Cake Pops
You are in for a treat with this delicious Cake Pops recipe! This bite-sized dessert is super easy to make and is a fun activity to do with the whole family. It is perfect for birthday parties, as a homemade gift, or simply as a fun snack at home. Top it with colorful sprinkles for the ultimate whimsical dessert!
Why You Will Love This Recipe
- This easy recipe is super easy to make with only a handful of ingredients and no baking required!
- Unlike cake, cake pops are bite-sized and easy to eat without any mess, perfect for small kids!
- The best copycat recipe for Starbucks cake pop lovers. Skip a trip to the store as this copycat recipe is all you need while enjoying the same delicious taste.
- This is a great way to use leftover cakes from parties.
- Making these cake pops can be a fun weekend project to enjoy with kids!
- Make your own version of cake pops easily using different flavors and decorations.
- Serve these at birthday parties, baby showers, and other special occasions and they will surely become a crowd favorite.
- These cake pops are the perfect homemade gift to give to your loved ones for special occasions.
- If needed, use gluten-free cake.
- They are totally customizable! Switch up the flavors and decorations.
- For the chocolate version, make these Chocolate Cake Pops!
- Or, make this Funfetti Cake for another sweet treat with sprinkles.
Ingredients & Substitutions
These are the main ingredients and substitutions for cake pops. Scroll down to the recipe card for the full ingredients list and instructions.
Use vanilla cake that has already been baked and cooled. Alternatively, use any cake flavor that is available. This is the best way to use leftover cakes from parties or you can also whip up a cake quickly using cake mix.
Use vanilla frosting to add to the crumbled cake. This can also be swapped out with any frosting flavor of your choice.
White candy melts are used for the cake pop dip. Substitute it with white chocolate chips if not available.
Lollipop sticks are for holding the cake pops into place. If not available, substitute with toothpicks or plastic spoons.
For decorating the cake pop, use sprinkles, colored sugar, or other desired decorations.
What are Cake Pops?
Cake pops are yummy bite-sized cake balls served on a stick. This treat is made from crumbled cake mixed with frosting, dipped in a melted chocolate coating, then molded into small cake balls, and placed on a lollipop stick.
Cake pops can be made from any cake flavor, some popular flavors are Funfetti, chocolate, and vanilla cake pops. This fun dessert can be decorated in a variety of ways to suit any occasion, making them the perfect party treats!
Taste & Texture
These vanilla cake pops are soft and moist on the inside with a smooth and crunchy texture on the outside.
They have a light, sweet, and creamy flavor that will satisfy your sugar cravings in one bite!
How to Make
Step 1
Crumble the cooled vanilla cake into a large mixing bowl using your hands or a fork.
Step 2
Add the vanilla frosting to the crumbled cake and mix until well combined. The mixture should be moist.
Step 3
Take small portions of the cake mixture and roll them into smooth balls 1 to 2 inches in diameter. Place the cake balls on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.
Step 4
Insert a lollipop stick into each cake ball, pushing it about halfway through. Place the baking sheet with the pops in the refrigerator for about 1 hour to firm up.
Step 5
While the pops are chilling, melt the white candy melts or white chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl according to the package instructions. Stir until smooth and fully melted.
Step 6
Remove them from the refrigerator. Dip each cake pop into the melted white chocolate, gently swirling and tapping off any excess chocolate. If desired, decorate with sprinkles, colored sugar, or other decorations while the chocolate is still wet.
Step 7
Stick the cake pops upright into a foam block or a cake pop stand to allow the chocolate to set completely. If you do not have either of those, you can place the cake pops back on the parchment-lined baking sheet.
Step 8
Repeat the dipping and decorating process with the remaining cake pops.
Step 9
Once the white chocolate coating has hardened, the vanilla cake pops are ready to be enjoyed. Serve them as a delightful treat at parties, and events, or as a fun dessert for any occasion.
Tips & Tricks for Success
Let the cake cool completely before crumbling it. If the cake is too warm, the cake and frosting will not be able to mix together well and they will fall apart.
Make the cake crumbs as fine as you can to make it easier to roll the cake pops into shape.
To create a stand, pierce small holes in a styrofoam block or in an upside-down egg carton. Alternatively, you can also use a colander. Insert the end of the lollipop sticks to the carton once you have finished decorating the pops.
Flavor Variations & Add-Ins
You can use any flavor of cake of your choosing.
Some popular flavor options are vanilla, chocolate, red velvet, confetti, lemon, and strawberry.
Or, bake this Coconut Cake and make it into cake pops!
Choose the complementary candy melt flavor for your cake. Add gel food coloring to your candy melt for a colorful cake pop!
For decorations, you can use sprinkles, colored sugar, chocolate chips, fondant, icing, or chopped nuts. Make them as whimsical as you want!
How to Serve & Store
These cake pops can be served as a snack or dessert on their own. If you are serving them at a birthday party, you can arrange them creatively on a decorative platter or basket for display.
