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
Hi Sally. I appreciate all of the info. I am going to freeze the cake balls. Would you recommend I freeze the balls and decorate after I thaw them out? I am nervous the frosting/decor will crack or sprinkles may fall off
Hi Cherrise, you can freeze either the undecorated or decorated cake balls. See recipe Notes for exact details!
I made a batch of these because my son wanted his birthday cake decorated with cake pops! We had fun making them, but I missed the “gel food coloring” in the description and wasted most of the white chocolate when it seized after I added water based food coloring. Make sure to use gel based food coloring if you are using white chocolate!
How many cups does your buttercream recipe yield? Thank you.
Hi Jacqueline, this recipe yields about 1 cup of homemade frosting to go with the 9 inch springform pan of cake.
Hi Sally, I am a regular and your website is my go to for all baking recipes. I am going to try this cake pops and I was told we should not dip the cold cake pops in chocolates, but you have mentioned to refrigerate and take small batch at a time to coat the chocolates. Would the cold cake-pops crack?
Hi Aswini, when they’re cold, they’re easier to smooth out and form perfectly round shapes. As long as the melted chocolate or candy coating isn’t too hot, they shouldn’t crack. You should let it sit for 5 minutes to slightly cool down before dunking the cold cake balls into it. Let us know how they turn out if you give them a try.
I’m making some of your recipes this weekend can’t wish they all look so yummy. How do I subscribe to you!! Your amazing
Hi Lisa, thank you so much! You can sign up for our email list here: https://route-span.live/instant-updates/%3C/p%3E
Thank you for your quick response.
If the chocolate dipping cools down do you have to reheat in microwave or is good once it is melted? I’m afraid I might be a little slow dipping all the cake pops
Hi Mary J, you can reheat as needed if your chocolate starts cooling too much while dipping – no problem!
How would I convert this recipe to a lemon cake?
Hi Lisa, you can use our lemon cake recipe for the cake portion instead. We’re unsure of the exact ratio of frosting, but you’ll want enough to *just* moisten the crumbs. Enjoy!
Hello! Can this batter be used for silicone molds that are the shape of an ice cream bar? Thank you!
Hi Pat, we haven’t tested this recipe in a silicone mold so we’re unsure of the results. Let us know if you do give it a try.
This looks great! I’m trying to make Pokemon ball cake pops for my son’s birthday which are red on top and white on bottom. I was thinking I could dip in white, cool then refrigerate and the recipe half of the ball in red. Think it will work?
Hi Erin, that’s the approach we would take! Let us know how they turn out for you.
Super Easy, followed the directions as stated. However, I couldn’t find my springform pan and opted on my 8″ round cake pan. It was a close call on overflow but survived. I used white melting Baker Chocolate from Aldi and it worked like a charm. This was my first try and definitely will make again.
Hi how long should be at room temp before dipping in chocolate
Hi Lori, just a few minutes should be plenty. You can do a test one, and if the coating seizes or cracks, then wait a few more minutes before dipping the next one.
I just tried this recipe, but I don’t know of it’s just me, the dough after mixing the crumbled caked and frosting feel’s wet. Like I mentioned, I don’t know if it’s just me. How is it suppose to feel? Like cookie dough?
Hi Sheila! The video tutorial above should give you a good idea of what the mixture should look like.
How can I make lemon cake pops?
Hi Denise, you can use our lemon cake recipe. You’ll want to use *just* enough frosting to moisten the crumbs. Enjoy!
This is my “go-to” sight for baking cookies and cakes. It is not an exaggeration to say I’ve baked thousands of cookies from these recipes, (as a dessert baker at an assisted living facility). However my daughter asked me to make cake pops for her 70 students and of course I came here for a recipe. The recipe is easy to follow but maybe it’s just me, (and the number I needed to make), but this was basically a 3 day process for me. That factors in my own mistakes like making them too big so needed to make 3 batches which took extra time and I ran out of ingredients. All I can say is the kids better love these cause its a lot easier to make cookies or a frosted cake. Many of the same students said the carrot cake from this sight is the best they’ve ever had.
I am looking to duplicate the Starbuck’s orange cake pops.
How could I alter this recipe to accomplish this?
Hi Julianne, we haven’t tested orange flavored cake pops, but they sound delicious. We would try adding a pinch of orange extract and some orange zest, let us know what you try!
The orange cake pops are the best!
