Name: Starbucks Cake Pop Recipe (Easy Copycat)
Prep time: 1 h
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 1 h 40 min
Yield: 15
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 box vanilla cake mix; 1/3 cup french vanilla frosting; 1 bag light pink candy melts, 12oz; white sprinkles

Jump to Recipe

This Starbucks Cake Pop Recipe is such an easy recipe made with simple ingredients. The combination of vanilla cake mix, frosting, and melted candy, these come together for a fraction of the price of the real Starbucks vanilla cake pops.

Let’s be real—Starbucks cake pops are adorable, delicious, and borderline addictive. But dropping a few bucks for a single pop every time you get your caffeine fix? That adds up.

Lucky for you, I’ve cracked the code to making these little bites of joy at home, and spoiler alert: it’s easier than you think.

This DIY Starbucks Cake Pop Recipe is everything you love about the originals—soft, sweet cake centers, a candy-coated shell, and just enough sprinkles to make you feel fancy.

The best part? You can make an entire batch for the price of a single coffee shop trip. Plus, customizing the color and sprinkles is basically free therapy.

So, grab your mixing bowls because we’re about to roll, dip, and sprinkle our way to cake pop perfection. These pops are perfect for parties, baby showers, or just treating yourself because you deserve it. Let’s get started!

If you like Starbucks recipes you may also enjoy my Copycat Cinnamon Dolce Latte Recipe or my Copycat Starbucks Egg White Bites.

Table of Contents

WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS COPYCAT STARBUCKS CAKE POP RECIPE

Just Like the Original Bite-Sized Treats: These cake pops have that same soft, moist center and perfectly smooth candy coating you know and love from Starbucks.
Budget-Friendly: Make an entire batch for the price of just a few store-bought pops. Who doesn’t love a copycat recipe that’s delicious and cost-effective?
Customizable Fun: Switch up the colors, sprinkles, or even cake flavor to fit any occasion—birthdays, holidays, or “just because” days.
Super Easy: With simple ingredients and easy-to-follow steps, this recipe is perfect for bakers of all skill levels.
Perfect for Sharing: These adorable pops are the ultimate birthday party treat, edible gift, or sweet surprise to brighten someone’s day.
Kid-Approved: Little helpers will love rolling, dipping, and decorating these cake pops—bonus points for keeping them busy!
Make Ahead Magic: Prep them in advance, and you’re ready to impress at a moment’s notice.

STARBUCKS BIRTHDAY CAKE POPS INGREDIENTS

You will need the following handful of ingredients listed below to make these homemade starbucks cake pops (the exact measurements, nutritional information, easy steps, and full recipe are in the recipe card at the bottom of this post):

Vanilla boxed cake mix of choice – using a standard box cake mix is an easy way to save yourself tons of time in the kitchen, I used Betty Crocker Vanilla. You could also use a gluten free cake mix if you needed these to be gluten free.
Frosting of choice – used Betty Crocker French Vanilla Frosting. A regular vanilla frosting would also be great.
Pink candy melts – you can also use white chocolate melts however they will not look exactly like the Starbucks version without the pink color. The candy melts act as the candy coating and make everything look
White sprinkles
Lollipop stick – aka cake pop sticks

HOW TO MAKE THE STARBUCKS COPYCAT BIRTHDAY CAKE POP

Start by preparing your cake by packaged directions. Beat cake mix, water, vegetable oil, and eggs in a large mixing bowl.

Pour the batter into a greased 9×13-inch baking dish or two 8×8-inch round cake dishes and bake in a 350 degree F oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Let the cake cool completely, then crumble it with a fork in a large bowl or in the baking dish. Stir the frosting into the crumbled cake, cover with plastic wrap, and freeze until chilled.

Use a cookie scoop and your hands to roll the mixture into evenly sized balls and place on cookie sheet. You want to try make them all a consistent size – aim for the size of a ping pong ball.

Freeze again until balls are hard.

It’s easier to roll the cake & frosting mixture into perfectly round balls if it’s cold. The cake & frosting mixture is super moist, and at room temperature it makes it extremely difficult to shape them perfectly.

Once they have been frozen, I give them another little roll to smooth out the sides. Then place on a baking sheet.

Melt candy melts in the microwave or in a double boiler. Dip the lollipop sticks into the pink chocolate, then stick into one of the cake balls.

Do this with all of them and put back in freezer till they are solidified.

Gently dip the balls into the melted chocolate or spoon the chocolate onto balls and twirl to coat, letting the excess chocolate drizzle off onto parchment paper. Decorate with sprinkles if desired.

Place them upright in a styrofoam block, or a cardboard box to harden. There you have it, you have easy cake pops!

OTHER CAKE POP FLAVOUR COMBINATIONS YOU COULD TRY

Red velvet cake pops – using red velvet cake and cream cheese frosting.
Birthday cake pops – adding a splash of vanilla extract and using funfetti cake mix. My 3 Ingredient Funfetti Cake Pops (using a box of cake mix) are a huge hit on the blog!
Cookie dough cake pops
Chocolate cake pops – you can make the starbucks chocolate cake pops by using chocolate cake mix and chocolate candy melts.
Peppermint chocolate cake pops – using chocolate boxed cake mix, peppermint frosting and melted chocolate coating.

These are the perfect recipe to bring to a baby shower, birthday parties, or any celebration where you want to impress your guests! Homemade cake pops ALWAYS “wow” guests, trust me.

