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Cake pops are exactly what they sound like – a cross between a cake and a lollipop! These pink treats are perfect for birthday parties. Though made popular by the chain of coffee shops, these Starbucks Cake Pops can easily be recreated at home.
What could be more delightful than bite-sized cake on a stick? Cake pops come in many delicious variations and can be enjoyed with a cup of coffee for an afternoon treat.
With a few tips and tricks, you’ll learn to make perfect vanilla cake pops every single time.
Table of Contents
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Vanilla Cake Mix: Plus other ingredients called for on the box including water/oil/eggs.
- Unsalted butter: Make sure to bring it to room temperature.
- Confectioners’ Sugar
- Heavy Cream: Or half and half. You can also use milk.
- Vanilla Extract
- Pink Candy Melts: I use the Wilton brand, you can also use white chocolate with red food coloring.
- Vegetable Oil
- White Sprinkles
How to Make Starbucks Cake Pops
Step 1: Make the Cake
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare the cake batter according to the instructions on the package. Then pour it to the cake pan.
- Bake according to the instructions. Then let the cake cool to room temperature on a wire rack.
Step 2: Make the Frosting
- Beat the softened butter until creamy.
- Add confectioners’ sugar, heavy cream, and vanilla extract. Increase the speed to high and beat for 3 more minutes.
Step 3: Make Cake Balls
- Cut the brown edges off the cake, and crumble the cake using your hands.
- Add the frosting to the crumbled cake. Mix until everything’s combined.
- Scoop out a full scoop of cake mixture. Squeeze the mixture and roll it into a ball.
- Then place it onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Repeat until all the cake mixture has been formed into balls.
- Melt a few candy melts in the microwave.
- Dip the tip of the cake pop sticks into the melted candy melts. Then insert each stick into a ball about halfway. Freeze for about 30 minutes.
Step 4: Coat the Cake Balls
- Melt the rest of the candy melts. Once melted, add vegetable oil. Mix well and pour it into a deep glass.
- Dip the cake ball into the coating until it’s completely covered.
- Decorate the ball with white sprinkles and place upright into a box. Repeat with the remaining cake balls. Allow the coating to set for about 1 hour.
Secrets for Rolling the Perfect Round Cake Balls
It’s much easier to roll the dough into perfectly round balls if it’s cold. Go ahead and roll the balls right after making your dough. They might not be perfectly round, but you can fix that later. Freeze the cake calls for about 30 minutes, then roll the balls into smooth, even spheres. You’ll find it’s so much easier after chilling the dough.
Tips for the Best Starbucks Cake Pops
- Cut off the crispy edges of the cake: While some say the edges are the best part of the cake, they can make your cake pops easily fall apart! Cut off the crispy edges and use the rest for the best cake pops.
- Add confectioner’s sugar gradually so that it can get mixed properly with the whipped butter.
- Add frosting GRADUALLY until you reach the perfect consistency: If you add too much at once, the cake balls can be too moist to hold the shape.
- Add oil to melted candy melt: For an extra smooth finish, add some vegetable oil to your melted candy. The oil makes it the perfect consistency for dipping.
- Use tall glasses for easy dipping: A simple hack is to use a tall glass for easy dipping. Pour your melted candy into the glass and slowly lower the pop.
- Use a Styrofoam or cardboard box to hold the cake pops: Styrofoam is the perfect thing for holding your cake pops. Simply stick the pops into the Styrofoam for a neat and easy way to display your creations.
Variations
- Chocolate Cake Pops: Here’s one for the chocolate lovers. Dip your pops in melted chocolate. For a double dose of cocoa, use chocolate cake mix instead of vanilla.
- Christmas Cake Pops: Use melted white chocolate and your favorite Christmas colors for festive pops! Add Christmas-colored sprinkles to complete the look.
- Halloween Cake Pops: How about a jack-o-lantern cake pop for your Halloween party? Use orange food coloring with melted white chocolate to create a dip. Next, use a black food writer to decorate by drawing the eyes, nose, and mouth.
