Learn how to make homemade cake pops completely from scratch, with no box cake mix or canned frosting. Combine homemade vanilla cake and vanilla buttercream and dip in white chocolate for a sweet treat kids (and adults, too!) always go crazy for. Watch the video tutorial for all my best shaping tips.
See my chocolate cake pops recipe, too.
I originally published this recipe in 2015 and have since added new photos and a video.
Have you ever seen a child peering into the food display case at Starbucks? I’m not an expert, but I’m willing to bet that 9 times out of 10, the child will ask for a cake pop. This is definitely the case with my own kids, anyway! There’s just something so irresistible about those Starbucks cake pops—a perfectly portioned treat on a stick in eye-catching colors and shapes, topped with sprinkles. It’s hard to say no to something this tempting!
I first began making homemade cake pops when I wrote Sally’s Candy Addiction. In fact, this recipe is published in that book. I wanted to share it on my website as well because I’ve received lots of questions about making from-scratch cake pops.
One reader, Debby, commented: “Made 160 vanilla and chocolate cake pops for my daughter’s graduation party! They turned out great! Many asked where we had purchased them. They looked amazing and tasted awesome, too! Thanks, Sally, for your rolling advice, tips, and techniques. It was nice that you could prepare them ahead of time and freeze them. ★★★★★”
One reader, Luisa, commented: “My first time making cake pops and they were perfect! My kids and their friends loved them. This recipe is going to be a staple in our house for special occasions. ★★★★★”
Taste the Homemade
The difference between these cake pops and others you may have tried is that these are 100% homemade. There’s no box cake mix or canned frosting, which results in a totally unique cake pop experience. You can actually TASTE the homemade.
Today I’ll go over all my tips, tricks, and secrets to crafting the perfect pop as well as the homemade vanilla cake and vanilla buttercream used inside. There’s lots of ground to cover so let’s pop right to it. (Couldn’t help myself!)
How to Make Homemade Cake Pops
Since we’re leaving the box cake mix and canned frosting on the store shelves, we’ll need to take extra time to prep both from scratch. Here’s an overview of the process:
- Make a 1-layer vanilla cake and let cool.
- Make vanilla buttercream frosting.
- Crumble cake into frosting and mix.
- Roll the mixture into balls.
- Dip in melted chocolate.
- Top with sprinkles and let dry.
- EAT!
Make-Ahead Tip: You can make the cake in advance, because it needs to cool completely before you crumble it into the frosting. I always make the cake the night before, then finish the cake pops the next day.
My recipe for vanilla cake is very straightforward. It’s basically a scaled-down version of my favorite vanilla layer cake. I encourage you to use the correct size pan for the cake. This cake is too large for a typical 9-inch cake pan. You’ll need to use a 9-inch springform pan because it rises quite high. Or you can use an 11×7-inch pan instead. A 10-inch springform pan would work as well.
Besides lollipop sticks, a mixer, and the correct size pan, you don’t really need much else to get started!
Then make the vanilla frosting. The difference between this and frosting out of a container is the TASTE; you can tell these cake pops are special and it’s because you started with from-scratch components. This frosting recipe yields *just enough* to barely moisten the cake crumbs. Any more than that and the cake pops would be greasy.
Now it’s time to crumble the cake and mix with your frosting.
(Crumbling the cake into the frosting sounds super weird when you think about it and that’s exactly what cake pops are—super weird when you think about it. It’s cake and frosting mixed together to form a truffle-like ball. Pop a stick in it and dunk into coating. Yep, it’s weirdly delicious and awesome and you need to embrace it.)
Once the two are mixed together, it’s time to roll the mixture into balls.
3 Success Tips for Shaping & Dipping Cake Pops
Success Tip #1: It’s easier to roll the cake + frosting mixture into perfectly round balls if it’s cold. So what I do is roll the balls right after the two are mixed together. They’re pretty misshapen because the cake + frosting mixture is super moist—and at room temperature. Chill the balls in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours. After that, give them another quick roll to smooth out the sides. When they’re cold, they’re easier to smooth out and form perfectly round shapes.
