Homemade Cake Pops
Ultra moist, delicious and EASY, this is the best homemade cake pop recipe you’ll find on the internet. With over 7.1 MILLION Instagram views and 12.6 MILLION on TikTok this is my most popular recipe of 2023.
This is the easiest Cake Pops Recipe
People make cake pops out to be a lot harder than they need to be. Cake pops don’t need to be difficult to be extremely delicious, moist, and in my opinion, better than the kind that can be purchased at a popular coffee shop. My cake pops recipe takes all of the difficulty out of this trendy treat by omitting the frosting (yep, you read that right!). Instead of relying on the sticky frosting to meld these together, you simply throw AN ENTIRE CAKE into your mixing bowl straight out of the oven. Mix it with your paddle attachment and be amazed as the heat from the cake binds it together into the *perfect* cake pop batter. It’s so easy it’s almost criminal.
Why you’ll love this Easy Cake Pop Recipe
Instead of slaving in the kitchen and coating your hands with a gloopy frosting + cake mix, my ultra easy cake pops recipe allows you to instantly create an incredibly delicious cake pop batter in a matter of seconds AND keep your hands clean. You’ll love how versatile they are, with the ability to switch up your flavors by simply using a different cake mix or alternate flavor of candy melts. Join the millions of people who are making cake pops my easy way and let me know what you think!
Cake Pop Ingredients
- Chocolate cake mix + ingredients on the back – This recipe will work with any cake mix!
- Chocolate candy melts – Choose whatever type of chocolate you’d like. For this chocolate cake pop I used milk chocolate candy melts.
- Lollipop sticks
- Sprinkles, optional
How to make Cake Pops
- Prepare and bake the cake mix according to the boxed directions.
- Immediately after taking the cake out of the oven, pour the hot cake into the bowl of a stand mixer. Be careful not to over bake your cake here! If you have a dry cake, it won’t mix into a Doug like it should.
- Using the paddle attachment, mix on low speed until a dough forms that can be pressed together into a ball.
- Portion out the dough and press into a ball in the palm of your hands or with a cake pop press.
- Place the cake balls on a cookie sheet and then into the freezer to chill.
- While the cake balls are chilling, melt the chocolate.
- Once the chocolate is melted, remove the cake balls from the freezer.
- Dip each lollipop stick into the chocolate and then press the stick into the center of each cake ball. This will help avoid the cake pop falling off of the stick.
- Return to the fridge or freezer to help speed up the process of the stick and chocolate setting.
- Once the stick and chocolate are set, pour the melted chocolate into a tall, skinny jar or glass.
- Dip the cake pops one by one in the chocolate and gently shake the cake pop to remove any excess melted chocolate. Tip right side up and add sprinkles, if desired.
- Allow the chocolate to set while the cake pop is right side up, you can poke holes into a cardboard box to help them stand up straight to dry, if desired.
- Serve as is or package up individually in bags with ribbon if desired.
- Enjoy! Store at room temp for up to 3 days.
How much frosting is needed for Cake Pops?
This recipe actually doesn’t call for any frosting! This means your cake pops won’t be sickly sweet and are insanely easy! The steam from the hot cake will magically help bind everything together.
Tips for making Easy Cake Pops
How to melt chocolate for Cake Pops
Simply follow the instructions on the candy melt package! I usually just throw them in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave in increments of 30 seconds, stirring in between until completely melted.
How to dip Cake Pops
By cementing the sucker stick into your cake pop, the dipping process becomes so much easier! Simply dip your cake pop into the melted chocolate, swirl to coat and then shake any excess off. Easy-peasy!
Cake Pops Recipe Variations
Cake Pop Flavors
The best part about this recipe is how versatile it is. You can easily switch up your flavors by choosing a different cake mix and chocolate combo. Some of my favorites are red velvet cake + white chocolate, chocolate chocolate, white cake and chocolate frosting – the list goes on and on!
How to make Cake Pops without frosting
This is the EASIEST cake pop recipe you will find on the internet. The trick is to bake the cake until just done and then toss the entire hot cake into a mixer. Seriously. The steam from the hot cake magically works to bind everything together without the added mess (and sticky sweetness) of frosting.
