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Perfect Cake Pops Recipe

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These perfect cake pops are a delightful treat made with moist vanilla cake crumbs mixed with creamy frosting, shaped into smooth balls, dipped in melted chocolate, and decorated with colorful sprinkles. Ideal for parties, celebrations, or a fun dessert, this recipe walks you through making cake pops from scratch with either a boxed cake mix or your favorite homemade cake.

Ingredients

Cake

  • 1 box vanilla or white cake mix that makes one 8 inch/20cm cake OR your favorite vanilla/white cake recipe plus ingredients required to make the boxed cake (usually butter or oil, eggs and milk)
  • ¼ cup (52g) unflavoured vegetable oil (use only if using boxed cake mix)

Frosting

  • ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 cup (120 g) icing sugar (also known as confectioners/powdered sugar)
  • 1 tsp vanilla essence/extract
  • 1 tsp milk

Additional Ingredients/Supplies

  • 3½ cups chocolate/candy melts (dark, milk or white chocolate, or a combination)
  • 40 cake pop sticks
  • 1 pack sprinkles or any other decoration of your choice

Instructions

  1. Prepare the Cake: Follow the instructions on the boxed cake mix packet to prepare the batter, adding the additional ¼ cup vegetable oil before mixing all ingredients. Bake as directed and allow to cool for 15 minutes.
  2. Cool and Crumble Cake: Run a thin knife around the edge of the cake tin to loosen the cake, then turn it out into a large bowl. Once cooled enough to touch, crumble the cake finely by hand until it resembles fine crumbs. Let the crumbs cool completely.
  3. Make the Frosting: In a medium bowl, combine room temperature unsalted butter, icing sugar, vanilla essence, and milk. Using a hand or stand mixer (with paddle attachment), beat on medium speed for 4 minutes until the frosting is light and fluffy.
  4. Mix Cake and Frosting: Add three-quarters of the frosting to the crumbled cake and mix gently using a mixer until just combined. Assess the mixture's moisture; if needed, add the remaining frosting and mix. The goal is a moist but firm mixture that can be rolled without being mushy.
  5. Roll Cake Balls: Using tablespoons, roll the mixture into round balls and place them on a lined tray. Freeze for 10 minutes or refrigerate for 30 minutes, then roll again to smooth and round the balls further.
  6. Chill Cake Balls: Return the rolled cake balls to the freezer for 30 minutes or the fridge for 1 hour and 30 minutes to firm up before dipping.
  7. Melt Chocolate: Place half of the chocolate melts in a microwave-safe mug and melt in 20-second bursts, stirring between each until smooth. Alternatively, melt over a double boiler. Only melt additional chocolate as needed to keep it tempered and thin.
  8. Insert Sticks: Dip the tip of each cake pop stick into melted chocolate, then insert it halfway into each cake ball. This helps secure the stick inside the ball.
  9. Dip Cake Pops: Holding the stick, dip each cake ball into the melted chocolate completely. Tap the stick edge on the rim to remove excess chocolate, twirl to coat evenly, and quickly decorate with sprinkles before the chocolate sets.
  10. Set Cake Pops: Place dipped cake pops upright in a cup filled with rice, a cardboard box with holes, or Styrofoam to allow chocolate to harden completely.
  11. Repeat and Monitor: Repeat dipping and decorating with remaining cake pops. Reheat chocolate if it thickens and chill cake balls again if they soften too much during handling to maintain firmness.
  12. Serve: Allow cake pops to fully set before serving. Enjoy your deliciously fun treats!

Notes

  • Note 1: The frosting recipe is made to complement the cake crumbs, creating the ideal consistency for rolling cake pops.
  • Note 2: Chocolate melts can be any flavor you prefer—dark, milk, white, or a combination for visual contrast.
  • If the cake mixture feels too dry, add more frosting gradually as needed, but avoid making it too soft or mushy for easier rolling.
  • Use chilled cake balls for dipping to ensure they do not fall apart or soften when coated in warm melted chocolate.
  • Sprinkles or decorations should be applied immediately after dipping, before the chocolate sets.
  • Reheat the chocolate gently as needed to keep it fluid for smooth dipping.
  • Storage: Keep cake pops refrigerated if not serving immediately and consume within 3-4 days for optimal freshness.

Find it online: https://glowcooks.com/perfect-cake-pops-recipe/