Description
These Starbucks-inspired birthday cake pops are a fun, easy, and budget-friendly treat made with vanilla cake, simple buttercream, and a pink candy coating. Perfect for beginners and a hit at any party.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Cake:
- 1 (13.25 oz) box of vanilla cake mix
- ⅓ cup neutral oil (vegetable, canola, or avocado)
- 1 cup milk (or water)
- 4 large eggs
For the Vanilla Buttercream:
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 pinch of salt
- 1 teaspoon milk (add more if needed)
For the Coating:
- 12 oz pink candy melts
- White nonpareils or sprinkles
- Lollipop sticks
Instructions
- Preheat and Bake the Cake: Preheat your oven according to the cake mix instructions, typically between 325–350°F. Grease or line your baking pan, prepare the batter by mixing cake mix, oil, milk, and eggs until smooth, then bake until a toothpick inserted comes out clean 2–4 minutes before the suggested bake time.
- Crumble the Cake: While still warm, transfer the baked cake into a large mixing bowl or stand mixer. Crumble it using the paddle attachment or your hands if it’s cool enough. The warmth helps maintain moisture.
- Make the Buttercream: In a small bowl, mix softened butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, salt, and a bit of milk until smooth. There’s no need to sift the sugar; a few lumps are fine for this use.
- Combine and Roll: Add the buttercream to the crumbled cake and mix until fully combined into a soft dough. Roll into balls about 1¼ inch in diameter (30g each), place on a tray, and freeze for 15 minutes.
- Attach the Sticks: Melt a small amount of candy melts in short bursts in the microwave until smooth. Dip one end of each lollipop stick into the melted coating and insert it halfway into each cake ball. Return the tray to the freezer for another 15 minutes.
- Dip and Decorate: Let the chilled cake pops rest at room temperature for 10 minutes. Melt the remaining candy melts to a smooth, pourable consistency. Dip each pop straight in once, then gently tap off excess coating. Quickly add sprinkles before the candy melt sets.
- Set and Serve: Place each decorated cake pop into a styrofoam block or a box filled with rice to dry completely before serving or storing.
Notes
- Letting cake pops come slightly to room temperature before dipping prevents cracking. Use a deep glass cup for easier dipping. If you don’t have a styrofoam block, poke holes in a cardboard box or use a pan filled with uncooked rice or beans. For themed events, try different sprinkle combinations or candy melt colors.
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baked, Dipped
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cake pop
- Calories: 136
- Sugar: 13g
- Sodium: 104mg
- Fat: 7g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0.1g
- Carbohydrates: 18g
- Fiber: 0.1g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 27mg