Easy St Patrick's Day Cake Pops are the perfect treat for a fun holiday baking project. These cake balls are easy to make, requiring just 4-ingredients (boxed cake mix, candy melts, frosting and festive sprinkles).
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These white and green St. Paddy's Day cake pops turned out adorable! My daughter and I had so much fun making them together. We aren't pro's yet, but we had fun spending time together in the kitchen, and the cake pops were delicious!
-Erin A.
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CUTE CAKE POPS, THAT ARE FRANKLY, FANSTASTIC
There are very few foods that simultaneously excite and disappoint me as much as a cake pop. The promise of an adorable treat is always there, the delivery ... sometimes not (looking at you cracked outer chocolate shell).
In this post you will find a very good cake pop recipe that is simple to follow and uses only 4-ingredients. Additionally, I have provided ALL. THE. TIPS. Read them, implement them and remember, cake pops have a learning curve. Cracks can easily be covered with a drizzle of chocolate + sprinkles (get some super cutes ones). As for cake pops that drop off their stick, well ... now you made a truffle (and it will still taste amazing).
-Bailey
INGREDIENTS
Ingredients:
- boxed cake mix - I like to use a either white cake or Funfetti for my cake pops when I am dipping the cake balls in white melted chocolate. The light base color ensures that the cake ball won't show through the melted chocolate layer. However, use what you like and have on hand. You can also opt to use a homemade cake or leftover cake you need to use up.
- frosting - there are LOTS of frosting flavors, both vanilla and cream cheese frosting work well for this baking project. As with the boxed cake mix, if you are coating the cake pops with white candy melts, I recommend using a light colored frosting. You can use store-bought or homemade. I typically opt for convenience.
- white chocolate candy melts - these keep things simple, and have the same texture and look as melted chocolate once cooled. My favorite brand is Ghiradelli - it melts great and I've had great luck avoiding cracked cake pops with it.
- sprinkles - choose a fun bright green St. Patrick's day blend. The cake pops featured in this post use THESE sprinkles . NOTE: I've linked the sprinkles to the brand homepage, but they can be found on Amazon as well.
- coconut oil - an optional step, but I like to add a little when melting the chocolate. It helps achieve a shiny coating and adds some extra luster!
Equipment:
- lollipop sticks - I purchased these 6" sticks on Amazon, I have also used 4" sticks. Both work well.
- styrofoam block - wet floral foam blocks are a great method for drying cake pops in an upright position. I typically cover them with a layer of foil to prevent the foam from making a mess. You can use the same block over and over again. If you don't want to purchase foam, you can fill a cup or deep bowl with rice or beans and stick cake pops in to dry.
HOW TO MAKE SAINT PATRICK'S DAY CAKE POPS:
Step 1: Prepare your box cake mix. Follow package directions. Allow cake to cool completely before moving to step 2.
Step 2: Crumble cake. Use clean hands or a mixer to crumble the cake until it has a sand like texture. Avoid large chunks, but do not overtax.
Step 3: Add frosting. Add frosting to the crumbled cake. Use clean hands or a hand mixer to fully incorporate the frosting into the crumbled cake. Test by trying to roll mixture into a ball, if it doesn't stick, add small amounts of frosting until texture is a dough-like consistency.
Step 4: Roll cake balls. Use a small cookie scoop to portion cake mixture evenly. Gently roll each portion into 1" ball shape. Place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Step 5: Insert cake pop sticks. Follow package directions to melt a very small amount of the candy melts. Dip the tip of a lollipop stick into the melted chocolate and insert the end of the stick about halfway into the cake ball. Arrange carefully on a parchment paper covered sheet pan and refrigerate for about 30 minutes.
Step 6: Dip cake pops. Follow package directions to melt remaining candy wafers + coconut oil (helps with a smooth finish) in a small bowl or mug. Dip the cake ball into the white chocolate with the stick pointed up. Tap stick on the side of the bowl or cup to get rid of any excess melted chocolate. Allow cake pops to dry.
