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Fun & Festive Cake Pops

5 reviews
Test Kitchen Approved
Total Time

Prep: 1 hour +chilling Bake: 35 min. + cooling

Makes

4 dozen

Updated: Dec. 22, 2023
When I'm looking for a snack when I go to my favorite coffee shop, their cake pops are usually what I grab first. The flavors change throughout the year, but they're always delicious. —Michelle Clair, Seattle, Washington
Fun & Festive Cake Pops
Fun & Festive Cake Pops Recipe photo by Taste of Home
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Ingredients

  • 1 package cake mix of your choice (regular size)
  • 1 cup prepared frosting of your choice
  • 48 lollipop sticks
  • 2-1/2 pounds dark chocolate, milk chocolate, white or pink candy coating, coarsely chopped
  • Optional toppings: Nonpareils, crushed peppermint candies, finely chopped cashews, unsweetened coconut, assorted sprinkles, finely chopped crystallized ginger, crushed gingersnap cookies, melted caramels and coarse sea salt

Directions

  1. Prepare and bake cake mix according to package directions, using a greased 13x9-in. baking pan. Cool completely on a wire rack.
  2. Crumble cake into a large bowl. Add frosting and mix well. Shape into 1-1/2-in. balls. Place on baking sheets; insert sticks. Freeze for at least 2 hours or refrigerate for at least 3 hours or until cake balls are firm.
  3. In a microwave, melt candy coating. Dip each cake ball in coating; allow excess to drip off. Roll, sprinkle or drizzle with toppings of your choice. Insert cake pops into a foam block to stand. Let stand until set.

Fun & Festive Cake Pops Tips

How do you decorate cake pops for beginners?

If you are new to making cake pops, keep cake pop decorating simple and organized from the get-go. Keep various sprinkles and toppings in their own dishes and have them ready to go before you begin. Rather than dealing with chocolates, which require complex processes such as tempering to retain proper "snap" and shine, use confectioners’ candy coatings or wafers, candy melts, or other coatings specifically designed for cake pops. Make sure that you allow the formed cake balls to chill for a bit in the refrigerator before dipping and decorating.

How do you make cake pops smooth?

When forming cake pops, tightly compact the scoop of cake crumbs and frosting in the palm of your hand and roll into a very compact, round ball. Once it has chilled, if you still find the cake ball a little bumpy, try gently rolling and compacting it again while cold. When dipping the cake ball, stir the coating well first to make sure there are no lumps. If the coating seems a little thick, stir in a bit of vegetable shortening and reheat gently, stirring until smooth again.

Can you leave cake pops in the fridge overnight before dipping?

Absolutely! Form the cake balls, place on a sheet pan or tray in a single layer, and cover well so they do not dry out. Remove the cake balls the next day and let them sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before dipping.

Research contributed by Mark Neufang, Taste of Home Culinary Assistant

Nutrition Facts

1 cake pop (calculated without toppings): 213 calories, 11g fat (7g saturated fat), 13mg cholesterol, 97mg sodium, 28g carbohydrate (23g sugars, 1g fiber), 1g protein.