Starbucks Cake Pop Recipe (Easy Homemade Copycat)

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 cost of the real Starbucks vanilla cake pops.

Starbucks cake pops are a popular dessert item that has taken the world by storm. These little balls of cake on a stick are easy to eat, delicious and visually appealing.

This copycat recipe is the perfect treat and a great way to impress your guests or kids! They are amazing for curbing a sweet tooth and come together so easily with baked vanilla cake mix.

They can be enjoyed on their own or paired with a cup of coffee or tea. If you are a fan of Starbucks cake pops and would like to try making them at home, then you have come to the right place!

This blog post will take you through the process of making your very own Starbucks cake pops. The next time you need a fun party dessert, you’ve got yourself covered.

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

STARBUCKS BIRTHDAY CAKE POPS INGREDIENTS

You will need the following ingredients listed below to make these homemade starbucks cake pops (the exact measurements 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

HOW TO MAKE THE COPYCAT STARBUCKS CAKE POPS RECIPE

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 perfect 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 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.

HOW TO STORE 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.

And there you have it! Your very own Starbucks cake pops. This recipe is simple and easy to follow, and the end result is a delicious and visually appealing dessert.

You can customize the cake pops to your liking by using different cake flavors, frosting colors, and toppings.

In conclusion, if you are looking for a fun and delicious dessert to make at home, give this Starbucks cake pop recipe a try. They are a great treat to enjoy with friends and family and are sure to be a hit at any gathering.

Happy baking!

Other Delicious Sweets Treats You May Want To Try!

• Perfect Bar Recipe
• The Best Gluten Free Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins
• Biscoff Cheesecake
• Keto Chocolate Chip Almond Butter Cookies
• The Best Healthy Protein Cookie Dough Recipe

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 RECIPE ON PINTEREST OR SHARE ON INSTAGRAM BY TAGGING @basicswithbails and #basicswithbails