Just add a little bit of fresh orange juice.
I have vanilla buttercream frosting in the freezer but do t know how much to thaw for this recipe. How many cups of frosting does this make?
Hi Min, his recipe yields about 1 cup of homemade frosting to go with the 9 inch springform pan of cake. The amount you’ll need should be similar, but will depend on the exact consistency of your vanilla buttercream. You’ll want just enough to moisten the cake crumbs.
I’m wondering how to add in the color for the outside. At what step do you add it in?
Hi Pam, you can add gel food coloring in step 8 when melting the chocolate/candy melts.
How much frosting would I need for a thin 7 inch cake ( to make cake pops)?
Hi Meg, 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! They didn’t have the candy melts at the store I went, could I use Guittard white baking chips instead?
Hi Rose! White baking chips aren’t meant to be melted and may not melt down to be perfectly smooth.
The frosting did not work
Could I add reduced strawberry purée to this recipe to make strawberry cake pops?
Hi Tab, reduced strawberry puree may be tricky, since it will change the texture of the cake mixture. However, you could use our strawberry cake and/or strawberry frosting to make cake pops instead.
Hi! I am planning to make these and wanted to use store-bought icing to save some time. I was wondering approx how much icing to use? Thank you for your help!
Hi Amy, you can use store bought frosting with this recipe. You may need to tinker with the amount a bit since it’s usually a bit thinner than homemade buttercream.
Hi! Do you have a recipe for the chocolate version with the exact measurements?
Hi Steph, here’s our chocolate cake pops recipe.
A great way to use up old cake, especially if it is getting dry and crumbly! I’ve discovered that you can take pretty much any cake, toss it in a bowl, and mix with a hand mixer until it’s like a thick cookie dough, scoop, freeze, coat, and done! Makes great gifts and is also super resourceful. I have found that if the cake I’m currently using didn’t have enough buttercream on it, I will occasionally have to add in a slosh of milk to get it to the right consistency. It’s also super fun to add in sprinkles, oreo chunks, a drizzle of PB, some caramel, etc. depending on your cake flavor, to bring in a fun flavor that’s a bit different from whatever cake you’ve been munching on all week.
A great looking recipe, unfortunately for me, I stumbled and fell at the first hurdle. I baked the cake in a 9 inch spring-form tin, for the correct time and the correct temperature. Used a skewer to check the middle, seemed fine. Allowed to cool, ready to break up to start forming the cake pop mixture, but my cake wasn’t baked in the middle.
I’m very new to baking, so I’m just trying to figure out where I went wrong. I’m looking forward to trying this recipe again, especially with the help of the detailed tutorial video.
Hi Paul, it sounds like the cake could have benefitted from a few additional minutes in the oven. All ovens can be a bit different, so no worries if it takes a bit longer than the listed time. Thank you for giving this one a try!
Definitely invest in an oven thermometer! If my oven is under 400F, it runs 20-30 degrees cooler. If my oven is over 400F, it runs 10ish degrees cooler!
What would you use if you didn’t have confectioners sugar?
It’s best to stick with confectioners’ sugar for the icing.
Hi. You can make powdered sugar with a blender. There are a number of online posts explaining how to do it.
Hi,
Do I have to use the candy coating (white chocolate)? Can I just use the frosting without the coating and freeze them?
Hi Rogue, You can skip the coating if you wish.
Hi I was wondering if you know if this could be made gluten free?
Hi Carissa, We have not tested this recipe with gluten free flour but let us know if you give it a try!
Can the frosting in this recipe be used to decorate cupcakes (consistency wise)?
Hi Sue, yes, although this recipe yields just enough to moisten the crumbs. For enough frosting to top a batch of cupcakes, here is our vanilla frosting.
Hi! It says spring form pan, but will a normal 9in cake pan work?
No, it won’t. But a 10-inch round cake pan would work nicely. 9-inch round cake pan is not large enough; even if it is tall, such as 3-inch tall sides, the cake will not bake evenly.
How can I make this recipe without cake pop sticks? Thanks!
Hi Sophia, you can use popsicle sticks if you have those. Or dip them with a fork or toothpick. I have some information about dipping round candies in this Oreo truffles post if you’re interested.
You can also make them truffle style with no stick.
Hi! I was wondering how much buttercream this recipe makes. Thank you!
Hi Addie! We haven’t measured the exact yield of this buttercream recipe yet.