Learn the best tips and tricks for making cake pops and having them turn out right every time!
Cake pops are delicious. They’re easy to serve. Plus they’re just plain adorable!
I used to think they were hard to make. But with a few simple tips and tricks, they’ve become a lot easier!
Read on for a quick run-down of my best tips. For a more in-depth look, check out my article A Deep Dive into How to Make Cake Pops.
Cake Pop Filling
Ratio of Cake to Frosting
Because too much frosting will make a loose, messy cake pop, you want to be sure not to go overboard.
I recommend 1 standard-sized baked cake (9″x13″ rectangle pan or 2 8″ round pans) mixed with half the amount of frosting that would cover that cake.
When mixing cake and frosting together, try to form a ball. Does it stay together easily or crumble apart? Add more frosting as needed to keep the ball together.
Size of Cake Pop Ball
Use a 1 1/2 Tablespoon cookie scoop to get the perfect size. If you want to check how you’re doing, a standard cake pop weighs about 30 grams (1 ounce) and is about 1 1/2″ in diameter.
Cake Pop Coating
I recommend using Candy Melts (also called Almond Bark, Candy Coating, Melting Wafers), thinned out with a bit of shortening. The shortening helps the coating to cover the cake more smoothly.
For an in-depth look into the pros and cons of using candy melts vs chocolate, check out the section Cake Pop Coating: Chocolate vs. Candy Melts in my article A Deep Dive into How to Make Cake Pops.
Cake Pop Stick
A standard cake pop stick is about 6″ long. You’ll find them called “Lollipop Sticks”, “Treat Sticks”, or “Cake Pop Sticks”. Check the length on the package before you buy. You don’t want your cake pops to look too short!
Tips for Coating
Before you start dipping your delicious dessert, read the next few sections. You’ll want to gather all of your equipment and maybe make a homemade cake pop drying stand.
Dipping Cup
My favorite dipping cup is a coffee mug. It’s the perfect choice! It’s made for holding hot liquid, and it has a handle to protect your delicate hands. Plus, it’s deep enough and narrow enough to get the candy coating to cover the whole cake pop.
After melting your candy coating and shortening in a bowl, transfer it to a coffee mug. You’ll thank me.
Cake Pop Drying Stand
You’ll need somewhere for your cake pops to be while the candy coating sets. You can either buy a cake pop stand at the store or online, or you can make a cake pop stand yourself.
Check our my easy (and cheap) instructions for How to Make a Cake Pop Stand in my article A Deep Dive into How to Make Cake Pops.
I recommend having at least 2 drying stands. You can be dipping one set of cake pops while another set dries in the fridge.
I didn’t use mine for presentation, only for drying. If you want to use yours at a party, you can cover the foam block in pretty fabric, yarn or ribbon.
Best Tips for Dipping Cake Pops
Nothing’s worse than trying to dip a cake pop and having the whole ball of cake fall off in the hot candy coating. Use this method to avoid that fiasco!
Melt a small amount of candy coating (with or without shortening this time).
Dip 1/2″ of the treat stick into the melted coating. Immediately insert into cold cake pop, being careful not to go through the top. The candy coating on the stick will act as glue, keeping your cake pop on the stick.
You’ll want to let the candy coating set before dipping fully. It shouldn’t take long.
While you’re dipping 10 cake pops at a time, keep the remaining cake balls in the fridge. You want them to be cold when you dip them in the melted coating for 2 reasons: 1. They’ll hold their shape better. 2. A cold cake pops helps the hot candy coating set faster.
Plunge your cold cake pop into your mug of warmed candy coating until it’s completely submerged.
Hold the cake pop over the top of the mug and let the coating drizzle off the top until it becomes a thin stream. Slowly flip upright while rotating. This will evenly distribute the candy coating so there isn’t a blob or a point anywhere on the cake pop.
Add Sprinkles
Immediately after dipping and flipping, sprinkle any decorations on the cake pop, rotating and turning to cover all sides.
I like to use a half teaspoon measuring spoon to pour the sprinkles over the top. This is just about the right amount to beautifully cover a 1 1/2″ cake pop.
Allow the Cake Pops to Dry
Place the cake pops into a cake pop drying stand. Once the candy coating loses its wet sheen, it’s set and ready to wrap. To speed this along, transfer the cake pop drying stand to the fridge.
If you have 2 cake pop drying stands to work with, you can transfer one set to the fridge and start working on the next set!
Storing Cake Pops
I like to wrap my cake pops individually in a treat bag and then tie the bottom with a ribbon.
If you don’t wrap them individually, store them in a Tupperware or baggie.
Store coated cake pops in the fridge up to 7 days.
Can I Freeze Cake Pops?
No, you cannot freeze coated cake pops. When they defrost, the candy coating sweats and turns a little sticky. Not pleasant.
If you want to make cake pops in advance (more than 7 days): bake the cake; prepare the frosting; form the balls and freeze before dipping. Allow cake balls to defrost in the fridge overnight before dipping.
Why Can’t I Dip Frozen Cake Balls?
A frozen cake pop may have ice crystals on the outside. If you dip one into melted chocolate or candy coating, the water could cause it to seize up, becoming a clumpy, unusable mess. Don’t risk it! Let the cake pops defrost.
