Description
Delightful and fun Cake Pops made from scratch using a boxed cake mix and ready-made frosting, coated in colorful melted candy wafers. Perfect for parties, celebrations, or a sweet treat, these bite-sized cake balls on sticks are easy to customize with your favorite flavors and colors.
Ingredients
Scale
Cake Base
- 1 box cake mix (any flavor, plus required ingredients per package directions such as eggs, oil, and water)
Frosting
- 1 (16 oz) can ready-made frosting
For Assembly and Coating
- Lollipop sticks (enough for the number of cake balls)
- Candy melting wafers (for coating, amount varies depending on number of cake pops)
- Food coloring (optional, for coloring candy coating)
Instructions
- Prepare the cake: Follow the instructions on your cake mix box, combining all necessary ingredients. Bake the cake using the recommended pan and baking time. Once baked, allow it to cool completely for 1-2 hours to ensure it’s ready for crumbling.
- Crumble the cake: Once the cake is fully cooled, crumble it into fine pieces directly into a large mixing bowl, breaking it down by hand or with a fork.
- Mix in frosting: Add half of the 16 oz container of frosting to the crumbled cake. Stir thoroughly until the mixture is uniform and sticky enough to hold shape. Refrigerate for about 20 minutes to firm up the mixture, making it easier to handle.
- Form cake balls: Using a spoon, scoop out portions of the mixture and roll them with your hands into evenly sized balls. Place the formed balls onto a wax paper-lined tray.
- Insert sticks: Melt a handful of candy or chocolate wafers according to package instructions. Dip the tip of each lollipop stick into the melted candy, then insert it halfway into each cake ball. This helps secure the stick as the candy coating cools. Chill the cake balls in the refrigerator or freezer for at least one hour to set.
- Coat the cake pops: Melt the remaining candy wafers in a deep bowl. You can add food coloring if desired. Dip each cake ball into the melted coating, swirling to fully cover it. Use a spoon to drizzle extra coating on the bottom, ensuring the stick and cake ball are fully encased. Allow excess coating to drip off by gently turning the pop while holding it over the bowl.
- Let coating set: Place the coated cake pops upright to dry and harden. Use a foam block or a makeshift holder such as an oatmeal box with holes punched to keep the sticks upright during drying.
Notes
- Make sure the cake is completely cooled before crumbling to avoid a gooey mixture.
- Refrigerating the cake and frosting mixture helps it firm up and is easier to work with when shaping balls.
- If candy coating is too thick, you can add a small amount of vegetable oil to thin it out for easier dipping.
- Use a styrofoam block or similar item to keep cake pops upright while the coating sets.
- Customize by adding sprinkles, edible glitter, or drizzles of contrasting candy after coating while still wet.
