bright white.
Whip the butter first, alone
Two to three minutes on high before anything else goes in.
That time incorporates air, which is what makes this a dip rather than a dense frosting. Butter that has not been whipped alone gives a heavy, greasy result no amount of later mixing fixes.
Softened means it gives under a finger and holds the indent. Melted butter cannot hold air at all.
Sugar on low, then whip on high
Four cups added gradually on low speed, then two to three minutes on high once the cream and extracts are in.
Low speed first is practical: four cups of powdered sugar on high puts a cloud across the kitchen.
The high speed stage afterwards is where the texture comes from. It aerates the mixture and dissolves the remaining sugar.
Scrape the bowl down between stages, since the sugar packs into the corners.
Sprinkles go in last, folded
After all the whipping is done.
Whipping sprinkles at high speed breaks them up and accelerates the colour bleeding that jimmies are chosen to avoid.
Fold them through with a spatula until evenly distributed and stop.
The whipped topping is genuinely optional
Eight ounces, or two cups of whipped cream.
Without it this is a thick, rich buttercream style dip. With it, it lightens considerably and becomes more scoopable, closer to a mousse.
Fold it in before the sprinkles if you use it, which the method sequences correctly.
It also stretches the yield, so twelve servings become closer to sixteen.
No cake mix, deliberately
Which the description calls out.
Many versions of this dip use dry cake mix for flavour, and it gives a slightly gritty texture because the flour never hydrates. Cake batter extract delivers the same flavour with none of that.
There is also a food safety point: raw flour in a no-bake dip is not advisable, since flour can carry bacteria that only heat destroys. Using extract avoids the question entirely.
Let it soften before serving
Fifteen to twenty minutes out of the fridge, which the notes give.
A butter-based dip sets firm when chilled, and cold it is difficult to scoop with a cookie or a graham cracker.
Room temperature is when it is at its best.
Serving
With mini vanilla wafers, teddy-shaped graham snacks or graham crackers, which is what the recipe suggests.
At 335 calories a serving this is rich. Something plain to dip with suits it better than anything sweet.
Adjusting the consistency
Too thick, add heavy cream a tablespoon at a time. It firms considerably in the fridge, so make it slightly looser than you want it if you are storing it.
Storing
Up to five days refrigerated in an airtight container. The sprinkle colours hold up over that time provided you used jimmies rather than nonpareils.
Cake Batter Dip
Description
A sweet dip with cake batter flavour and sprinkles, served with cookies or graham crackers.
Ingredients:
Instructions
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Using a stand or electric mixer with a whisk attachment, whip the butter alone for 2 to 3 minutes on high speed, which is what makes this a light dip rather than a dense frosting
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On low speed, gradually add the powdered sugar and mix until combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Low speed keeps the sugar from clouding
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Add the vanilla extract, cake batter extract and heavy cream, adding a little more cream if it is too thick. Whip on high speed 2 to 3 minutes
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For a lighter dip, fold in the whipped topping or whipped cream at this point
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Fold in the rainbow sprinkles by hand until evenly mixed, rather than whipping them in, which breaks them up
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Cover and store in an airtight container until ready to use. Let refrigerated dip sit at room temperature 15 to 20 minutes before serving so it softens. Serve with mini vanilla wafers or graham crackers.
Note
Use jimmies or confetti sprinkles rather than nonpareils, which the source specifies: nonpareil colour coating dissolves on contact and bleeds into the dip within minutes. Clear vanilla and cake batter extracts keep the dip white, since standard vanilla is dark brown and tints it beige; the flavour is identical either way. Whip the butter alone 2 to 3 minutes before anything else, which is what makes it a dip rather than a dense frosting. Add the powdered sugar on low speed to avoid clouding, then whip on high once the cream and extracts are in. Fold the sprinkles in last by hand, as whipping breaks them up. The whipped topping is optional and lightens the dip considerably, stretching the yield. Using extract rather than dry cake mix avoids both a gritty texture and the food safety question around raw flour. Let it soften 15 to 20 minutes before serving.