Description
These Birthday Cake Pops are a fun and delightful treat, combining moist yellow cake with creamy buttercream frosting, all covered in smooth white or milk chocolate and decorated with colorful sprinkles. Perfect for parties or celebrations, these cake pops are easy to make and fun to customize.
Ingredients
Scale
Cake
- 1 box (15.25 ounces) yellow cake mix
- 1 cup water
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
- 3 large eggs
Buttercream Frosting
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
Decoration
- 6 ounces white chocolate candy melts
- 6 ounces milk chocolate candy melts
- Assorted sprinkles
- Lollipop sticks
- Styrofoam block for display
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9×13 inch baking pan to prevent the cake from sticking.
- Mix Cake Batter: In a large bowl, combine the yellow cake mix, water, vegetable oil, and eggs. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes until the batter is smooth and well blended.
- Bake Cake: Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 25-30 minutes. Test doneness by inserting a wooden skewer into the center; it should come out clean.
- Cool Cake: Allow the cake to cool completely in the pan before proceeding to make the frosting.
- Make Buttercream Frosting: Beat the softened unsalted butter until light and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes. Gradually add powdered sugar one cup at a time, mixing well after each addition.
- Add Milk and Vanilla: Stir in the milk and vanilla extract, beating until the frosting is smooth and creamy. Adjust the consistency with additional milk or powdered sugar as needed.
- Season Frosting: Add a pinch of salt to balance the sweetness and blend thoroughly.
- Crumble Cake: Crumble the cooled cake into a large bowl until it has a fine, even texture.
- Combine Cake and Frosting: Add the prepared frosting to the crumbled cake and mix until evenly combined. If the mixture feels too dry, add a tablespoon of milk at a time until it holds together well.
- Chill Mixture: Refrigerate the combined cake and frosting mixture for at least 30 minutes to make it easier to handle.
- Shape Cake Pops: Roll the chilled mixture into 1-inch balls, using a cookie scoop if desired, and place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Freeze Cake Pops: Freeze the shaped cake balls for at least 30 minutes to firm up.
- Melt White Chocolate: Melt the white chocolate candy melts according to package directions, typically in short bursts in the microwave or using a double boiler.
- Insert Sticks: Insert a lollipop stick halfway into each frozen cake ball, ensuring they are secure.
- Dip in White Chocolate: Dip each cake pop into the melted white chocolate, tapping off any excess coating gently.
- Decorate: Immediately sprinkle the dipped cake pops with assorted sprinkles before the chocolate sets.
- Let Chocolate Set: Place the decorated cake pops on parchment paper and allow the chocolate coating to set, about 30 minutes.
- Repeat with Milk Chocolate: Optionally, melt the milk chocolate candy melts and repeat the dipping and decorating process with different sprinkles for variety.
- Display Cake Pops: Insert the cake pops into a Styrofoam block for easy and attractive display.
- Optional Decoration: Add a ribbon or decorative paper around the sticks to enhance presentation.
Notes
- For best results, make sure the cake is completely cooled before mixing with frosting.
- Refrigerating the cake-frosting mixture makes it easier to roll into balls without crumbling.
- Use a cookie scoop to achieve uniform cake pops for even sized treats.
- Freezing the cake balls before dipping helps the coating adhere and prevents them from falling apart.
- Store cake pops in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- You can use different candy melts colors and sprinkles to customize for themes or occasions.
