How To Make Perfect Round Cake Pops

More beautiful than brownies, cuter than cupcakes, more petite than pie, cake pops are one of the most adorable treats you’ll ever hold. And one of the most delicious desserts you’ll ever eat!

I can’t imagine any other dessert that makes me smile and giggle with an unnecessary amount of happiness more than cake pops.

They are the perfect sweet ending for so many occasions, especially for any event that has a theme, since they can be easily customized with bright colors and decorations.

Easy Ways To Make Cake Pops Without A Mold

If you want to make these little delights for an upcoming party, but need a little guidance, learn how to make them right here!

This article goes over all the basics you’ll ever need to know to make the most gorgeous handheld treats, without splattering your kitchen in an explosion of confetti jimmies and melted chocolate smears.

From getting neat and organized in the beginning, to applying the very last sprinkle on top, I share all the advice you need to make the perfect pops – so keep reading!

Chocolate Cake Pops

Want to serve perfect cake pops for a party? Need some help with the process? Learn all the basics on how to make them with ’s step-by-step guide.

For the cake base, you can use your favorite recipe, in whatever flavor you prefer. Vanilla and chocolate are my go-to flavors for crowd-pleasing pops.

For fun variations, you can try using recipes like carrot or banana. For more inspiration, take a look at all of our recipes to find one that you like.

How To Make Best Cake Pops Recipe For Lazy People

Whatever you use, whether you’re working from scratch or taking a few shortcuts, make sure it’s a simple recipe. Small ingredients like nuts and dried fruit will be fine once they’re tightly rolled together to form balls. However, I would not use any recipes for upside-down cakes – it would end up as a sticky mess in ball form!

Don’t be fooled by how cute and small they are – a lot of maintenance and care is required to make them look so perfect! But when you prep your work station, tools, and ingredients, you’ll work more quickly and efficiently.

Try any of my recipes for icing: classic fluffy frosting, Swiss meringue buttercream, or cocoa fudge frosting will all be divine choices.

Blue Cake Pops For A Baby Boy Shower

Enough to moisten the cake to mold and form it into balls. The base itself already has a high fat content, so you don’t need to add too much extra icing.

They won’t hold their shape properly, they’ll fall off the sticks when you dip them, they’ll cause the chocolate to crack once it sets…

As someone who was silly enough to dump in a HUGE bowl of icing on my very first time making these, take my advice: Work with small scoopfuls of icing, pretty please!

Monster Cake Balls

In a large bowl, or in the bowl of a stand mixer, crumble your cake. If using a stand mixer, you can use the paddle attachment to break it up on low speed.

By hand or with the paddle attachment, mix in the icing a little at a time, starting off with just a couple tablespoons. Mix until a dense but crumbly dough forms that you can mold into balls with your hands.

With your hands, roll into a tight, uniform ball, applying gentle pressure to press the mixture together with no cracks or openings.

Perfect Cake Pops With Diy Cake Pop Holder

I would definitely use parchment paper for this, rather than a silicone baking mat. The nonstick coating collects all the oil from each pop at the bottom, which you’ll need to wipe off before coating in chocolate.

One of the biggest concerns with decorating these fun desserts is trying to avoid any severe temperature changes, to ensure the melted chocolate coats smoothly and sets without any issues.

You don’t want the cake balls to be too cold or too warm before you dip them, but just firm and chilled enough.

Spooky Halloween Chocolate Cake Pops

If they are too cold, the chocolate will set prematurely and crack as it settles. If they are too warm, they will be too soft to dip properly in the melted chocolate.

Chocolate candy wafers are the easiest and most accessible type of chocolate to use to cover the cake balls. Also known as candy melts, these are typically found in the cake decorating aisle of most grocery stores or craft stores.

Made with sugar and vegetable oils, these typically include no cocoa butter like regular chocolate does. With their small wafer shapes, they are easy to melt and re-melt. And with a variety of colors available, you can customize your desserts however you wish!

