Learn how to make homemade cake pops completely from scratch, with no box cake mix or canned frosting. Combine homemade vanilla cake and vanilla buttercream and dip in white chocolate for a sweet treat kids (and adults, too!) always go crazy for. Watch the video tutorial for all my best shaping tips.
See my chocolate cake pops recipe, too.
I originally published this recipe in 2015 and have since added new photos and a video.
Have you ever seen a child peering into the food display case at Starbucks? I’m not an expert, but I’m willing to bet that 9 times out of 10, the child will ask for a cake pop. This is definitely the case with my own kids, anyway! There’s just something so irresistible about those Starbucks cake pops—a perfectly portioned treat on a stick in eye-catching colors and shapes, topped with sprinkles. It’s hard to say no to something this tempting!
I first began making homemade cake pops when I wrote Sally’s Candy Addiction. In fact, this recipe is published in that book. I wanted to share it on my website as well because I’ve received lots of questions about making from-scratch cake pops.
One reader, Debby, commented: “Made 160 vanilla and chocolate cake pops for my daughter’s graduation party! They turned out great! Many asked where we had purchased them. They looked amazing and tasted awesome, too! Thanks, Sally, for your rolling advice, tips, and techniques. It was nice that you could prepare them ahead of time and freeze them. ★★★★★”
One reader, Luisa, commented: “My first time making cake pops and they were perfect! My kids and their friends loved them. This recipe is going to be a staple in our house for special occasions. ★★★★★”
Taste the Homemade
The difference between these cake pops and others you may have tried is that these are 100% homemade. There’s no box cake mix or canned frosting, which results in a totally unique cake pop experience. You can actually TASTE the homemade.
Today I’ll go over all my tips, tricks, and secrets to crafting the perfect pop as well as the homemade vanilla cake and vanilla buttercream used inside. There’s lots of ground to cover so let’s pop right to it. (Couldn’t help myself!)
How to Make Homemade Cake Pops
Since we’re leaving the box cake mix and canned frosting on the store shelves, we’ll need to take extra time to prep both from scratch. Here’s an overview of the process:
- Make a 1-layer vanilla cake and let cool.
- Make vanilla buttercream frosting.
- Crumble cake into frosting and mix.
- Roll the mixture into balls.
- Dip in melted chocolate.
- Top with sprinkles and let dry.
- EAT!
Make-Ahead Tip: You can make the cake in advance, because it needs to cool completely before you crumble it into the frosting. I always make the cake the night before, then finish the cake pops the next day.
My recipe for vanilla cake is very straightforward. It’s basically a scaled-down version of my favorite vanilla layer cake. I encourage you to use the correct size pan for the cake. This cake is too large for a typical 9-inch cake pan. You’ll need to use a 9-inch springform pan because it rises quite high. Or you can use an 11×7-inch pan instead. A 10-inch springform pan would work as well.
Besides lollipop sticks, a mixer, and the correct size pan, you don’t really need much else to get started!
Then make the vanilla frosting. The difference between this and frosting out of a container is the TASTE; you can tell these cake pops are special and it’s because you started with from-scratch components. This frosting recipe yields *just enough* to barely moisten the cake crumbs. Any more than that and the cake pops would be greasy.
Now it’s time to crumble the cake and mix with your frosting.
(Crumbling the cake into the frosting sounds super weird when you think about it and that’s exactly what cake pops are—super weird when you think about it. It’s cake and frosting mixed together to form a truffle-like ball. Pop a stick in it and dunk into coating. Yep, it’s weirdly delicious and awesome and you need to embrace it.)
Once the two are mixed together, it’s time to roll the mixture into balls.
3 Success Tips for Shaping & Dipping Cake Pops
Success Tip #1: It’s easier to roll the cake + frosting mixture into perfectly round balls if it’s cold. So what I do is roll the balls right after the two are mixed together. They’re pretty misshapen because the cake + frosting mixture is super moist—and at room temperature. Chill the balls in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours. After that, give them another quick roll to smooth out the sides. When they’re cold, they’re easier to smooth out and form perfectly round shapes.
Now let’s dunk! You can dip the cake balls in melted white chocolate, which is what I prefer for the best taste, but that stuff is pretty expensive. And you need a good amount for all 40 cake pops! If desired, you can use candy melts/candy coating instead.
- A 2-cup glass liquid measuring cup is the perfect depth for dipping the cake pops.
- You can used colored candy melts or tint the white chocolate with gel food coloring.
Success Tip #2: To ensure the cake ball stays secure on the lollipop stick, dip one end of the stick into the coating first (just about 1/2 inch down). Then insert the coated end into the center of the cake ball. This helps the cake ball adhere to the lollipop stick.
