Chocolate Cake Pops (2024)

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These chocolate cake pops are made with moist chocolate cake, delicious chocolate frosting, then coated in more chocolate and dipped in sprinkles! These can be made with a box mix or a cake made from scratch, and there are instructions for making it vegan or gluten free!

Chocolate cake pops have got to be one of the cutest desserts ever - there's just something about eating a little piece of cake on a stick, you know?

Cake pops are so great for kids or adults, and you can customize them with fun sprinkles for birthdays, Christmas, Halloween, weddings, or pretty much any event or holiday you can think of! While they are a labour of love, they are so worth it in the end.

Why These Chocolate Cake Pops Work

• These chocolate cake pops are completely from scratch using a delicious, moist, easy chocolate cake recipe, and a delicious fudgy chocolate buttercream frosting.
• This recipe also includes instructions for making the cake pops using a box mix chocolate cake if you're pressed for time!
• These cake pops cake be modified to fit your dietary needs - you can make them dairy free, vegan, gluten free, or using regular dairy ingredients!
• Cake pops are so much fun to make with kids, or to serve for parties and special events.

Ingredients Needed

• Milk: You can use any kind of milk you'd like. If making dairy free or vegan, use a non-dairy milk alternative like soy milk or oat milk.
• Oil: the chocolate cake for the cake pops cake uses canola oil, but you can also use sunflower oil or other neutral vegetable oil. Oil is also used to thin out the chocolate (if needed), for dipping the cake pops in. For the chocolate coating, melted coconut oil also works.
• Cocoa powder: I recommend usingdutch processed cocoa powderand measuring it with akitchen scale. Over-measuring your cocoa powder can lead to a dry cake.
• Flour: This cake recipe uses all-purpose flour, and the best way to achieve a perfect chocolate cake every time is to properly measure your flour using akitchen scale.

• Butter: You can use regular butter or a vegan/dairy free butter to make the chocolate frosting for the cake pops.
• Chocolate chips or chocolate candy melts: These are used for the chocolate coating that the cake pops are dipped in. You can use either candy melts or chocolate chips, but you may need to thin out the melted chocolate chips with a bit of oil before dipping, as they aren't as thin as the chocolate melts. You can use regular or vegan version of both, or you can even use white chocolate melts.
• Sprinkles: Sprinkles are optional, but they make everything more fun, and cake pops should be fun!

Recipe Modifications

These cake pops are already dairy free, so to make them dairy free, simply use dairy free chocolate chips, and use this dairy free chocolate cake recipe.

To make the cake pops with regular ingredients, simply swap out the ingredients in the chocolate cake recipe with regular dairy ingredients, and do the same for the frosting. You can use any chocolate melts or chocolate chips for the coating.

To make Vegan Chocolate Cake Pops

To make vegan cake pops, use this vegan chocolate cake recipe, and use vegan butter and milk in the buttercream. For the chocolate coating, you can use vegan semisweet chocolate chips, or any vegan chocolate chips you'd like.

To Make Gluten Free Chocolate Cake Pops

To make a gluten free version of these cake pops, simply swap out the chocolate cake for your favorite gluten free chocolate cake from scratch or use a gluten free box mix cake.

Step By Step Instructions

STEP ONE: Begin making the chocolate cake. If using a box mix, follow the instructions on the box to make the cake. If making this recipe from scratch, follow the instructions here. Preheat the oven to 350°F and preparean8 inch round cake pan or 8x8 square baking pan.

STEP TWO: In a large bowl, whisk flour, cocoa powder, salt, sugar, baking soda, and baking powder together. Mix in the egg, vanilla, and oil, then add the milk. Pour in the hot water and whisk until smooth. Bake for 20-26 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean.

STEP THREE: Let the cake cool completely, then make the chocolate frosting. Mix butter and cocoa powder together in a large bowl, then slowly add vanilla extract, powdered sugar, and salt. Add milk if buttercream seems too thick.

STEP FOUR: Break and crumble the cooled chocolate cake into the bowl with the buttercream and use your hands or a standing mixer to mix it all together until the frosting is fully combined.

STEP FIVE: Form the mixture into 1 tablespoon - sized balls and place them on a parchment lined baking sheet. Refrigerate for at least two hours or freeze for about 1 hour.

STEP SIX: Once the cake pops have chilled, melt the chocolate candy melts or chocolate chips in a microwave-safe mug or liquid measuring cup or 30 seconds at a time, stirring in between intervals until melted fully. If using chocolate chips, you may need to thin out the chocolate with a little bit of oil.

STEP SEVEN: Dip the tip of one end of each cake pop stick into the chocolate then gently push it into one of the cake balls, not all the way through but further than halfway. Dip the cake pop into the cup of chocolate and turn it until it's fully coated, letting extra chocolate drip off. Dip in sprinkles if desired and place it in a styrofoam box or a large cup filled with rice or anything that would hold the sticks upright. Allow the chocolate to set for about 30-60 minutes.

Can I use white chocolate to make these cake pops?

Sure! Chocolate cake inside with a white chocolate coating is a delicious combination. You can even make some with white chocolate melts (or white chocolate chips), and some with semi sweet chocolate.

For a vegan version, I like to use these vegan white chocolate chips.

Why are my cake pops falling apart?

These cake pops should be moist, and if they are falling apart they are likely too dry. If you used our dairy free chocolate cake recipe and the cake was dry, you likely over-measured your flour. Regardless of which chocolate cake recipe you used, if it's dry you can make a bit more buttercream if needed, which will add more moisture.

Can I make these cake pops without cake pop sticks?

Sure! If you don't have any lollipop sticks, you can make these as cake balls!

Where can I get cake pop sticks?

I use these lollipop sticks and order them on Amazon, but you can also get them at craft stores like Micheals, or some grocery stores.

Why did my cake pops fall off the stick??

The cake pops will fall off the sticks if either:
a) the melting chocolate is too thick or
b) the cake balls are too big

The cake balls must be no bigger than 1 tablespoon or else they will be too heavy and fall off the sticks!

Expert Tips

• If you are baking the cake from scratch, be sure to properly measure your flour and cocoa powder using akitchen scaleor using theproper scoop and level method. No one likes a dry cake pop!
• The cake balls should be no bigger than one tablespoon or they will be too heavy and fall off of the cake pop sticks.
• Melt the chocolate in a 2 cup glass liquid measuring cup, since they are tall and deep and easies to dip in. Avoid using a shallow bowl or dish since you want to be able to dip the cake pop and submerge it in chocolate.
• I cannot stress this enough - the melting chocolate cannot be thick or it will weigh down the cake pop balls and they'll fall off the stick. If it's thick, thin it out by mixing some oil with the chocolate.
• Tap off any excess chocolate from the cake pops after dipping by tapping the stick lightly on the edge of the cup.

Storage and Freezing Instructions

The chocolate cake pops can be stored covered in the fridge for up to 10 days. You can also make the cake balls ahead of time, store in the fridge for up to 3 days, then dip them in chocolate.

To freeze the cake pops, place in a ziploc freezer bag and freeze for up to 2 months. They can be thawed at room temperature when you're ready to serve them.

MORE RECIPES YOU'LL LOVE

• Cookie Dough Brownie Bars
• Brownie Blondie Bars
• Cookie Dough Bites

If you make this recipe, let me know how it went in the comments below, I’d love to hear from you! You can also tag me onInstagramor Facebook so I can check it out!

The calorie information provided for this recipe is an estimate. The accuracy of the calories listed is not guaranteed.