Now let’s dunk! You can dip the cake balls in melted white chocolate, which is what I prefer for the best taste, but that stuff is pretty expensive. And you need a good amount for all 40 cake pops! If desired, you can use candy melts/candy coating instead.
- A 2-cup glass liquid measuring cup is the perfect depth for dipping the cake pops.
- You can used colored candy melts or tint the white chocolate with gel food coloring.
Success Tip #2: To ensure the cake ball stays secure on the lollipop stick, dip one end of the stick into the coating first (just about 1/2 inch down). Then insert the coated end into the center of the cake ball. This helps the cake ball adhere to the lollipop stick.
Success Tip #3: The best way to allow the coating to dry and set—without ruining the perfectly round cake pop—is to place them right-side-up in a large styrofoam block or even a box. I used a box, as pictured below, for this batch. I just poked little holes into it.
Easy and cheap:
If you’re topping with sprinkles (always recommended!), add them now before the chocolate sets. I used rainbow sprinkles on the white chocolate and white sprinkles on the light pink-tinted white chocolate (like Starbucks!).
Cake pops dry/set within an hour or so.
Cake Pop FAQs
Cake pops are an ideal celebration-worthy treat to make ahead of time because they freeze beautifully. I simply freeze them in a large zip-top freezer bag or freezer-safe container after they’ve fully dried. They can stay in the freezer for up to 6 weeks, then thaw them overnight in the fridge.
Tinting the coating brings a fun POP of color! I usually stick to just white + one other color. Again, you can use colored candy melts for the coating or you can tint the white chocolate with gel food coloring. Then of course you can mix up what sprinkles you use!
Check out my recipe for chocolate cake pops here. You can also switch up dunking in white or dark chocolate.
If your cake pops have some cracks on them, the melted chocolate could have been too hot. Let the melted chocolate or candy coating sit for 5 minutes to slightly cool down before dunking the cold cake balls into it. That usually helps!
Homemade Cake Pops
- Prep Time: 2 hours
- Cook Time: 36 minutes
- Total Time: 7 hours
- Yield: 40 pops
- Category: Cake Pops
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
Homemade vanilla cake pops with vanilla buttercream from scratch—no cake mix or canned frosting! Follow my thorough instructions, tips, and video tutorial for best results.
Ingredients
- 1 and 2/3 cups (209g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup (8 Tbsp; 113g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup (240ml) whole milk (or buttermilk)
Frosting
- 7 Tablespoons (99g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 and 3/4 cups (210g) confectioners’ sugar
- 2–3 teaspoons heavy cream or whole milk
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Coating
- 24 ounces (678g) candy melts (or white chocolate bars)*
- sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease a 9-inch springform pan.
- Make the cake: Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a medium bowl. Set aside. Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment, beat the butter and sugar together in a large bowl until creamed, about 3 minutes. (Here’s a helpful tutorial if you need guidance on how to cream butter and sugar.) Add the egg and vanilla extract and beat on high speed until combined. Scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl as needed.
- Add the dry ingredients and milk to the bowl with the wet ingredients and mix on low speed until combined. Give the thick batter a quick stir with a spatula to ensure there are no large lumps at the bottom of the bowl. Pour and spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan. Bake for 30–36 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. If the top begins browning too quickly in the oven, loosely tent with a piece of aluminum foil.
- Allow the cake to cool completely in the pan set on a wire rack.
- Make the frosting: With a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy, about 2 minutes. Add confectioners’ sugar, heavy cream, and vanilla extract and mix on low speed to combine. Increase to high speed and beat for 3 full minutes.
- Crumble the cooled cake into the bowl on top of the frosting. Make sure there are no large lumps. Turn the mixer on low speed and beat the frosting and cake crumbles together until combined.
- Scoop 1 Tablespoon (about 20g) of cake/frosting mixture and roll into a ball. Place balls on a lined baking sheet. Refrigerate for 2 hours, or freeze for 1 hour to set the shape. Re-roll the chilled cake pop balls to smooth out, if needed. Place the tray back into the fridge, as you’ll only work with a couple at a time.
- Melt the chocolate or candy melts in a 2-cup liquid measuring cup (best for dunking!) in the microwave in 20-second increments, stirring after each increment, until melted and smooth. You can also use a double boiler on the stove, if you prefer.