Cake pops can be stored at room temperature for up to a week. When storing cake pops in the fridge, place them in individual plastic wraps or in an airtight container arranged in flat layers and separated by paper towels. This will help them retain moisture and keep them from being soggy. Keep them in the fridge for up to three days or freeze them for up to 1 month.
Undipped cake pops can also be stored in a sealed container for up to three days or in the freezer for up to 1 month.
When ready to serve, simply thaw them until they are at room temperature. You can also thaw them overnight in the fridge.
Frequently Asked Questions
Once the cake pops are finished chilling in the fridge, then dip into the melted white chocolate sauce. Dip each cake pop into the candy melt. Be sure to cover the entire ball and gently swirl and tap off any excess chocolate.
Cake pops are made of classic cake that is crumbled with frosting and reshaped as small cake balls. They are usually dipped in melted chocolate and decorated to suit the occasion.
Yes! It is best to freeze them before dipping them into the melted chocolate. That way you will be able to preserve the smoothness and crunch of the candy melt. They can also be frozen after dipping, make sure to
Yes! If you do not have candy melts, you can use white chocolate chips or white chocolate bars instead. If the consistency of the chocolate becomes too thick, you can stir 1 tablespoon of coconut oil into the melted chocolate.
Equipment Needed
USA Pan 3 Piece Cookie Sheet Set: These cookie sheets are great for baking. In this recipe, use as the placeholder for the cake pops.
Pre-Cut Parchment Paper Sheets: Line the baking pan with parchment paper.
Pyrex 3 Glass Mixing Bowls: These bowls are easy to clean and great for mixing ingredients.
Pyrex Glass Measuring Cups: I love these measuring cups for baking.
You May Also Enjoy
- Donut Cake
- Hummingbird Cake
- Oreo Ice Cream Cake
- Sour Cream Bundt Cake
- Chocolate Bundt Cake with Ruby Chocolate Glaze
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Cake Pops
- Prep Time: 10
- Chill Time: 1 hour
- Total Time: 1 hour, 10 minutes
- Yield: 36 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Description
These homemade cake pops are such a fun little sweet treat! This 3 ingredient recipe is quick, easy and so flavorful. These cake pops are totally customizable. They are great for any occasion!
Ingredients
- 1 vanilla cake (9-inch by 13-inch size), baked and cooled
- 1 cup vanilla frosting
- 1 package (12 ounces) white candy melts or white chocolate chips
- Lollipop sticks
- Sprinkles, colored sugar, or other desired decorations (optional)
Instructions
- Crumble the cooled vanilla cake into a large mixing bowl using your hands or a fork, making sure there are no large chunks remaining.
- Add the vanilla frosting to the crumbled cake and mix until well combined. The mixture should be moist and able to hold its shape when rolled into balls.
- Take small portions of the cake mixture and roll them into smooth balls, about 1-2 inches in diameter. Place the cake balls on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Insert a lollipop stick into each cake ball, pushing it about halfway through. Place the baking sheet with the cake pops in the refrigerator for about 1 hour to firm up.
- While the cake pops are chilling, melt the white candy melts or white chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl according to the package instructions. Stir until smooth and fully melted.
- Remove the cake pops from the refrigerator. Dip each cake pop into the melted white chocolate, gently swirling and tapping off any excess chocolate. If desired, decorate the cake pops with sprinkles, colored sugar, or other decorations while the chocolate is still wet.
- Stick the cake pops upright into a foam block or a cake pop stand to allow the chocolate to set completely. If you don’t have either of those, you can place the cake pops back on the parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Repeat the dipping and decorating process with the remaining cake pops.
- Once the white chocolate coating has hardened, the vanilla cake pops are ready to be enjoyed. Serve them as a delightful treat at parties, and events, or as a fun dessert for any occasion.
Notes
- Any flavor of cake works well. Feel free to use chocolate, carrot, Funfetti, vanilla or marble cake.
- In addition, any type of frosting works well.
- If desired, use chocolate candy melts or chocolate chips.
- Use fully cooled cake for this recipe. Otherwise, the frosting will melt.
- This cake pop kit is perfect and so easy to use.
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I made a batch for my daughter’s birthday party and everyone loved them. They were a hit! The recipe is super simple, and they’re perfect for when you need a little something sweet to finish off the party
My kids and I really enjoyed making these cake pops. I love how it turned out so delicious! A perfect activity at home with the kids! Such a great recipe to try!
You’ve saved me so much money with this recipe! My daughter always wants a cake pop when we go to Starbucks for my coffee fix, but they’re expensive and sometimes a little stale. So glad to be able to make them fresh at home.
My niece requested these cake pops on her birthday and I gladly made them! And she also helped me do them! We had fun and her visitors loved them!
I’d never tried my hand at making my own cake pops before until this recipe. It’s really so easy and these were the perfect treat for a bunch of kids at a summer get together.
These were fantastic and easier to make than I thought they’d be. So much better than buying them premade and perfect for any party!