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Move over Starbucks, we’re making homemade cake pops, and with this recipe, they’ve never been better or easier! This copycat Starbucks cake pop recipe will make your friends, family, and kids do a double-take.
This Cake Pops Recipe makes for the perfect bite sized treats!
You might be intimidated by the thought of trying to make a perfect little dessert on a stick, but making the perfect cake pop is actually way easier than you may think! When you follow my easy recipe below, you’ll have moist, tasty and perfectly decorated treats on a stick that rival Starbucks.
This recipe uses boxed cake mix and a store-bought can of frosting for incredibly easy and tasty DIY cake pops. Keep reading because below I’m sharing all my best tips and tricks for setting after dipping, so you can be a cake pop pro the first time you try!
Why you’ll love this Recipe for Cake Pops
These DIY vanilla cake pops pack some serious wow factor. Here are a few of the reasons you’ll love this recipe:
- Bite-sized dessert perfect for birthday parties, a baby shower, or any special occasion
- Copycat of Starbucks birthday cake pops
- Moist and sweet, but not too sweet
- Incredibly easy to make with simple ingredients
- Easily customizable with different cake mix, frosting or sprinkles
DIY Cake Pops Ingredients
These may look fancy, but they actually use super simple ingredients. Get the full recipe with measurements and instructions in the recipe card below. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Box cake mix: I used white cake mix.
- Ingredients listed on the back of the cake mix box: These are usually eggs, oil, and water.
- Frosting: homemade or store-bought
- Candy melts: any color
- Lollipop sticks
- Sprinkles
How to Make Homemade Cake Pops
You can make the best cake pops at home that will seriously impress a crowd, and there are just 7 easy-to-follow steps:
- Prep oven and pan. Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Spray a 9×13 inch pan with nonstick spray. Set aside.
- Make cake. In a large bowl, whisk together cake mix, water, oil, and eggs until combined as the back of the box instructs. Pour the prepared batter into the pan and bake according to the recommended time on the box.
- Mix cake and frosting. Immediately when the cake comes out of the oven, carefully transfer the cake to a large mixing bowl. Add ½ cup frosting and beat with an electric mixer on low speed until the cake and frosting form a dough like texture.
- Form balls and chill. Use a tablespoon sized scoop to form and roll the dough into balls. It’s okay if the balls aren’t perfectly round right now, we’ll roll again after freezing. Place the cake balls on a lined baking sheet and refrigerate for 2 hours. The balls stay on the sticks better and are easier to dip when cold. I do NOT recommend freezing the cake balls, the chocolate coating will crack once dipped as the temperature changes.
- Refine balls. Re-roll the balls as needed after they’ve chilled. Keep them in the fridge and melt the candy melts.
- Make chocolate coating. Heat the candy melts in a 2-cup liquid measuring cup (ideal for easy dunking!) in the microwave at 20-second intervals. Stir after each interval until the mixture is melted and smooth.
- Dip and decorate. Working in batches of 2 or 3, dip the lollipop stick about ½ inch into the candy melts, then insert it into the center of the cake ball, making sure it only goes about halfway. Dip the cake ball into the coating until it is fully covered, making certain the coating extends over the base of the cake ball where it meets the lollipop stick. Gently tap the stick against the edge of the measuring cup to allow any excess coating to drip off. Add sprinkles if desired and place them upright in styrofoam or a box to set. Repeat the process with the remaining cake balls, working with only a few at a time and ensuring the cake balls remain very cold during the dipping process.
How to Make DIY Cake Pops Ahead of Time
If you want to make these ahead of time, you can make the balls and refrigerate, and just hold off on the dipping. You can keep them refrigerated for 2-3 days, and then when you’re ready, finish them with the candy coating and sprinkles.
The Best Cake Pop Recipe Tips
For best results, follow these tips:
- Mix the cake and frosting well: Make sure you mix the cake and frosting mixture until it forms a dough. You don’t want dry cake crumbs not mixed well with frosting.