- Coat the cake balls: Remove just 2 or 3 cake balls from the refrigerator at a time. Dip the end of a lollipop stick about 1/2 inch into the coating, then insert the coated end into the center of the cake ball. Only push it about halfway through the cake ball. Dip the cake ball into the coating until it is completely covered. Make sure the coating covers the base of the cake ball where it meets the lollipop stick. Very gently tap the stick against the edge of the measuring cup to allow excess coating to drip off. Decorate the top with sprinkles and place upright into a styrofoam block or box (as explained in the blog post). Repeat with remaining cake balls, working with just a few out of the refrigerator at a time. The cake balls must be very cold when dipping!
- Coating will set within an hour. Store cake pops in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Notes
- Make Ahead Instructions: I always make the cake 1 day ahead of time. Cover and keep at room temperature. You can store the undipped cake balls in the refrigerator for up to 2 days or freeze them for up to 6 weeks. Allow to thaw in the refrigerator, then continue with step 9. You can also freeze the finished cake pops for up to 6 weeks once the coating has fully set. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): 9-inch Springform Pan (a 10-inch springform pan or 11×7-inch pan will work, too) | Glass Mixing Bowl | Whisk | Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Cooling Rack | Baking Sheet | Silicone Baking Mat or Parchment Paper | Glass Measuring Cup | Lollipop Sticks | Americolor Food Coloring
- Coating: You can use candy coating/candy melts, or chopped white chocolate. I typically use Ghirardelli brand white chocolate melting wafers. Semi-sweet, bittersweet, or milk chocolate baking bars work, too. Coarsely chop the chocolate and place it in a microwave-safe bowl or glass liquid measuring cup, along with 1/2 teaspoon vegetable oil to help thin it out. Microwave in 20-second increments, stirring after each 20 seconds, until melted and smooth. Keep warm over a double boiler.
Reader Comments and Reviews
Can you use your confetti cake recipe in the cake pop?
Hi Melissa, absolutely. We’re unsure of the exact ratio for frosting with that particular cake, but you want enough to *just* moisten the crumbs.
Has anyone used gluten free flour or cake mix ? I’m going to try it and see.
Yes! I have use 1:1 gf flour and they turned out great! I used the namaste brand!
When I made these recently, I cut out about 1/4c sugar from the batter and added lemon zest. I found the smell and taste of the vanilla in the cake a bit too cloying so when I made the frosting, I cut out the vanilla and also added lemon zest. I thought this made the cake balls less intensely sweet and liked the lift from the lemon scent.
I tried two things to prevent extreme temperature differences that I think successfully prevented cracking. I had to refrigerate the balls overnight so I let them sit out on the counter for a while as I prepped other things. Also I made sure the candy melts were slightly warm, not hot, to the touch. I melted most of them in the microwave in a 2-cup measuring cup and stopped once there were a few small solid pieces left and then added another handful of melts into the mix before stirring till smooth. The addition helped bring the temperature down so they didn’t get shocked by the difference in temp from the cake balls.
Also I found that when dipping the cake balls, it was better to dip, lift out, turn, and dip again – rather than to dip the ball and swirl it in the coating, which caused it to fall off the lollipop stick.
I meant to add that I also only needed about 16 oz of candy melts, nowhere near the 32oz in the recipe.
Where do you purchase the lollipop sticks?
Hi Bella, I usually buy them at Michaels craft store, or online on Amazon.
I’ve made these a few times now, and every time the cake pops end up cracking. I know it’s because the temp difference is too great, even though I do leave them out for a couple minutes before dipping. I’ve opted for the freezer because that’s what the recipe says, but after reading a few other baking blogs, it seems like that’s not a good idea. The better option is to refrigerate for a few hours since This allows them to firm up without getting too cold. I would recommend taking out the option to put them in the freezer.
Best cake pop recipe. Nice texture to cake. Its dense so it holds together when frosting is added. Rolls easily. I suggest putting sticks in pop balls before freezing. Hit with my family. Kid friendly for baking. Simple to whip you in a hand mix bowl.
