Description
These homemade Copycat Starbucks Chocolate Cake Pops offer a delightful treat that combines moist chocolate cake mixed with rich chocolate frosting, coated in a smooth candy shell, and decorated with white nonpareils. Perfect for parties or a fun dessert, these cake pops are easy to make and yield 24 delicious bite-sized sweets.
Ingredients
Scale
Chocolate Cake Base
- 1 Chocolate Cake Mix (e.g., Pillsbury)
- Ingredients needed to prepare the cake mix as per box instructions (usually eggs, oil, and water)
Mix-in
- 1 can Chocolate Frosting
Coating and Decoration
- 1 bag Wilton Chocolate Candy Melts
- 1/2 tsp Crisco Shortening
- White Nonpareils for sprinkling
- White sticks for making suckers or candies
Instructions
- Prepare the Cake: Grease a 9 x 13-inch baking dish and prepare the chocolate cake mix according to the package directions. Pour the batter into the dish. Bake the cake at 350°F (175°C) for about 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and allow the cake to cool completely on a wire rack.
- Create Cake Crumbs and Mix: Once the cake is cool, use a fork to break it into fine crumbs, scraping the bottom and sides of the baking dish. Transfer crumbs into a large bowl. Add the entire can of chocolate frosting and mix thoroughly using your hands until you form a well-mixed, gooey cake mixture.
- Form Cake Balls: Lay a large piece of parchment paper on a cookie sheet near the mixing bowl. Roll the cake mixture into 1 1/2-inch balls and place them on the parchment-lined sheet. Continue until all mixture is used.
- Melt the Candy Melts – First Portion: In a microwave-safe bowl, melt about half the chocolate candy melts in 10-second intervals, stirring after each, until smooth.
- Insert Sticks: Dip the white sticks into the melted candy melts, then immediately insert each stick into a cake ball. Repeat until each cake ball has a stick inserted.
- Freeze the Cake Pops: Place the cake pops on the parchment-lined tray in the freezer for 30 minutes to firm and help the sticks adhere.
- Melt Remaining Candy Melts: Remove cake pops from freezer. Melt the remaining candy melts in the microwave until smooth. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon of Crisco shortening to create a smooth, glossy coating.
- Coat and Decorate Cake Pops: Holding the sticks, dip each cake pop into the melted candy melts to fully cover. Place the dipped cake pops upright into a large piece of Styrofoam to set. While wet, sprinkle with white nonpareils for decoration. Repeat for all cake pops.
- Set and Store: Allow the coated cake pops to sit for about 1 hour to let the candy coating harden completely. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for best freshness. Serve and enjoy your homemade chocolate cake pops!
Notes
- Ensure the cake is completely cool before mixing with frosting to prevent melting the frosting.
- Freezing the cake pops with sticks inserted helps the sticks adhere firmly in the cake balls.
- Add Crisco shortening to the melted candy melts for a smoother, shinier coating.
- White sticks can be found in craft or baking supply stores; they help create the classic cake pop shape.
- Store finished cake pops in the refrigerator and consume within 3-4 days for optimal taste and texture.