Success Tip #3: The best way to allow the coating to dry and set—without ruining the perfectly round cake pop—is to place them right-side-up in a large styrofoam block or even a box. I used a box, as pictured below, for this batch. I just poked little holes into it.
Easy and cheap:
If you’re topping with sprinkles (always recommended!), add them now before the chocolate sets. I used rainbow sprinkles on the white chocolate and white sprinkles on the light pink-tinted white chocolate (like Starbucks!).
Cake pops dry/set within an hour or so.
Cake Pop FAQs
Cake pops are an ideal celebration-worthy treat to make ahead of time because they freeze beautifully. I simply freeze them in a large zip-top freezer bag or freezer-safe container after they’ve fully dried. They can stay in the freezer for up to 6 weeks, then thaw them overnight in the fridge.
Tinting the coating brings a fun POP of color! I usually stick to just white + one other color. Again, you can use colored candy melts for the coating or you can tint the white chocolate with gel food coloring. Then of course you can mix up what sprinkles you use!
Check out my recipe for chocolate cake pops here. You can also switch up dunking in white or dark chocolate.
If your cake pops have some cracks on them, the melted chocolate could have been too hot. Let the melted chocolate or candy coating sit for 5 minutes to slightly cool down before dunking the cold cake balls into it. That usually helps!
Homemade Cake Pops
- Prep Time: 2 hours
- Cook Time: 36 minutes
- Total Time: 7 hours
- Yield: 40 pops
- Category: Cake Pops
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
Homemade vanilla cake pops with vanilla buttercream from scratch—no cake mix or canned frosting! Follow my thorough instructions, tips, and video tutorial for best results.
Ingredients
- 1 and 2/3 cups (209g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup (8 Tbsp; 113g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup (240ml) whole milk (or buttermilk)
Frosting
- 7 Tablespoons (99g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 and 3/4 cups (210g) confectioners’ sugar
- 2–3 teaspoons heavy cream or whole milk
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Coating
- 24 ounces (678g) candy melts (or white chocolate bars)*
- sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease a 9-inch springform pan.
- Make the cake: Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a medium bowl. Set aside. Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment, beat the butter and sugar together in a large bowl until creamed, about 3 minutes. (Here’s a helpful tutorial if you need guidance on how to cream butter and sugar.) Add the egg and vanilla extract and beat on high speed until combined. Scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl as needed.
- Add the dry ingredients and milk to the bowl with the wet ingredients and mix on low speed until combined. Give the thick batter a quick stir with a spatula to ensure there are no large lumps at the bottom of the bowl. Pour and spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan. Bake for 30–36 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. If the top begins browning too quickly in the oven, loosely tent with a piece of aluminum foil.
- Allow the cake to cool completely in the pan set on a wire rack.
- Make the frosting: With a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy, about 2 minutes. Add confectioners’ sugar, heavy cream, and vanilla extract and mix on low speed to combine. Increase to high speed and beat for 3 full minutes.
- Crumble the cooled cake into the bowl on top of the frosting. Make sure there are no large lumps. Turn the mixer on low speed and beat the frosting and cake crumbles together until combined.
- Scoop 1 Tablespoon (about 20g) of cake/frosting mixture and roll into a ball. Place balls on a lined baking sheet. Refrigerate for 2 hours, or freeze for 1 hour to set the shape. Re-roll the chilled cake pop balls to smooth out, if needed. Place the tray back into the fridge, as you’ll only work with a couple at a time.
- Melt the chocolate or candy melts in a 2-cup liquid measuring cup (best for dunking!) in the microwave in 20-second increments, stirring after each increment, until melted and smooth. You can also use a double boiler on the stove, if you prefer.
- Coat the cake balls: Remove just 2 or 3 cake balls from the refrigerator at a time. Dip the end of a lollipop stick about 1/2 inch into the coating, then insert the coated end into the center of the cake ball. Only push it about halfway through the cake ball. Dip the cake ball into the coating until it is completely covered. Make sure the coating covers the base of the cake ball where it meets the lollipop stick. Very gently tap the stick against the edge of the measuring cup to allow excess coating to drip off. Decorate the top with sprinkles and place upright into a styrofoam block or box (as explained in the blog post). Repeat with remaining cake balls, working with just a few out of the refrigerator at a time. The cake balls must be very cold when dipping!