Step 7: Make chocolate drizzle. Melt a small amount of chocolate wafers according to package directions and load them into a piping bag. Snip a very tiny amount from the tip of the piping bag. Create a drizzle on top of cake pop.
Step 8: Sprinkles. Moving quickly, while the drizzled chocolate is still wet. Add sprinkles to the top of each cake pop. You can randomly drop them OR place each sprinkle in the spot that you would like it to be located. Allow cake pops to dry and then enjoy!
See recipe card for quantities.
PRO TIPS FOR ST. PATRICK'S DAY CAKE POPS
- If you would like green cake pops, I recommend using food coloring to dye white Ghiradelli candy melts instead of purchasing green candy melts. . I have found that colored candy wafers from craft stores (particularly Hobby Lobby) can be clumpy and difficult to work with. Use a food coloring that is oil and not water based.
- Make sure that utensils that are being used to mix the melted chocolate are completely dry, adding any water to the candy wafers can cause it to get clumpy.
- Do not make large heavy cake balls. I try to keep my cake pops to 1". If they are too heavy they will fall off the stick when you dip them into the melted chocolate.
- Too much moisture from the amount of frosting used can cause cake pops to crack while drying or fall off the stick. Add just enough frosting that the cake balls stick together when rolled - no more!
- Add the least amount of frosting as possible to the crumbled cake. Not only does the frosting cause the cake balls to be heavy, if too moist, they may fall from the stick when dipped.
- Avoid extreme temperature differences between the cake balls and the melted candy wafers. This is the number one reason that cake pops crack. Allow the melted chocolate to cool for 3-4 minutes before dipping cake pops.
- Make sure to have a plan for how you will dry your cake pops in an upright position. I like using wet floral foam blocks wrapped in aluminum foil. You can find these blocks in any craft store. Alternatively you could use a cup filled with beans or rice or an empty box with small holes punched into it.
STORAGE
You can make your cake balls ahead of time. Un-dipped balls can frozen by arranging them into a single layer on a parchment lined cookie sheet and freezing for 3 hours. Once frozen, cake balls can be stored in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 3 months. Alternatively, prepared cake balls can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
After cake pops are dipped and decorated they can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about 10 days. The dried chocolate provides a barrier to the cake, keeping it fresh longer. I do not recommend freezing decorated cake pops as the sprinkles may bleed color as they thaw.
VARIATIONS
This cake pop recipe is very versatile and can be changed easily to celebrate any holiday! You shouldn't have to dig too deep to find the cake/frosting combo of your dreams. Here is some inspiration for some cake pop flavor combos.
chocolate cake pops - use chocolate cake mix and chocolate icing
strawberry cake pops - a combo of strawberry cake mix and vanilla icing coated in white chocolate is a personal favorite
funfetti cake pops - Funfetti cake mix with vanilla icing is perfect for birthday celebrations
vanilla cake pops - white cake with vanilla icing and a white chocolate coating creates the perfect canvas for festive sprinkles and creative decorating
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
This is super frustrating, and is a part of making cake pops. The most common reason is that the temperature difference between the cold cake pop and the warm chocolate is too great. Make sure to allow the melted chocolate to sit a couple of minutes and cool before you start dipping your cake pops.
Cracking can also occur if you make your melted candy layer too thick. Dip each cake pop into the chocolate 1x - do not dip repeatedly.
This can happen for a couple different reasons.
Make sure that your cake pops are about 1 inch after being rolled - bigger cake pops are heavier and fall into the melting chocolate easily.
Adding too much frosting to your crumbled cake can create cake balls that are mushy and don't stay put when dipped in the chocolate.
Don't skip dipping the stick into the melted chocolate wafers before inserting into the cake pop. The chocolate helps act as a glue that secures the cake ball to the stick.
Melted chocolate is too thick. This can happen when it gets too hot. The texture of melted wafers also differs from brand to brand. If your chocolate is too thick, you can try adding a little coconut oil or Crisco to thin it out.