Bell My Little Cake Pop Mold

Follow the package instructions for melting procedures. I like to use a mug for my melted chocolate, as I can use the handle to control how I dip each cake pop.

Again, we are avoiding any extreme temperature differences – letting the coating cool for a few minutes before dipping brings it closer to the temperature of the cake pop.

Chocolate too thick? Stir in vegetable shortening just a few teaspoons at a time to get a thinner consistency that will make the cake pops easier to dip.

Homemade Cake Pops

Dip each stick in just a little melted chocolate, and insert it in the center of each ball, pressing just about halfway down into the cake. This helps to secure the stick inside.

Finding cracks on the chilled cake balls? Don’t dip them in the melted chocolate just yet! Cracks in the cake will definitely lead to cracks on the coating.

Here’s an easy solution: take a little bit of melted chocolate on a toothpick or your finger and cover the crack, as if you’re filling in a pothole.

How To Make Cake Pops At Home

Remove the cake pops from the fridge. Let them sit at room temperature for about 5 minutes, so they can come to temperature slightly without getting too soft.

Gently tap the cake pop on the side of the bowl to remove any excess, using your fingers or a toothpick if necessary to guide the excess melted coating back into the bowl.

If the chocolate gets too thick or too cold to work with, re-warm in the microwave, and stir in a little more vegetable shortening.

Starbucks Birthday Cake Pops

If using, immediately apply any sprinkles while the chocolate is still wet and has not yet set. The chocolate will harden quickly, so you want to work fast to make sure the sprinkles stick.

Insert the dipped cake balls upright in the prepared foam block to set the coating. Allow the coating to completely set before serving or adding an additional layer of decorations.

Once the first layer has set, you have the option of applying a second layer of icing and decorations. Let your creativity roam free – I like to apply drizzles of chocolate, and add extra sprinkles.

Simple Cake Pops Recipe

Fun Tip: Want your pops to stand up on their own, with no platter, jars, or cups to worry about? Stick one extra chocolate wafer on top of each pop with a little bit of melted chocolate to give them a flat surface to rest on!

Once the chocolate has completely set, your bite-sized desserts can be eaten immediately, or they can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a week.

You can carefully wrap each individual treat in cellophane and store on a large platter. Or, you can keep them upright on the Styrofoam block, and gently cover with a large sheet of plastic wrap or aluminum foil.

No Bake Oreo Cake Pops

While the process is more time-consuming to put together than other desserts, it’s well worth the time and effort if you want to create an unforgettable finale at your next party.

If you are new to this entire process, I would suggest starting with an easier base, like store-bought marshmallows, to get comfortable and confident with the technique! We have a recipe for chocolate-covered marshmallow pops that utilizes the same methods. It’s an easy, and still

Make the most out of the cake supplies section of your grocery store or craft store – there are so many options for icing and decorations to fit any theme or holiday.

Goodman Gluten Free Cup(cake) Pops

Want to go even more DIY? You can even make your own sprinkles and decorations, using my recipe for hardened royal icing.

Have you made these miniature desserts before? Do you have any suggestions for those who are making them for the first time? Give us your best advice in the comment section below, and be sure to rate our recipe!

Nutritional information derived from a database of known generic and branded foods and ingredients and was not compiled by a registered dietitian or submitted for lab testing. It should be viewed as an approximation.

Sun Cake Pop Mold

Nikki Cervone is an ACS Certified Cheese Professional and cheesemonger living in Pittsburgh. Nikki holds an AAS in baking/pastry from Westmoreland County Community College, a BA in Communications from Duquesne University, and an MLA in Gastronomy from Boston University. When she's not nibbling on her favorite cheeses or testing a batch of cupcakes, Nikki enjoys a healthy dose of yoga, wine, hiking, singing in the shower, and chocolate. Lots of chocolate.No doubt about it, cake pops are fun. But while these bite-sized cakes on a stick can be a blast to eat, making them can turn into a not-so-fun affair, especially when those super-sweet morsels fall