✔ Updated · fixed card amounts + yield, added dipping and storage guide
My copycat Starbucks cake pops have a soft vanilla cake center inside a smooth pink candy shell with rainbow sprinkles. One box of cake mix makes about 40, so they're ideal for parties, birthdays and bake sales.
At a glance
The one tip that matters: Glue each stick in with a dab of melted coating and chill the balls until firm, but not frozen, before dipping, so they don't slide off or crack the coating.
Why You'll Love These Cake Pops
- Soft, sweet cake centers in a smooth pink candy shell with rainbow sprinkles.
- Simple ingredients: a boxed cake mix, frosting, candy melts and sprinkles.
- Party-sized batch: about 40 pops from one box of cake mix, and they keep well.
What Makes Starbucks-Style Cake Pops Different?
Coffee-shop cake pops are small, dense and very smooth, with a soft, almost fudgy vanilla center and a thin, even candy shell. Getting that texture at home comes down to the ratio: a whole cake to only a small amount of frosting, rolled tightly so there are no cracks or air pockets. Lucy fell for these at the Starbucks near us, which is how I ended up making 40 at a time.
The pink shell and rainbow nonpareils give the classic birthday look. Candy melts are easier than chocolate here because they set quickly and firmly at room temperature with no tempering, and they come in ready-made colors.
Step-by-Step Photos
Here's how it comes together. Exact amounts, times and temperatures are in the recipe card below.
Tips for Success
- Start with less frosting. Begin with 1/4 cup and add more by the teaspoon. The mixture should hold together when squeezed; too much frosting makes heavy, greasy pops that slide down the stick. Half of my first batch slid right off, so trust me on this one.
- Use the coating as glue. Dip the stick tip in melted coating before pushing it into the ball. Once it sets, the pop stays put during dipping.
- Chill, don't freeze solid. Firm, cool cake balls dip cleanly. Frozen ones make the warm coating crack as they thaw, so 10 to 15 minutes in the freezer is the limit.
- Thin the coating. A teaspoon or two of shortening or coconut oil makes candy melts smooth and fluid. Never add water or milk, which makes them seize. Rewarm in 15-second bursts if the coating thickens.
- Dip in one motion. Plunge straight down and lift straight up; swirling or stirring the pop in the coating pulls it off the stick. Tap your wrist gently to shake off drips.
Video Instructions
Starbucks Cake Pops (Copycat)
40
cake pops1
hour35
minutes170
kcal3
hours20
minutesCopycat-style Starbucks cake pops: a boxed vanilla cake crumbled and mixed with just enough vanilla frosting to hold together, rolled into small balls, chilled, then dipped in smooth pink candy coating and finished with rainbow sprinkles.
Ingredients
- For the Cake Balls
1 box vanilla or white cake mix (one 15- to 15.25-oz box)
eggs, oil and water as listed on the cake mix box
1/4 to 1/3 cup vanilla frosting, store-bought or homemade (add more only if needed)
- For the Coating
24 oz pink candy melts (two 12-oz bags)
1 to 2 teaspoons vegetable shortening or coconut oil, to thin the coating
3 tablespoons rainbow nonpareils or sprinkles
40 cake pop or lollipop sticks (6-inch)
Directions
- Make the Cake Balls
- Bake the cake mix in a 9×13-inch pan as directed on the box, about 30 to 35 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack, at least 1 hour, then trim off any dark, crisp edges.
- Crumble the cake into a large bowl until it looks like fine, even crumbs, with no large pieces left.
- Add 1/4 cup frosting and mix with clean hands until the mixture holds together like soft dough when squeezed. Add more frosting only a teaspoon at a time if it is still crumbly; too much makes the pops heavy and greasy.
- Scoop level 1-tablespoon portions (about 20 g) and roll them into smooth, tight balls. Place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Dip and Decorate
- Melt about 1/4 cup of the candy melts in the microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring between each. Dip the tip of each stick about 1/2 inch into the melted coating and push it halfway into a cake ball. Chill the tray in the fridge for 30 minutes (or the freezer for 10 to 15 minutes) until firm but not frozen hard.
- Melt the remaining candy melts the same way, stirring until smooth, and stir in 1 to 2 teaspoons of shortening until the coating drips off a spoon in a thin ribbon. Pour it into a narrow, deep mug or glass.
- Dip each cake pop straight down into the coating until it meets the stick, then lift it out in one motion. Hold it over the mug and gently tap your wrist so the excess drips off, turning the pop slowly.
- While the coating is still wet, sprinkle the top with nonpareils. Stand the pops upright in a foam block or a box with holes poked in it and let them set at room temperature for about 15 minutes.
Recipe Video
Notes
- The best way to make your Starbucks cake pops perfect is to chill them before their dipping. Around 20 minutes in the freezer should do it. They will firm up nicely during this time.
Like this recipe?
Follow us @recipefairy on Pinterest
Make-Ahead, Storage and Gifting
- Bake ahead: bake the cake up to 2 days ahead, wrap it tightly once cool and keep it at room temperature.
- Freeze the cake balls: freeze undipped balls for up to 1 month, then thaw in the fridge before dipping.
- Store finished pops: airtight at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the fridge for up to 1 week.
- Gifting: once fully set, slip each pop into a small cellophane bag and tie it with ribbon.
Variations
- Chocolate: chocolate cake mix, chocolate frosting and dark or milk candy melts.
- Birthday cake: fold 2 tablespoons of rainbow sprinkles into the cake crumbs with the frosting.
- Cookies and cream: use white candy melts and finish with crushed chocolate sandwich cookies.
- Holiday colors: swap the pink coating for red, green or white and use themed sprinkles.
More Starbucks Copycats
Pair your cake pops with a homemade coffee-shop drink, such as our Starbucks pink drink, vanilla latte or vanilla bean Frappuccino. For more bakery-case treats, try the lemon loaf, brownies, or browse all our Starbucks copycat recipes.
Frequently Asked Questions
What flavor are these copycat Starbucks cake pops?
This copycat-style version is vanilla cake with vanilla frosting, dipped in pink candy coating and topped with rainbow sprinkles, similar in style to the coffee shop's pink birthday cake pop. For a chocolate version, use chocolate cake mix, chocolate frosting and dark or milk candy melts.
Why do my cake pops fall off the stick?
Usually the cake balls are too soft or warm, too heavy from extra frosting, or the stick wasn't glued in. Use only enough frosting to bind, dip the stick tip in melted coating before inserting it, chill the balls until firm, and dip straight down and up without swirling.
Why is my coating cracking?
The cake balls were too cold. When frozen pops meet warm coating, they expand as they warm up and crack the shell. Chill them in the fridge, or only briefly in the freezer, and let very cold pops sit for a few minutes before dipping.
How do I store cake pops?
Keep them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the fridge for up to 1 week. If refrigerated, let them come to room temperature inside the closed container so condensation doesn't form on the coating.
Can I make cake pops ahead and freeze them?
Yes. Freeze undipped cake balls in an airtight container for up to 1 month, then thaw them in the fridge before inserting sticks and dipping. Finished pops can also be frozen for up to 1 month; thaw them in the fridge in a sealed container, then bring them to room temperature before opening.
Can I make cake pops without a cake pop stand?
Yes. Push the sticks into a block of floral foam or a sturdy cardboard box with holes poked in the top. You can also make cake bites: dip the balls without sticks using a fork and set them on parchment.
🍪 Filling a cookie tin? Find more holiday baking recipes for the season.
){kind=link}
Those look awesome😍😍😍