I still remember the first time I tasted a Starbucks cake pop. The soft cake inside and that sweet candy coating made me smile right away. But here’s the best part — you can easily make your own Starbucks cake pops at home. Homemade ones taste even better, and you can make them for parties, gifts, or just to enjoy with a cup of coffee. Let’s jump in and make these sweet little treats together.
Table of Contents
Ingredients You’ll Need
You need just a few simple ingredients:
- 1 box classic vanilla cake mix (plus eggs, oil, water as listed)
- 3 tbsp vanilla frosting (store-bought works great)
- 24-36 cake pop sticks or lollipop sticks
- 12 oz pink candy melts (or white almond bark dyed pink)
- White sprinkles for decorating
How to Make Starbucks Cake Pops at Home
Step 1: Bake and Cool the Cake
Start by baking the vanilla cake as the box instructs. Let it cool completely at room temperature. While you wait, sip something warm and breathe in those lovely baking smells.
Step 2: Crumble and Mix with Frosting
Next, remove the cake from the pan. Slice off the brown crust so you have just the soft inside. Crumble the cake into a large bowl using your fingers. Add the frosting and mix until smooth and doughy. This part feels fun — the cake should feel soft and stick together easily.
Step 3: Shape, Chill, and Prepare Sticks
Roll the mixture into 24-36 small cake balls. Place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment. Melt a few candy melts in the microwave, stirring every 30 seconds until smooth. Dip the tip of each stick into the melted candy, then push it halfway into each cake ball. Place the tray in the freezer for 10-15 minutes so the pops firm up well.
Step 4: Dip, Decorate, and Dry
Melt the remaining candy melts. Once smooth, dip each chilled cake pop into the melted candy. Let the extra drip off gently. Quickly sprinkle white sprinkles on top before the coating sets. Place the sticks upright in a styrofoam block so they dry completely.
Variations and Customization Ideas
Change things up based on your mood or occasion. You can use chocolate, lemon, strawberry, or red velvet cake. Pick different colors for your candy melts too. Try rainbow sprinkles, edible glitter, or even crushed nuts for decoration.
If you’re craving chocolate, make these French Silk Brownies for a chocolate lover’s treat too.
Make Ahead and Storage Tips
Prepare cake balls ahead of time and refrigerate them for up to a month before decorating. Once dipped and decorated, store cake pops in an airtight container at room temperature for a few days. Refrigerate them for up to a week if needed.
These Cheesecake Brownies perfect alongside cake pops would make a lovely pairing too.
Starbucks Cake Pops Recipe Card
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Starbucks Cake Pops Recipe (Better Than the Original!)
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 24–36 cake pops 1x
Description
Homemade Starbucks cake pops recipe with soft vanilla cake, creamy frosting, and sweet pink candy coating.
Ingredients
1 box classic vanilla cake mix (plus eggs, oil, water as listed)
3 tbsp vanilla frosting
24–36 cake pop sticks or lollipop sticks
12 oz pink candy melts (or white almond bark dyed pink)
White sprinkles for decoration
Instructions
1. Bake vanilla cake as directed and cool completely.
2. Trim brown edges, crumble cake into fine crumbs in large bowl.
3. Add frosting and mix until smooth dough forms.
4. Shape into 24-36 balls; chill on lined tray 10-15 minutes.
5. Melt candy melts, dip stick ends and insert into cake balls.
6. Freeze briefly to set sticks.
7. Dip chilled pops into melted candy, tap gently to remove excess.
8. Sprinkle with white sprinkles while wet.
9. Let dry upright in styrofoam block.
Notes
Use any cake flavor you like: chocolate, red velvet, lemon.
Prepared cake balls can be stored up to 1 month before dipping.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cake pop
- Calories: 111
- Sugar: 14g
- Sodium: 126mg
- Fat: 3g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Carbohydrates: 19g
- Protein: 1g
Related Recipes to Try
Looking for more cozy sweets? You can try these:
- Easy Strawberry Lemon Blondies for a fruity dessert option
- Pumpkin Cream Cheese Swirl Muffins as a seasonal sweet
Frequently Asked Questions
How much are the Starbucks cake pops?
Starbucks usually sells them for around $2 to $3 each, but prices vary by store.
Why are Starbucks cake pops expensive?
Their cake pops use quality ingredients, hand assembly, and careful packaging, which increases the price.
What is in a cake pop from Starbucks?
They contain cake crumbs mixed with frosting, shaped into balls, dipped in candy coating, and decorated with sprinkles.
Does Starbucks have fall cake pops?
Yes, Starbucks often releases seasonal cake pops in fall, including pumpkin-themed varieties.
For more inspiration, check out my Pinterest boards full of cozy dessert ideas!
Final Thoughts
Making your own Starbucks cake pops feels so rewarding — and they taste incredible. I can’t wait for you to try them at home. Please let me know how yours turn out! Leave a comment and let’s keep baking together.
