Dunkaroos Cake

thetipsyhousewife
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A Taste Of Your 1990s Childhood

Dunkaroos Cake

All 90s kids will remember the much coveted snack, Dunkaroos, and this Dunkaroos Cake is made from a doctored up, buttery cake mix with a cream cheese based, buttercream icing. The icing is slightly salty with hints of vanilla and cinnamon, finishing off a cake that is nostalgic and delicious.

If you aren’t familiar, Dunkaroos were a snack of the 1990s that consisted of vanilla cookies and a sugary, sweet icing to dunk them in. They were buttery and delicious!

This Dunkaroos Cake is a throwback to that 1990s snack. It’s made with a box cake mix, because I cannot bake, and an actual homemade icing.

We moved into our new home back in March and now we are finally in a home that is close enough to our loved ones where they can stop by. I vowed to always have some variety of a “counter cake” where I am able to offer “pop ins” a cake and coffee treat.

This is the cake I have made the last few times. Mister Tipsy and I think it tastes exactly like the Dunkaroos snack.

A box of Dunkaroos

What Does It Taste Like?

The flavor profile of this Dunkaroos Cake is buttery, warm vanilla with hint of cinnamon, cream cheese, and the slightest hint of salt. It is moist and delicious and the icing is sweet but not cloying.

PIllsbury Golden Butter cake mix

The Cake Mix Is Key

So I have said it before, I cannot bake to save my life. I can make a FEW things that are sort of like baking.

Butter Dream Cookies are one recipe I can make, as well as my Aunt’s Cracker Cookies. When I decided to have a counter cake, I knew I would be starting with a box mix.

Why not?! Let’s make life easier.

I like to use this Pillsbury Golden Butter Cake Mix. This is not sponsored, it is just the cake mix that I like the best.

Use whatever you prefer.

Icing in a metal bowl

The Icing On The Cake

This icing comes out beautiful! I love the addition of the cream cheese and the salt.

A local grocery store in Chicago called Mariano’s used to have this “Chicago Buttercream” icing that was to die for. This icing remind me of that.

It has a very slight hint of salt and cinnamon. These two ingredients totally compliment the butter and cream cheese.

The vanilla is plentiful in this recipe, so feel free to add more or less vanilla to your liking.

The icing on a blue spatula
You can see the icing is thick and rich
The finished cake before sprinkles are added
Yield: 12 pieces of cake

Dunkaroos Cake Recipe

Dunkaroos Cake

If you are a 90s kid then you will remember the sweet treat called 'Dunkaroos." This cake tastes like that sweet treat from the 1990s. Made with a doctored up box cake mix and a cream cheese based buttercream icing. This cake is an easy and delicious treat.

Ingredients

  • For The Cake:
  • 1 box Pillsbury Moist Supreme Golden Butter Cake Mix
  • 1 stick of Salted Butter (8 tablespoons)
  • 3 Eggs
  • 1 cup of Water
  • 1 tablespoon of Vanilla Extract
  • For The Icing:
  • 8 ounces of Cream Cheese
  • 1/2 cup of Salted Butter (8 tablespoons or 1 Stick)
  • 1 teaspoon of Coarse Salt
  • 1/2 tablespoon of Vanilla Extract
  • 4 cups of Powdered Sugar (you may want to keep an extra cup on hand if you want to adjust the texture of your icing.)
  • 1/4 teaspoon of Cinnamon

Instructions

  • To make the cake, make sure the butter is softened. Mix the cake mix, the butter, the eggs, the cup of water, and the tablespoon of vanilla extract by hand or with a mixer. You want to make sure the ingredients are really well combined.
  • Grease a 9 x 12 casserole dish and pour the cake mix into the pan. Bake for the time and temperature that is on the box of the cake mix. Bake and cool completely.
  • Let the cream cheese and butter soften to room temperature before attempting the icing.
  • Beat the butter, cream cheese, salt, and vanilla extract together on high until light and airy and really whipped up. Also add in the cinnamon.
  • Slowly add the powdered sugar a little at a time, then turn up the speed each time to really whip it up. I use four cups but you may want a more dense icing. Test and add more if you do.
  • When it is really whipped up (this will be a denser icing and a little "gloopy") put it in a bowl and into the refrigerator for one hour.
  • When it has sat in the fridge for one hour, ice the cake with as much of the icing as you wish. I do about 1/2 inch of icing. You can save the rest for the next cake or use graham crackers to dip in the little bit of remaining icing.
  • Sprinkle the cake with colorful sprinkles.
  • I leave this cake out on the counter covered with a piece of foil until we eat it all.
    • © thetipsyhousewife

    1 Comments

    • Kay Kearly

      August 17, 2025 at 2:06 pm

      Have you noticed many of the cake mixes are getting smaller?

      Reply

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