Why You’ll Love This Recipe
I make these cake pops whenever I want a treat that looks like it came from a coffee shop but costs a fraction of the price. Making them from scratch means I control the flavor, and the cake stays soft and fudgy inside instead of dry and overly sweet. The process is simple: bake, crumble, mix, roll, dip. Kids love helping with the rolling and sprinkling, and you can make them days ahead, which takes the stress out of birthdays, baby showers, and holidays.
Ingredients
For the vanilla cake
- 190 g (1½ cups) all-purpose flour
- 1½ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- 115 g (½ cup) unsalted butter, softened
- 150 g (¾ cup) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 120 ml (½ cup) whole milk, at room temperature
For the frosting binder
- 115 g (½ cup) unsalted butter, softened
- 180 g (1½ cups) icing (powdered) sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 to 2 tbsp milk or cream
For decorating
- 340 g (12 oz) candy melts or good-quality white or milk chocolate, chopped
- 1 to 2 tsp coconut oil or vegetable oil, to thin the coating (if needed)
- Sprinkles, crushed nuts, or cookie crumbs
- 24 lollipop sticks
Directions
- Bake the cake. Heat the oven to 175°C (155°C fan / 350°F). Grease and line a 20 cm (8 in) square pan. Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a bowl.
- Make the batter. Beat the butter and sugar for 2 to 3 minutes until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then the vanilla. Add the dry ingredients in two batches, alternating with the milk, and mix until just combined.
- Bake and cool. Pour the batter into the pan and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely in the pan.
- Make the frosting. Beat the butter, icing sugar, and vanilla until smooth. Add the milk a little at a time until the frosting is thick and creamy.
- Crumble the cake. Break the cooled cake into a large bowl and crumble it into fine crumbs with your fingers, removing any dark edges if you like.
- Mix. Add about two-thirds of the frosting and mix until the crumbs hold together like dough. Add more frosting only if needed, since too much makes the pops greasy and heavy.
- Roll. Scoop about 1 tablespoon of the mixture at a time and roll it into smooth balls. Place them on a parchment-lined tray.
- Chill. Refrigerate the balls for 30 minutes, until firm but not rock-hard.
- Melt the coating. Melt the candy melts or chocolate in a deep microwave-safe cup in 30-second bursts, stirring in between. Add a little oil if the coating is too thick.
- Attach the sticks. Dip the tip of each stick about 1 cm into the melted coating, then insert it halfway into a cake ball. This acts as glue and keeps the pop from sliding off.
- Dip. Dip each cake pop straight down into the coating until fully covered, then lift it out and gently tap the stick on the side of the cup to let the excess drip off.
- Decorate and set. Add sprinkles right away, before the coating hardens. Stand the pops upright in a block of foam or a cake pop stand, and let them set for about 20 minutes.
Servings and Timing
- Yield: about 24 cake pops
- Prep time: 40 minutes
- Bake time: 25 to 30 minutes
- Cooling and chilling: about 1 hour 30 minutes
- Decorating and setting: 40 minutes
- Total time: about 3 hours 30 minutes
Variations
- Chocolate cake pops: Replace 30 g (¼ cup) of the flour with cocoa powder, and dip in dark or milk chocolate.
- Funfetti: Fold 3 tbsp rainbow sprinkles into the cake batter for a birthday-party version.
- Red velvet: Use your favorite red velvet cake and cream cheese frosting as the binder.
- Lemon: Add the zest of 1 lemon to the batter and use lemon juice in place of milk in the frosting.
- Shortcut version: Use a boxed cake mix and canned frosting when you’re short on time.
- Peanut butter: Mix 2 tbsp smooth peanut butter into the frosting and dip in milk chocolate.
Storage and Reheating
Store finished cake pops in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days, or at room temperature for up to 2 days if your kitchen is cool. For longer storage, freeze undipped cake balls for up to 3 months, then thaw them in the fridge and dip as usual. Fully decorated pops can also be frozen for up to a month, though the coating may sweat slightly as they thaw, so let them come to room temperature while still covered. No reheating is needed, as they’re best served cool or at room temperature.
FAQs
Why do my cake pops fall off the stick?
The cake balls are probably too soft or too heavy, or the stick wasn’t dipped in coating first. Chill the balls well and use less frosting.
Why is my coating cracking?
This happens when the cake balls are too cold when dipped. Let them sit at room temperature for a few minutes before dipping.
Why is my coating too thick?
Stir in a teaspoon of coconut or vegetable oil until it flows smoothly. Avoid adding water, which makes chocolate seize.
Can I use store-bought cake?
Yes. Plain pound cake or sponge cake works well, and you can skip the baking entirely.
How do I get a smooth finish?
Use a deep, narrow cup so you can dip in one motion, then let the excess drip off without swirling the pop.
Can I make them ahead?
Absolutely. The cake balls can be rolled and chilled up to 2 days ahead, or frozen, and dipped when you’re ready.
Conclusion
These homemade cake pops are one of my favorite ways to turn simple cake into something that feels special. They’re easy to make, fun to decorate, and endlessly adaptable, so you can match them to any holiday or color scheme. I hope they bring a little sweetness to your next celebration, tool
Print
Moist, bite-sized vanilla cake pops coated in smooth candy melts and finished with colorful sprinkles. Perfect for birthdays, parties, and gifting, and easier to make than they look.
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
- Yield: 36 cake pops
- Category: undefined
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 1 baked 9×13-inch vanilla cake (from a box mix or homemade), completely cooled
- 1/2 to 3/4 cup (120 to 180 g) vanilla or cream cheese frosting
- 24 oz (680 g) candy melts or white chocolate wafers
- 1 to 2 tbsp coconut oil or vegetable shortening, to thin the coating
- 36 lollipop sticks (6-inch)
- Sprinkles, for decorating
Instructions
- Crumble the cooled cake into fine crumbs in a large bowl, removing any hard, browned edges.
- Add 1/2 cup of frosting and mix with your hands until the mixture holds together like dough, adding more frosting a tablespoon at a time only if needed. Do not make it too wet.
- Roll the mixture into 1 1/2-inch (about 3 cm) balls and place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Chill the cake balls in the refrigerator for 30 minutes, or in the freezer for 15 minutes, until firm.
- Melt the candy melts in a deep, microwave-safe cup in 30-second bursts, stirring between each, until smooth. Stir in the coconut oil to thin if needed.
- Dip the tip of each lollipop stick about 1/2 inch into the melted coating, then insert it halfway into a cake ball. Repeat with all the balls.
- Chill the cake pops for 10 minutes so the sticks set firmly in place.
- Dip each cake pop straight down into the melted coating until fully covered, then lift out and gently tap the stick against the rim of the cup to let excess coating drip off.
- Add sprinkles immediately, before the coating sets.
- Stand the cake pops upright in a foam block or a cake pop stand and let them set completely, about 20 to 30 minutes.
Notes
- Make sure the cake balls are well chilled but not frozen solid, or the coating may crack as it sets.
- Keep the melted coating warm and fluid; reheat briefly if it thickens.
- Tint white candy melts with oil-based food coloring only, since water-based coloring makes the coating seize.
- Any cake flavor works: try chocolate cake with chocolate frosting, or red velvet with cream cheese frosting.
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
- Undipped cake balls can be frozen for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cake pop
- Calories: 185
- Sugar: 20 g
- Sodium: 110 mg
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated Fat: 5.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 25 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 1.5 g
- Cholesterol: 15 mg