Cake Pop Decorating Ideas
I like to top my cake pops with festive sprinkles, but you can definitely be as creative as you’d like. I love the look of drizzling a different type of chocolate on top of the cake pops to give it a professional finish.
How to display Cake Pops
I love using this cake pop display stand while I am dipping them because it makes my life so much easier. And once your cake pops are set, you can use it as a display stand! You can also wrap each individual cake pop in cellophane and tie it with a ribbon to take it to the next level.
How to store Cake Pops
Once your cake pops are set, you can store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Can you freeze Cake Pops?
Yes, you can! Once your cake pops are set, place in a freezer bag and store for up to 3 months. Careful where you put them in your freezer though, to avoid being squished.
Do Cake Pops need to be refrigerated?
Because these cake pops don’t contain frosting, they do not need to be refrigerated!
How long do Cake Pops last?
Your cake pops will stay fresh, moist, and delicious for up to 3 days.
Other sweet favorites to try
Easy Cake Pops
Ingredients
- 1 chocolate cake mix + ingredients on the back
- 12 oz chocolate candy melts
- 24 lollipop sticks
- sprinkles, optional
Instructions
- Prepare and bake the cake mix according to the boxed directions.1 chocolate cake mix + ingredients on the back
- Immediately after taking the cake out of the oven, pour the hot cake into the bowl of a stand mixer.
- Using the paddle attachment, mix on low speed until a dough forms that can be pressed together into a ball.
- Portion out the dough and press into a ball in the palm of your hands or with a cake pop press.
- Place the cake balls on a cookie sheet and then into the freezer to chill while melting the chocolate.12 oz chocolate candy melts
- Once the chocolate is melted, remove the cake balls from the freezer.
- Dip each lollipop stick into the chocolate and then press the stick into the center of each cake ball. This will help avoid the cake pop falling off of the stick.24 lollipop sticks
- Return to the fridge or freezer to help speed up the process of the stick and chocolate setting.
- Once the chocolate is set, pour the melted chocolate into a tall, skinny jar or glass.
- Dip the cake pops one by one in the chocolate and gently shake the cake pop to remove any excess melted chocolate. Tip right side up and add sprinkles, if desired.sprinkles, optional
- Allow the chocolate to set while the cake pop is right side up, you can poke holes into a cardboard box to help them stand up straight to dry, if desired.
- Serve as is or package up individually in bags with ribbon if desired.
- Enjoy! Store at room temp for up to 3 days.
Thank you for making this a do at home recipe. your cookies look amazing. My cake pops did not stay together, so they looked pretty bad, but I will try again.
I hate making cake pops. I tryed your recipe and it was fantastic. So easy no mess and the dough rolled into balls beautifully and smoothly. Thank you 😁
Do you possibly have a red velvet and/or chocolate peanut butter cake pop recipe? 💕
I do not, but you can use this recipe and sub a red velvet cake mix with a white chocolate candy melt or a chocolate cake mix with a peanut butter candy melt and follow the same process!
very quick and delicious
Am I double dipping these in the chocolate melt? Your recipe is not clear. But I love how easy it is. Hoping to make for my daughter’s birthday tomorrow. Thank you.
Hi! You will dip the stick in a small amount of chocolate before inserting into the cake pop and then after that has set/hardened you will dip the entire cake pop only once!
Can you use chocolate chips instead of chocolate candy melts?
No, the chocolate chips will not set up as well as the candy melts.
These are the best cake pops ever. I make them for my grandsons and it saves me a small fortune not having to buy them elsewhere. Thank you Karli for sharing your recipe. Mine do not come out perfectly round like yours and I do have your cake pop baller too, but looks aren’t everything. They are delish though.
amazing and it is very yummy
this recipe was so good and easy!
Have you ever tried this method for cakecicles? I’d much rather omit the frosting in those too!
Yes, I would just use a cakesicle mold instead! I have info on how to do that in my Halloween Cake Pops recipe: https://cookiesfordays.com/halloween-cake-pops/