Quick Cake Pop Tips
Use homemade frosting. The butter hardens when cold, making your cake balls much easier to work with.
Keep your cake pops in the fridge for at least an hour or overnight. Take them out immediately before dipping.
Pro Tip: Dip 1/2″ of the stick in melted almond bark before inserting into the bottom of your cold cake pop. This will act as a glue when you dip your cake pop fully.
I hope this article has answered all of your cake pop making questions. If you would like more information, check out my article A Deep Dive into How to Make Cake Pops, or comment below!
Happy Baking!
Vanilla Cake Pops
Equipment
- electric mixer
- small saucepan
- large, shallow mixing bowl
- coffee mug
- 1 ½ Tablespoon-sized cookie scoop recommended
- 48 6" treat sticks
- 48 treat bags and ties optional
- foam block for cake pop stand optional, but highly recommended
Ingredients
Vanilla Cake
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (250 grams)
- 1 ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 4 eggs, room temperature
- 2 cups granulated sugar (397 grams)
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla
- ⅛ teaspoon almond extract
- 1 cup milk (227 grams)
- 4 Tablespoons butter cut into pats
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil (67 grams)
Frosting
- ½ cup butter, softened (1 stick)
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1 Tablespoon milk (adjust as needed for consistency)
- sprinkles optional
Coating
- 20 ounces almond bark, divided
- 2 ½ Tablespoons shortening, divided (30 grams)
- sprinkles
Instructions
Cake
- Preheat oven to 325°F. Grease bottom of 9"x13" pan with magic cake release. Alternatively, grease and flour bottom of pan.
- In a medium bowl, whisk flour, salt and baking powder.
- In bowl of an electric mixer, beat eggs and sugar on high speed until thick and light gold, about 5 minutes.
- Add flour mixture a bit at a time and mix on low speed.
- In small saucepan over medium heat, bring milk to a simmer. Remove from heat. Add butter and oil. Stir until melted. Add vanilla and almond extract. Stir.
- With mixer running on lowest speed, drizzle hot milk mixture into batter until all is incorporated.
- Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 325°F for 45-48 minutes or until top is golden and toothpick inserted near center comes out clean.
- Allow to cool at least 1 hour before cutting cake into large pieces and removing to a large, shallow mixing bowl.
- Allow cake to cool completely before mixing with frosting.
Frosting:
- In electric mixer, beat butter until pale golden and fluffy.
- Add powdered sugar and stir in on low speed. Add vanilla and milk. Mix.
- Beat frosting on medium-high speed for at least 2-3 minutes. If needed, add a bit more milk.
Cake Pop Filling
- Once cake has cooled completely, break up pieces using 2 knives or your hands to the texture of coarse crumbs. Remove any hard pieces.
- Add frosting, half at a time, mixing with electric mixer after each addition. Filling should be about the texture of play-doh.
- Using a 1 1/2-Tablespoon sized cookie scoop, portion out filling. (Each portion should weight about 30 grams.) Using your hands, roll into a ball. Place on wax-paper-lined baking sheet or container.
- Place cake balls in fridge until cool and firm, about 1 hour. Or rest overnight.
Coating
- Place small amount of almond bark (about ½ an ounce to 1 ounce) in a small, microwave-safe bowl. Heat in 10 second intervals until melted.
- Dip about ¼-½" of end of pop stick in melted almond bark. Insert stick into flat end (bottom) of cake ball, being careful not to pierce through the top.
- Place pop-side up in cake-pop stand. Repeat until all sticks and cake balls are paired.
- Place 10 ounces almond bark and heaping Tablespoon shortening (15 grams) in a small, microwave-safe bowl. Microwave according to package directions, stopping frequently to stir when almond bark starts to melt. The heat from the melted portions will continue to warm and melt the solid portions. Do NOT overheat! Stir thoroughly to mix melted shortening and almond bark.
- Pour almond bark into coffee mug.
- Dip each cake pop into melted almond bark, submerging fully. Hold cake pop upside down over coffee mug until stream of almond bark thins out. Slowly rotate cake pop and turn right-side up.
- Sprinkle ½ teaspoon sprinkles over each pop while coating is still warm. Rotate pop to keep coating from dripping until the coating is close to hardening and losing its sheen.
- Place cake pop back in cake-pop stand. Repeat with remaining cake pops.
- If cake pops become too warm, place them back in the fridge to chill. If almond bark cools, reheat in microwave until warm and runny.
Packaging
- Once almond bark has hardened, cover each cake pop with treat bag and tie bottom to close.
- Store in fridge for up to 7 days. Remove from fridge 30 minutes before serving.
Notes
- To get your eggs to room temperature: submerge in hot tap water for 5 minutes.
- Almond bark may also be sold under the name vanilla-flavored candy coating, candy melts, melting wafers.
- Don’t have almond flavoring? You can leave it out for a vanilla only cake.
- To bake half recipe: Pour batter into prepared 9″ round cake pan. Bake 325°F for 26-30 minutes.
- For an easy swap, use a cake mix instead of this from scratch recipe. I do not recommend swapping for store-bough frosting, however.
- See above for how to make a Homemade Cake Pop Stand (in body of article).
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