- Coating will set within an hour. Store cake pops in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Notes
- Make Ahead Instructions: I always make the cake 1 day ahead of time. Cover and keep at room temperature. You can store the undipped cake balls in the refrigerator for up to 2 days or freeze them for up to 6 weeks. Allow to thaw in the refrigerator, then continue with step 9. You can also freeze the finished cake pops for up to 6 weeks once the coating has fully set. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): 9-inch Springform Pan (a 10-inch springform pan or 11×7-inch pan will work, too) | Glass Mixing Bowl | Whisk | Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Cooling Rack | Baking Sheet | Silicone Baking Mat or Parchment Paper | Glass Measuring Cup | Lollipop Sticks | Americolor Food Coloring
- Coating: You can use candy coating/candy melts, or chopped white chocolate. I typically use Ghirardelli brand white chocolate melting wafers. Semi-sweet, bittersweet, or milk chocolate baking bars work, too. Coarsely chop the chocolate and place it in a microwave-safe bowl or glass liquid measuring cup, along with 1/2 teaspoon vegetable oil to help thin it out. Microwave in 20-second increments, stirring after each 20 seconds, until melted and smooth. Keep warm over a double boiler.
Reader Comments and Reviews
Love this recipe! They came out perfectly.
As prepared the cake when mixed with the frosting was way too sweet and wet. I made a 2nd cake, reducing the sugar by 2/3 C and increasing the flour by 2/3C. Then I mixed that in with the first cake and frosting. They were exactly as I wanted – not overly sweet. My first time making cake pops. Adults and kids loved them. Thanks!
Texture was okay, but this was just too sweet. I would maybe cut down on the sugar.
Can I half the recipe?
Hi Janet, you can cut the recipe in half and bake it in a 6 inch round pan or even a loaf pan. The baking time would be shorter but we’re unsure of exactly how long it will take (same oven temperature).
I made these as cake balls for a welcome-back party, and I gotta say, they were amazing! The kids went ham on them, and begged me to make more next time. Although they came out a bit too sweet for my taste, and mine were a bit too moist, they were wonderful!
I’m trying to use up a couple of cakes in my freezer (used a Sally recipe of course!). Do you have weight measurements or even a ratio of cake to frosting?
Hi Gina, I really don’t. I would start with a small amount of frosting (such as 1/2 cup) until you get a moist mixture that’s easily moldable for making the cake balls.
Why does the chocolate crack when I dip the cake pops?
Hi Steph, the coating is cracking because it’s so warm and the pop is so cold. If you keep the shaped cake pops a little warmer– aka don’t put in the freezer or refrigerator for so long before dipping– the coating won’t crack. OR make sure that the coating isn’t too hot. Hope this helps!
this looks delicious, and I plan to make it for a welcome-back party. However, I have a couple of questions before I make this recipe:
How many hours do you recommend I make this before the party?
Also, is it okay to make these as cake balls? What do you recommend I use to dip them instead of the sticks?
And, is it okay if I melt regular chocolate ( milk chocolate/dark chocolate ) and use it as a substitute for the coating?
sorry for the multitude of questions, but this is a new recipe to me and I don’t want to mess up.
Hi Mika, happy to help! This recipe takes about 6-7 hours total from start to finish, so work back from there to determine when is best to make for your party. There are also make ahead instructions in the recipe notes if you’d like to get a head start. You can absolutely make them as cake balls, simply use forks or a truffle dipping tool (like the one we use in this video tutorial) to coat. You can also use milk chocolate or dark chocolate to coat, just make sure to read the recipe notes on this as well. We recommend pure baking chocolate or candy melts — not chocolate chips. Happy baking!
Loved these! They worked so great! Any hints on if we want to make them red velvet flavor??
Hi Sonam, we have not used our red velvet cake to make cake pops, but other readers have told us they used it with success! If you use cream cheese frosting just keep in mind that it should be stored in the refrigerator. Would love to hear how they go!
Do you really need that many candy melts? I have seen other recipes that only need 24 oz for this many cake pops.
Hi Hatie, you can certainly use less if you want but it’s easier to fully dunk the pops when you have plenty of melted candy melts/chocolate to work with.
Hi Sally,
I’d like to make some red velvet cake balls for Valentine’s Day! Do you have any suggestions for altering your red velvet cake recipe to get the correct cake/frosting ratio for cake pops? Thanks!
Hi Rebecca, we have not used our red velvet cake to make cake pops, but other readers have told us they used it with success! If you use cream cheese frosting just keep in mind that it should be stored in the refrigerator. Would love to hear how they go!
I followed the recipe but these were greasy, odd texture and tasted awful. Wish i knew what everyone else did so different! So bummed 🙁
Love these! So fun to make! I used 3 Ghirardelli white chocolate bars and 2 bags of Ghirardelli white baking chips. DELICIOUS! Not as rich as all white chocolate and just as yummy!
I was wondering how long they’re good for once dipped?
Hi Ruby, you can store the finished cake pops in the refrigerator for up to a week, or freeze for up to 6 weeks.
Hi Sally,
I have a q. I’m super excited to try cake pops for the first time but am coming across conflicting tips. Your website says the cake pops must be very cold when dipping but other websites mention that the cake pop shell cracks if there is too much of a temperature difference between the cake pop (too cold) and candy melt/almond bark (too hot).