- Unicorn Cake Pops: These pretty pops are great for a themed party. Dip the pops into the white food coloring and decorate with pretty pastel sprinkling and use a food writer to draw in the eyes. Shape fondant into a horn for the finishing touch.
- Oreo Cake Pops: This recipe is super easy and so delicious. Simply combine cream cheese with crushed Oreo cookies to create your dough. Coat with melted chocolate.
How Much Does a Starbucks Cake Pop Cost?
At Starbucks, you can purchase one cake pop for $1.95, but you get better value for money by getting a pair for $3.50.
If You Like This Recipe Try These Out
I hope you like this recipe. If you try it, please comment below and let me know how your Starbucks Cake Pops turn out!
Easy Starbucks Cake Pop Copycat Recipe
Cake pops are exactly what they sound like – a cross between a cake and a lollipop! These pink treats are perfect for birthday parties. Though made popular by the chain of coffee shops, these Starbucks Cake Pops can easily be recreated at home.
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Servings: 30 cake pops
Calories: 166kcal
Ingredients
Vanilla Cake
- 1 box vanilla cake mix
- other ingredients called for on the box including water/oil/eggs
Frosting
- 7 tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 ¾ cups confectioners’ sugar
- 2-3 teaspoons heavy cream or milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Coating
- 36 ounces pink candy melts (I use Wilton brand, you can also use white chocolate with red food coloring)
- 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
- white sprinkles
Instructions
Make the Cake
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a cake pan or baking dish.
- Prepare the cake batter according to the instructions on the package. Then pour it to the cake pan.
- Bake according to the instructions (30-35 minutes) or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. (If the top browns too fast, you can cover the pan with aluminum foil.)
- Let the cake cool to room temperature on a wire rack.
Make the Frosting
- Add softened butter into a large bowl, and beat the butter with a handheld mixer on medium speed until creamy (about 2 minutes).
- While the mixer is running, add 1/2 cup of confectioner's sugar. Mix until combined. Add heavy cream, vanila, cand the rest of confectioners’ sugar, a little a time.
- Increase the speed to high and beat for 3 more minutes.
Make Cake Balls
- Cut the brown edges off the cake, and add the cake into a large bowl. Crumble the cake using your hands. Make sure there are no large lumps. (Don’t make it too crumbly or it won’t hold together.)
- Add the frosting into the cake. Mix until everything’s combined. (Start with 1/2 of the frosting, gradually add more until you reach the perfect consistency.)
- Use an ice cream scoop and scoop out a full scoop of cake mixture (about 1 and a half tablespoons). Squeeze the mixture and roll it into a ball. Then place it onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Repeat until all the cake mixture has been formed into balls.
- In a small microwave safe bowl, melt a few candy melts (2 – 4 ounces). Begin by heating for 30 seconds and then stirring. Repeat until all candy melts are melted.
- Dip the tip of the cake pop sticks into the melted candy melts. Then insert each stick into a call ball about half-way.
- Freeze for about 30 minutes.
Coat the Cake Balls
- Right before they are ready to be taken out of the freezer, melt the rest of the candy melts.
- Once melted, add vegetable oil. Mix well and pour it into a deep glass.
- Dip the cake ball into the coating until it’s completely covered. Gently tap the stick against the edge of the glass to allow excess coating to drop off.
- Decorate the top of the ball with white sprinkles and place upright into a box. Repeat with the remaining cake balls.
- Allow the coating to set for about 1 hour. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- You can store cake pops in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
- Make sure to cut off the crispy edges of the cake to prevent the cake pops from falling apart.
- Add frosting GRADUALLY until you reach the perfect consistency: If you add too much at once, the cake balls can be too moist to hold the shape.
- Use a Styrofoam or cardboard box to hold the cake pops while you wait for the coating to set.
Nutrition
Calories: 166kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 7mg | Sodium: 135mg | Potassium: 12mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 87IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 39mg | Iron: 1mg
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