Recipe
Easy Saint Patrick's Day Cake Pops (4-Ingredients)
- Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Yield: 40 cake balls 1x
Description
St Patrick's Day Cake Pops are the perfect treat for a fun holiday baking project. These cake balls are easy to make, requiring just 4-ingredients (boxed cake mix, candy melts, frosting and festive sprinkles).
Ingredients
Special Equipment:
- cake pop sticks
- wet floral foam (or cup filled with rice and/or beans) - this is to help the cake pops dry in an upright position
- St. Patrick's day themed sprinkles - I used these
Ingredients:
- 1 box white or Funfetti cake mix
- ⅓ cup of vanilla frosting + more if needed (use homemade or store-bought)
- 2 cups white chocolate melting wafers + more for cake pops sticks and drizzle
- ½ tablespoon - 1 tablespoon coconut oil
Instructions
- Bake cake according to package directions. Allow cake to cool completely.
- Crumble the cooled cake into a large mixing bowl. It should be the texture of sand. Make sure there are no large chunks.
- Add ⅓ cup of frosting to the crumbled cake. Use a mixer or wooden spoon to mix the frosting and cake until fully incorporated. Test the dough by trying to roll a small cake ball between your hands. If the dough does not stick together, add additional frosting 1 tablespoon at a time. Avoid adding too much frosting as this may create mushy cake pops that fall off their sticks.
- Use a small cookie scoop to portion cake mixture evenly. Gently roll each portion into a 1" ball between 2 clean hands. Place rolled balls on parchment lined baking sheet.
- Follow the package directions to prepare 1 tablespoon of melted chocolate wafers. Dip the tip of a cake pop stick into the melted chocolate and insert about halfway into the cake ball. Once the sticks have all been inserted, place the cake pops into the refrigerator for about 30 minutes.
- Follow package directions and melt 2 cups of candy wafers + ½ tablespoon of coconut oil in a small bowl or mug (you should be able to dip the cake pop without the top hitting the bottom). Allow melted chocolate to cool for 3-4 minutes before step 7 to help avoid cracked cake pops.
- Take the cake pops from refrigerator and quickly dunk them into the melted chocolate. Remove and gently tap the stick on the side of the bowl to let excess coating drip off. Allow cake pops to dry in an upright position.
- Once cake pops have dried, prepare about ¼ cup of white chocolate melting wafers according to package directions. Add melted chocolate to a piping bag (you can use a sandwich size Ziplock bag as well). Use sharp scissors to snip a very small amount of the piping bag tip. Choose a cake pop, and drizzle the melted chocolate on the top.
- Moving quickly, add sprinkles to the melted chocolate drizzle. It will dry quickly. Repeat the drizzle, and the sprinkle for each cake pop.
Notes
- If you would like green cake pops, I recommend using food coloring to dye white Ghiradelli candy melts instead of purchasing green candy melts. . I have found that colored candy wafers from craft stores (particularly Hobby Lobby) can be clumpy and difficult to work with. Use a food coloring that is oil and not water based.
- Make sure that utensils that are being used to mix the melted chocolate are completely dry, adding any water to the candy wafers can cause it to get clumpy.
- Do not make large heavy cake balls. I try to keep my cake pops to 1". If they are too heavy they will fall off the stick when you dip them into the melted chocolate.
- Add the least amount of frosting as possible to the crumbled cake. Not only does the frosting cause the cake balls to be heavy, if too moist, they may fall from the stick when dipped.
- Avoid extreme temperature differences between the cake balls and the melted candy wafers. This is the number one reason that cake pops crack. Allow the melted chocolate to cool for 3-4 minutes before dipping cake pops.
- Make sure to have a plan for how you will dry your cake pops in an upright position. I like using wet floral foam blocks wrapped in aluminum foil. You can find these blocks in any craft store. Alternatively you could use a cup filled with beans or rice or an empty box with small holes punched into it.
- Prep Time: 60 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Cake Pop
- Calories: 84
- Sugar: 4.4 g
- Sodium: 80.2 mg
- Fat: 3 g
- Carbohydrates: 13.7 g
- Protein: 0.7 g
- Cholesterol: 0.7 mg
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