How To Decorate Cake Pops For Beginners

This easy homemade cake pop recipe is covered in a sweet chocolate coating with a delicious crumb. The perfect bite-sized party treat or favor for any occasion!

This recipe reminds meof my sugar cookie truffles, but with a delicious cake base similar to my cake balls instead. Moist and crumbly cake is mixed with rich buttercream frosting, then dipped in a sweet chocolate coating. Not only do these cake pops taste incredible, but they look amazing too!

There’s just something about eating a decorative, bite-sized dessert on a stick that is so fun. My kids love these! These homemade cake pops are the perfect treat for birthdays, baby showers, wedding showers, holidays or when hosting a dinner party. You can even wrap them up individually and give them to guests as party favors!

How To Make Cake Pops For Beginners

This recipe is perfect for beginners, with an easy step by step tutorial included. It’s a great way to use up any leftover cake and frosting. I love the classic white cake + buttercream combo, but there are so many other yummy variations you can make too. They are so fun to decorate and can be served at literally any occasion!

I used white cake for this recipe, but you can really use any flavor of box cake mix (or make your favorite recipe from scratch).

A classic buttercream is also my favorite type of frosting for cake pops, but feel free to use others like chocolate buttercream, cream cheese frosting or strawberry buttercream.

Brownie Pops Recipe

Many ways to decorate cake pops! Add sprinkles or jimmies while the chocolate is still wet. If decorating with a chocolate drizzle, let the chocolate coating harden first, then drizzle more chocolate on top.

It’s all about the frosting! When you mix the frosting in with the cake, the mixture should hold together when squeezed. If the mixture is crumbly, that means it needs more frosting. Make sure to only add in a little at a time so that the cake doesn’t get too soggy. If you have a very moist cake, you may not need much frosting at all.

If the chocolate coating has cracked, it’s likely due to the difference in temperature between the cake balls and the melted coating chocolate. Don’t freeze the balls for longer than instructed, or else the super cold cake combined with the warm melted chocolate could cause cracking.

Christmas Cake Pops

The type of chocolate you use can also contribute to whether or not the cake pops crack. Using melted chocolate chips may cause cracking, so I’d suggest using chocolate melting wafers instead. They have a thicker texture once hardened and a smooth finish, which result in a more sturdy exterior.

Sure! While I prefer homemade frosting over canned, I’ve never been one to shy away from an easier shortcut! Store-bought frosting usually comes in a 16 ounce can, so you’ll only need half (8 ounces) to make this recipe.

I’ve had the most success using chocolate melting wafers because of their super smooth finish (Ghirardelli melting wafers are my favorite). A high quality chocolate bar (such as Ghirardelli or Bakers) would be the next best option.

Flamingo Theme Cake Pops

They can be! Use your favorite gluten-free cake mix or pick up a premade gluten-free cake from your local grocery or bakery. All other ingredients needed to make this recipe are free from gluten!

Yes you can freeze them, just make sure they’ve dried completely before freezing. They will stay fresh in the freezer for up to 6 weeks. Let thaw at room temperature when ready to serve.

You can also use 8 ounces of frosting from the store (half of a 16 ounce can) to make it easier, I just prefer the homemade buttercream.

Cake Pop Maker Kit, Includes Melting Pot, Cake Pop Molds, Treat Bags, Twist Ties, Lollipop Sticks And Decorating Tools With 3 Tiered Dessert Stand (404 Total Pcs)

Make sure that you’re only working with about five cake pops at a time. Leave the rest in the freezer so that they don’t soften too much while you work on the others. You want them to be really cold when working with them.

After dipping the stick in melted chocolate, let it dry first before sticking into the cake ball. It’s easier to work with this way and is less likely to fall off when dipping the whole cake pop into melted chocolate.

Calories: 110 kcal | Carbohydrates: 15 g | Protein: 1 g | Fat: 6 g | Saturated Fat: 4 g | Cholesterol: 9 mg | Sodium: 36 mg | Sugar: 15 g | Vitamin A: 101 IU | Calcium: 1 mgMore 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!

Lisa Frank Birthday Party Cake Pops

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.

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

Easy Cake Pop Recipe

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!

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.

Winter Wonderland Cake Pops

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.

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!

Easy Valentine Cake Pops

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.

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.

Birthday Cookie Cake Pops

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!

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.

Pumpkin Cake Pops

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.

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.

Cake Pop Problems & Tutorial

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.

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.

How To Diy Cake Pops For Your Wedding

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!

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.

Halloween Cake Pops Recipe

Again, we are avoiding any extreme temperature differences –