If I want a smaller yield, would your 6 inch cake recipes work?
Hi Carol, yes, that would roughly cut the number of cake pops you get in half.
Hi I would like to double the recipe what adjustments should I make? thank you
Hi Flor, for best results, we recommend making two separate batches of the cake rather than doubling. You can double the frosting, and you may find it helpful to make individual batches of the coating as well.
Hi! How do I make the cake pops dairy free? Whats the best sub for milk?
We haven’t tested dairy free cake pops but let us know if you do!
Can I sub self-raising flour for the all-purpose flour and baking powder and soda?
We don’t recommend it. It’s not always a 1:1 swap, so we recommend sticking with the recipe as written.
Hi, as I’ve not made cake pops at all on the past, is this usually the ratio for thr majority of them.
3/4 frosting to cake, I’m guessing that’s roughly it, from your weights.
Thanks =)
Hi Georgia, the ratio can change slightly depending on the exact cake and frosting recipes you use–you’ll want the mixture to be just slightly moist enough to hold together in a ball. Hope this helps!
Perfect thank you
I want to make the balls up a day or two before, do I put the sticks in them or wait before I dip them, how to store them in refrigerator before dipping, just in a covered container? Same with cookie dough ball?
Hi Brenda! See recipe notes for our recommended make-ahead instructions. We would put the sticks in them and store in a air-tight container. Happy baking!
Hi Brenda, it’s probably best to wait to put the sticks in, because you need to dip the sticks in melted coating/chocolate to help the cake balls stick to it. For storing, I usually just line them on a baking sheet or baking pan, whichever can fit in my fridge, and then cover.
Great recipe. I had trouble getting the candy melts to melt into a liquid though. They melted into a super thick consistency that was so difficult to dip into that I switched to spreading it onto the pops with a spoon instead. Any suggestion for creating a more liquify melt?
Hi A, you can try microwaving your chocolate in even smaller time increments. That will help promote more even heating and should prevent the chocolate from chunking up. Be sure to stir between times in the microwave. You may also have to reheat it after every few dunks to keep it from seizing up. Hope this helps for next time!
You can also use a double boiler rather than a microwave. Double boiler: a sauce pan of boiling water with a bowl covering the opening, place chocolate in bowl and stir while it melts. This keeps the chocolate warm longer as well and if it becomes dry or crumbly, all you have to do is add a bit of solid coconut oil and stir and it’ll return to it’s original consistency if not a bit more liquidy. While it might smell like coconuts if you do that, the actual taste of the chocolate remains the same.
Hi there Sally!
I would love to make a planet cake with cake pops on top for the planets!!
I usually make my cakes ahead and freese it. Can I do the cake pops also ahead and freeze and put on my cake a day before?
How can I give every cake pop a different color with white chocolate?
Last question. Is a cookie dough pop also a option? Easier?
Hi Anel, You can store the undipped cake balls in the refrigerator for up to 2 days or freeze them for up to 6 weeks. We use white chocolate here and you can color it with gel food coloring.
This recipe was great! I had some leftover pound cake so I used that instead of the cake here, and the frosting was just enough for it. However, when the candy melts were warm, that was the right consistency for dipping because it was still liquid. When it gets even a little colder, it forms a soft ball which just globs and can’t be used; you have to reheat it again. Now this, when dipped with an ice cold cake pop, sets nicely for the first few minutes but then cracks appear; I’ve read somewhere (in the comments here?) that the temperature differences between the warm candy melts and the cold cake pops causes it to crack. I just kept the cake pop balls out at room temperature for a few minutes before dipping, and it seems to have turned out alright — what can I do instead for next time/ am I doing it right??
Hi Jane, that’s correct—if the temperature difference between the cake pops and the melted chocolate is too much, then they will often crack. Leaving them at room temperature for a few minutes before dipping is a great solution. Glad you enjoyed these!
If I don’t have a springform pan, could I use 2 9 inch round cake pans?
Hi Jenny, that will work! We’re unsure of the exact bake time, but it will be shorter since the layers are thinner. Keep a close eye on it and use a toothpick to test for doneness.