- Make perfectly round cake balls: The best way to make your cake balls perfectly round is to the roll them, then chill them, and then roll them again.
- Use candy melts: The candy melts provide the best consistency to coat these without letting melted chocolate drip down the cake pop stick.
- To set cake pops after dipping, you can use various items to hold them upright. Here are some common options:
- Cardboard Box with Holes: Take a cardboard box and poke holes into it using a pencil or other sharp object. The holes should be spaced evenly to accommodate the cake pop sticks.
- Upside-Down Colander: Flip an upside-down colander and insert the cake pop sticks into the holes. The holes in the colander allow them to stand securely.
- Empty Egg Carton: An empty egg carton can be repurposed to hold these. Simply place the cake pop sticks into the individual egg compartments.
How to Store Homemade Cake Pops
Store leftovers in an airtight container or at room temperature; either works!
How long do Cake Pops last?
These will will last 5-7 days at room temp or about 2 weeks if refrigerated.
Can you freeze Cake Pops?
Yes, this recipe freezes well once they are dipped and fully set. Place in an airtight container or freezer-safe bag and freeze for up to 2 months. When you’re ready to serve them, thaw at room temp for at least 30 minutes.
Cake Pops DIY FAQs
Not using enough frosting can make cake pops fall apart, as it binds the crumbled cake together. If you skip chilling the cake balls before dipping, that can also cause them to fall apart. Finally, be sure to dip the stick in the candy melts before sticking it in the cake pop.
You can make cake pops ahead of time, but with this recipe it is not necessary.
We use 1/2 cup frosting in this recipe. You can use store-bought or homemade frosting.
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Cake Pops (DIY)
Ingredients
- 15.25 oz box cake mix, I used white cake mix
- Ingredients listed on the back of the cake mix box, usually eggs, oil, and water
- ½ cup frosting, homemade or store bought, I used canned white frosting
- 12 oz candy melts, any color
- Lollipop sticks
- Sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Spray a 9×13 inch pan with nonstick spray. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together cake mix, water, oil, and eggs until combined as the back of the box instructs. Pour the prepared batter into the pan and bake according to the recommended time on the box.
- Immediately when the cake comes out of the oven, carefully transfer the cake to a large mixing bowl. Add ½ cup frosting and beat with an electric mixer on low speed until the cake and frosting form a dough like texture.
- Use a tablespoon sized scoop to form and roll the dough into balls. It’s okay if the balls aren’t perfectly round right now, we’ll roll again after freezing. Place the cake balls on a lined baking sheet and refrigerate for 2 hours. The balls stay on the sticks better and are easier to dip when cold. I do NOT recommend freezing the cake balls, the chocolate coating will crack once dipped as the temperature changes.
- Re-roll the balls as needed after they’ve chilled. Keep them in the fridge and melt the candy melts.
- Heat the candy melts in a 2-cup liquid measuring cup (ideal for easy dunking!) in the microwave at 20-second intervals. Stir after each interval until the mixture is melted and smooth.
- Working in batches of 2 or 3, dip the lollipop stick about ½ inch into the candy melts, then insert it into the center of the cake ball, making sure it only goes about halfway. Dip the cake ball into the coating until it is fully covered, making certain the coating extends over the base of the cake ball where it meets the lollipop stick. Gently tap the stick against the edge of the measuring cup to allow any excess coating to drip off. Add sprinkles if desired and place the cake pops upright in styrofoam or a box to set. Repeat the process with the remaining cake balls, working with only a few at a time and ensuring the cake balls remain very cold during the dipping process.
Notes
- Cardboard Box with Holes:
- Take a cardboard box and poke holes into it using a pencil or other sharp object. The holes should be spaced evenly to accommodate the cake pop sticks.
- Upside-Down Colander:
- Flip an upside-down colander and insert the cake pop sticks into the holes. The holes in the colander allow the cake pops to stand securely.
- Empty Egg Carton:
- An empty egg carton can be repurposed to hold cake pops. Simply place the cake pop sticks into the individual egg compartments.