Help please!
Hi Julia, cracking can happen when the cold cake ball meets the hot chocolate. Our solution is to allow the chocolate to cool down for several minutes before you dunk. This worked for us! Would love to hear how they go for you.
My children have milk allergies, so I made your recipe with dairy-free substitutes(Earth Balance buttery spread and Planet Oat Oatmilk). I also ordered King David’s white chocolate(dairy-free). Oh my word! These are amazing!!! We also made your chocolate ones and used EnjoyLife chocolate chips. These are hands-down the best I’ve ever had!!! Thank you for your details and awesome recipes!!! This needs national recognition!!!
Tasted Amazing!
Hi! A couple questions:
Can I double this recipe and bake the cake in a 9”x13”?
Can I use a cream cheese frosting (same proportion) or add cream cheese to the frosting?
I also plan to add chopped dried cranberries and pistachio when mixing – will this throw things off too much?
Hi Kate, my apologies– I’m just seeing your comment/question now. I don’t recommend this cake as a 9×13 cake. Instead, you’ll enjoy my white cake recipe. See the recipe notes for a 9×13 inch pan. You could add chopped cranberries and pistachios. I imagine they’d be tasty in a cake pop, but I haven’t tested it. If you use cream cheese frosting, go light– you really don’t need much for making cake pops.
My family LOVES these! Now they ask for cake pops instead of a traditional cake for birthdays. Well this year my son is turning 4 and wants strawberry cake pops. would i use strawberry extract instead of vanilla and maybe add some strawberries into in mix or what? can i modify this recipe to make it strawberry?
Hello! If I wan to make them funfetti and add sprinkles, should I add it to the cake batter or the frosting before assembling them into ball form?
Thank you!
Hi Hillary, You can either add sprinkles to the cake batter or work them into the frosting/cake crumb mixture. Either way would work just fine!
Unreal recipe . Absolutely loved it.
I used chocolate chips and just normal chocolate which worked perfectly, you just need to add 1tsp of oil and works lovely when you melt it over a stove!
Mine turned out amazing!! I’ve tried to make cake pops before and I have tried over and over to dip things in chocolate with no success, except this time! I’m so happy, the missing ingredient was the vegetable oil! I had tried coconut oil, and lard in the melting chocolate but it never worked right. Thank you so much for this recipe, life changing for all my treats!!
Love the recipe by the way! Is there any way to make the recipe less? like half the amount it would usually make? Thank you in advance!
Hi Madison, You can cut the recipe in half and bake it in a 6 inch round pan or even a loaf pan. The baking time would be shorter but I’m unsure of exactly how long it will take (same oven temperature).
Hi sally I love your recipes! You’re my go to for everything. I made these last year and they are amazing one isssue I had was the coating kept cracking. Also as someone mentioned before the candy melts took so much effort to melt on stove top(I do not own a microwave) is there any tips for the cracking and the melting on the stove? Making them for my daughters birthday tomorrow
Hi, is there a way I could make the cake pop balls at night and then coat them in the morning?
Absolutely! You can store the undipped cake balls in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. See the make ahead directions in the recipe notes for details.
Hello! Can I use powdered food coloring for tinting the coating? And please can you recommend a good white chocolate to use?
Thanks!
Hi Twinkles, powdered food coloring should be fine. I like using Bakers or Ghirardelli brand pure white baking chocolate as the coating.
Hi Sally,
Can I use swiss meringue frosting instead of a buttercream?
Best,
Theo
Hi Theo, We haven’t tested these with Swiss Meringue Buttercream but I don’t see why it wouldn’t work. Let us know if you try them!
I want to make these for my friends daughters b-day but she’s lactose intolerant. If I wanted to use a milk substitute which type would you suggest? Almond, coconut, oat or lactaid milk?
Hi Shelby, You can use any unsweetened nondairy milk you have on hand. Just keep in mind the lower the fat, the less “rich” the baked good will taste.
Thank you for this amazing recipe! This was first time I made cake pops! My family and I enjoyed them! They were delicious!
Hi Sally,
Does the cake need to be on the drier side so when the frosting is added they aren’t too wet or is it fine to use any homemade vanilla cake recipe? I have a favourite cake recipe that uses buttermilk and lots of egg yolks so its really yellow.
Also if the cake tastes sweet will it be too sweet as a cake pop or do you think if the cake is perfect it’ll be perfect as a cake pop?
Thank you!
Hi Ella, You can use your cake recipe, but without knowing exactly how much cake you are using I can’t say a specific about of frosting – but it’s probably less than you think! I recommend adding it slowly to your crumbled cake, you want just enough to barely moisten those cake crumbs.