I’m curious as to the ratio of cake to frosting. My 12 year old daughter has recently started making 3 tier cakes from scratch with homemade buttercream. I’ve been trying to make cake pops out of what we cut off to level the cakes and the extra frosting but I think I’m using too much frosting. They are delicious but definitely very wet!
Hi Tracy, the ratio can change slightly depending on the exact cake and frosting recipes you use–you’ll want the mixture to be just slightly moist enough to hold together in a ball. Hope this helps!
Hi Sally, I have tried several of your recipes and they have all been a hit, ALWAYS! So thank you! I plan on making cakesicles using cakesicle silicon molds. Can I repurpose this recipe? If not, can you please recommend any of your recipes I can use? Thank you!
Hi Nazia, cakesicles are SO cute, but we haven’t actually tested making them ourselves. Let us know if you give them a try using this cake pops recipe!
Hi Trina, I tried this cake recipe for cakesicles and they came out great. Because I didn’t want my cakesicles to be too sweet, I replaced the frosting with heavy cream which gave the cakesicles just the cake’s sweetness which balanced well with the chocolate Candy melt coating I used. Thanks again! ☺️
Hi sally instead of using confection sugar for the icing can I use normal granulated sugar? And what would be the amount?
Hi Carlota, best to stick with confectioners’ sugar for the icing.
This recipe is AMAZING and delicious.
It is so easy to make and really worth it!!
I made these exactly as indicated and had them very cold before dipping as you recommended and every single one of them now has several large cracks all over 🙁
For me it turned out perfectly
Cake pops will crack when there is a big difference between the temp of the cake ball and coating. Warm, not hot, coating and close to room temperature but still cool cake pops work best. Very cold pops is definitely not the way to go. I learned this after dipping very cold cake my first time making these. 🙂
Hi Sally! Can I refrigerate dipped cake pops and then cover in little bags when I take them out? Or should I bag them first and then refrigerate? I’m afraid of the condensation that might form
Hi Jasmine, we’d bag them after they come out of the refrigerator. Enjoy!
Can I use Swiss meringue buttercream? I’m thinking it may be too greasy if I do . Thanks
Hi Nikki, we haven’t tested these with Swiss Meringue Buttercream but don’t see why it wouldn’t work. Let us know if you try them!
Hi, I want to make these but I am wondering if I could use peanut butter and/or nutella instead of frosting, and what would be the ratio?
Hi Ann, we haven’t tested either of those substitutions, so we’re unsure how it might work out. You could test it with a very small amount of cake crumbs to see how it holds together (before adding the peanut butter/nutella to the entire batch). We’re unsure of the exact ratio–you’ll want the mixture to be just slightly moist enough to hold together in a ball. Let us know if you do any experimenting!
Do you have the cake pop recipe for chocolate and one for carrot cake? I would love those
Hi Barbara, here’s our chocolate cake pops recipe. You can use our carrot cake (this one layer carrot cake would make a reasonable amount) recipe to make carrot cake pops – the exact amount of frosting needed will differ with each cake and frosting recipe, so you can do it by look/feel.
I want to make these for a 4th of July party. Can you use regular boxed cake mix instead? I would like to do some as red velvet, some as white cake etc?
Hi Becca! Yes, absolutely. You can use any cake you like, but the exact ratio of frosting needed will depend on the cake you’re using.
Question about “covering cake” – when you say to cover the cake 1 day prior, does that mean it has to be in an airtight container or just with plastic wrap?
Usually we just use plastic wrap or aluminum foil!
Made 160 vanilla and chocolate cake pops for my daughter’s graduation party! They turned out great! We bagged each one individually and tied them with curling ribbon! Many asked where we had purchased them. They looked amazing and tasted awesome, too!
Thanks, Sally for your rolling advice, tips, and techniques. It was nice that you could prepare them ahead of time and freeze them. (We waited to dip and bag them until they were thawed.)
So excited to try this for a friend’s bridal shower! She asked for Funfetti cake pops – would you recommend just adding sprinkles to this recipe or to use your funfetti cake recipe? Thanks!
Hi Alice, we’d start by adding 1/4 cup of sprinkles to this batter for confetti cake pops. Hope they’re a hit!