It’s a game changer, and will save you so much time! Not to mention you will make perfect cake pops every time.

The best part about making cake pops is you can use leftover cake crumbs, and mix it in with a small amount of icing and they come out great! You can also customize them but using a gluten free cake mix to make gluten free cake pops.

DIY STARBUCKS CAKE POP TIPS

Make sure your cake pops are cold enough before adding the frosting! If they are not cold enough they will change their shape and start to melt once you start trying to frost.

Make fine cake crumbs by using a fork and taking your time, ensuring there are no large chunks. This will make them harder to shape.

Expert tip – use just as much frosting inside the cake pop as you need, no extra. Typically the more frosting the better on traditional cakes, at least in my opinion, but in cake pops this is not the case.

If you add too much they may become too mushy and much too sweet!

Cut off the crispy edges of the cake. These edges will be more likely for the cake pops to fall apart.

If your cake is very moist, use less frosting than you normally would with a regular cake mixture.

Don’t remove all the cake balls from the freezer at once. Take a little bit out at a time so they are easier to work with.

STORING THIS EASY CAKE POP RECIPE

The best way to store pre made cake pops is to place them in an airtight container with a paper towel lining the bottom of the container. They will stay fresh for a couple days on the counter, but for best results I recommend storing them in the refrigerator.

FAQS

HOW DO I GET THE CANDY MELTS TO A NICE SMOOTH CONSISTENCY?

If your candy melts are too thick, stir in 1–2 teaspoons of vegetable oil or coconut oil to thin it out. This makes dipping the cake pops much easier.

HOW DO I PREVENT THE CAKE BALLS FROM FALLING OFF THE STICKS?

Make sure the cake balls are thoroughly chilled before dipping, and don’t skip the step of freezing them with the sticks already inserted.

WHAT IF I DON’T HAVE A STYROFOAM BLOCK FOR THIS STARBUCKS CAKE POP RECIPE?

No problem! Poke holes in a cardboard box or use an upside-down colander to hold the cake pops upright while they set.

HOW DO I ROLL THE CAKE BALLS EVENLY?

Use the palm of your hands to roll the mixture into smooth, evenly sized balls. For consistent sizing, scoop the mixture with a small cookie scoop before rolling.

CAN I FREEZE LEFTOVER COPYCAT STARBUCKS CAKE POPS RECIPE?

Yes! Place them in a freezer-safe container and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.

WHAT’S THE BEST WAY TO AVOID CRACKS IN THE COATING FOR EACH PINK BIRTHDAY CAKE POP?

Let the cake pops sit at room temperature for a few minutes after freezing. This avoids drastic temperature changes when dipping into the warm coating.

Other Delicious Sweets Treats You May Want To Try!

Yield: 15 servings

Starbucks Cake Pop Recipe (Easy Copycat)

Prep Time 1 hour

Cook Time 40 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 40 minutes

Ingredients

1 box vanilla cake mix
1/3 cup french vanilla frosting
1 bag light pink candy melts, 12oz
white sprinkles

Instructions

Start by preparing your cake by packaged directions. Beat cake mix, water, oil, and eggs in a bowl. Pour the batter into a greased 9x13-inch baking dish or two 8x8-inch round cake dishes and bake in a 350 degree F oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Let the cake cool completely, then crumble it with a fork in a large bowl or in the baking dish. Stir the frosting into the crumbled cake, cover, and freeze until chilled.
Use your hands to roll the mixture into evenly sized balls. Freeze again until balls are hard. It’s easier to roll the cake & frosting mixture into perfectly round balls if it’s cold. The cake & frosting mixture is super moist, and at room temperature it makes it extremely difficult to shape them perfectly. Once they have been frozen, I give them another little roll to smooth out the sides. Then place on a baking sheet.
Melt candy melts in the microwave or in a double boiler. Dip each lollipop stick into the pink chocolate, then stick into one of the cake pop balls. Do this with all of them and put back in freezer till they are solidified.
Gently dip the balls into the melted candy melts or spoon it onto balls and twirl to coat. Decorate with sprinkles if desired. Place them upright in a styrofoam block, or a box to harden. There you have it, you have easy cake pops!

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

Serving Size:

1 grams
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 246Total Fat: 2gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 274mgCarbohydrates: 55gFiber: 0gSugar: 33gProtein: 1g

The nutrition information provided is calculated based on industry-standard software and should be used as a general guide only. The information may vary depending on ingredient substitutions, cooking techniques, and individual serving sizes. It is the responsibility of the reader to ensure the accuracy and appropriateness of the nutritional information provided. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider for personalized medical or nutritional advice.

IF YOU TRIED THIS STARBUCKS CAKE POP RECIPE PLEASE LEAVE IT A COMMENT AND STAR RATING. I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOUR CREATIONS! YOU CAN PIN THIS CAKE POP BALLS RECIPE ON PINTEREST OR SHARE ON INSTAGRAM BY TAGGING @basicswithbails and #basicswithbails

4 Comments

Lauren MacMillan says:

at

looks delicious

Regina says:

at

Made these with my kids and quickly became cool mom 😎 so much fun to make, quick and uncomplicated and easily tweaked to fit every holiday 😁 love this one

Jen says:

at

Super fun to make, and my 7 year old had a blast making them. You can get pretty creative and it’s quite tasty!