Starbucks Copycat Birthday Cake Pops
Delightful and colorful cake pops that mimic the beloved Starbucks treat, perfect for celebrations and customizable to your liking.
Ingredients
For the cake
- 1 box (13.25 oz) vanilla cake mix Any store-bought vanilla cake mix
- ⅓ cup neutral oil Can use vegetable, avocado, or canola oil
- 1 cup milk or water Use milk for richer flavor
- 4 large eggs
- ¼ cup unsalted butter Softened
For the buttercream
- 1 cup powdered sugar No need to sift
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 tsp milk Add more if needed
For coating
- 12 oz candy melts
- White nonpareils or sprinkles For decoration
Instructions
Preparation
- Preheat your oven to 325-350℉ (162-175℃) based on your cake box recipe.
- In a large bowl, combine all the cake ingredients and pour the batter into a greased or lined baking pan.
- Bake the cake and start checking with a toothpick 2-4 minutes before the suggested bake time until it comes out clean.
Mixing and Shaping
- When the cake is done, remove it from the oven and transfer it to a large mixing bowl while still hot. Crumble the cake into small pieces.
- In a small bowl, mix all the buttercream ingredients until smooth. Add it to the crumbled cake and mix until well combined.
- Roll the mixture into balls about 1¼-inch (3cm) in diameter, weighing around 30g each. Freeze them for 15 minutes, then let them warm up for 10 minutes at room temperature.
Coating
- Melt a small amount of pink candy melts in the microwave until smooth. Dip the lollipop sticks in the melted candy and insert them halfway into the cake balls.
- Chill the cake pops again in the freezer for another 15 minutes.
- Melt the remaining candy melts to your desired consistency. Dip each cake pop into the melted candy ensuring it is fully coated.
- Tap gently to let excess candy melt drip off and quickly decorate with sprinkles before the candy melts set.
- Place the finished cake pops in a styrofoam block to keep them upright while they dry.
Notes
Ensure the cake is completely cooled before crumbling to avoid adding too much moisture. If the batter feels dry, add more milk as needed. Be gentle when dipping the cake pops.