Crowd-Pleaser Starbucks Chocolate Cake Pops Copycat Recipe
This Starbucks Chocolate Cake Pops Recipe is so good that you won’t want to share! This bite-sized dessert has a smooth chocolate coating with a rich and moist center. Best of all, these homemade cake balls are easy to make and the perfect crowd-pleaser for any occasion.
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Today, we are making Starbucks chocolate cake pops at home. No, you won’t have to buy overpriced cake pops ever again with this copycat recipe. Plus let’s be honest, the cake pops at the grocery store are mediocre at best.
Homemade chocolate cake pops require only a handful of easy-to-find ingredients. With this recipe, you’ll be making delicious cafe-worthy cake pops that’ll make your party guests question if you truly made them.
These Copycat Starbucks Cake Pops are:
- Crowd-pleaser! Everyone will love these and they won’t be able to stop at just one.
- More affordable than Starbucks ($3.65 per cake-pop, ouch!)
- Rich and fudgy just like the Starbucks cake pops.
- Fun to make! Make them with your kids.
How To Make Chocolate Cake Pops
Seriously, it’s super simple to make and pretty fun too. Here are the steps:
- Bake the cake
- Make the frosting. My personal favorite is the chocolate buttercream from my sourdough chocolate cupcakes recipe.
- Crumble the cake
- Mix the crumbled cake with icing
- Shape into cake balls
- Dip into chocolate
- Enjoy!
See?! I told you it would be easy.
Key Tip: Let Chocolate Cool For Five Minutes Before Dipping
I cannot stress this enough. This tip is SIGNIFICANT to the point that it needs its own section. If the chocolate (or candy melts) are too hot, then the final cake pops will be cracked. Sadly, I know this from personal experience. So, after you microwave the candy melts, wait roughly five minutes so that it cools down a bit.
- Let the cake cool completely before crumbling it. If it’s too warm, then it’ll be difficult to shape them into balls.
- Wait for the chocolate to cool for 5 minutes before dipping. If the chocolate (or candy melts
Frequently Asked Questions:
Can I Use Chocolate Instead of Candy Melts?
Yes, you can use chocolate instead of candy melts. However, one does not simply melt chocolate by microwaving it; you must temper it. Here is a guide on how to temper chocolate.
Why Did The Chocolate Coating Crack?
It cracked because of the temperature difference between the cake ball and the chocolate. If the cake ball is too cold and the candy melt is too hot, then the coating will crack since the heat will cause the cake balls to expand then contract.
To prevent this, you need to let the chocolate melts cool down roughly five minutes before dipping.
How Do I Keep The Cake Pops Upright?
Simple! Poke holes in a cardboard box. Or, you can use styrofoam to keep the cake pops upright. Use whatever you have around the house. I used a cooling/baking rack and plastic wrap to keep the cake pops upright. Check out the recipe video at the end to see it.
How Do I Store The Cake Pops?
Keep undipped cake balls in the refrigerator for up to two days. After they are dipped, store then in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one week.
Need to store them for longer? You can freeze them for up to two months! When ready to eat, let them thaw overnight in the refrigerator or on the counter at room temperature for one hour.
Starbucks Chocolate Cake Pops
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Ingredients
Chocolate Cake
- 1 Cup All Purpose Flour 125 grams
- 1 Cup Granulated White Sugar 200 grams
- 6 Tablespoons Natural Cocoa Powder
- 1 Teaspoon Espresso Powder or Instant Espresso
- ½ Teaspoon Baking Soda
- ¼ Teaspoon Salt
- 2 Large Eggs room temperature
- ½ Cup Oil 110 grams. Any neutral oil like avocado oil or vegetable oil
- 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- ½ Cup Hot Water or Coffee 118 grams
Frosting
- 1/2 Cup Butter 114 grams. room temperature
- 3/4 Cup Powdered Sugar 90 grams
- 1/2 Cup Cocoa Powder 40 grams. Unsweetened or Dutch-Processed
- 2 Teaspoons Milk Plus extra if too thick
- 1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
Coating
- 12 ounces Candy Melts
- Sprinkles optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C) and grease a 9-inch cake pan.
- Cake: In a large mixing bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, espresso powder, baking soda, and salt. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, vanilla extract, and oil. Pour the wet ingredients into the large bowl of dry ingredients. Then, add the hot water (or coffee) and whisk until the batter is combined.
- Bake: Pour the batter into the greased cake pan and bake for 25-28 minutes. The cake is done baking when a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Place on a wire rack and let the cake cool completely at room temperature in the pan before removing.
- Frosting: Add the softened butter to the bowl of a stand mixer (or medium mixing bowl if using a hand mixer). Beat with the paddle attachment for two minutes. Then, add the rest of the frosting ingredients and beat on low one minute. Increase the speed to high and beat for two to three minutes until it comes together.
- Crumble the cake: In a large mixing bowl, crumble the cooled chocolate cake using your hands or a fork. Make sure there are no large chunks.
- Add Frosting: Add the chocolate frosting to the crumbled cake and mix well until combined. It should be moist and hold its shape when rolled into cake balls.
- Shape The Cake Pops: Take one tablespoon of the cake mixture and roll it into a ball one inch in diameter. Repeat, the mixture should make roughly 40 cake balls. Place the cake balls on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and cool in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or freeze for 30 minutes.
- Candy Melts: In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the candy melts according to the package instructions. Transfer into a 2-cup liquid measuring cup or tall drinking glass. Let the coating cool down for a couple minutes before you begin dipping. If the coating is too hot during dipping, it will crack.
- Coat Cake Pops: Remove 4-5 cake balls from the refrigerator. Dip the tip of a lollipop stick into the melted chocolate and then insert halfway into a cake ball. Then, dip the cake ball into the chocolate. Make sure to cover where the stick and the cake ball meet. Remove and tap the lollipop stick on the side of the cup to let the excess chocolate coating drip off.
- Decorate and Set: Decorate with sprinkles (optional) and place upright to dry. Work in batches and repeat with all the cake balls. The coating will set within one hour. Store the cake pops in the refrigerator for up to one week.
Video
Notes
- Tools: 9-Inch Cake Pans | Lollipop Sticks | Stand Mixer | Hand Mixer
- Let the cake cool completely before crumbling it. If it’s too warm, then it’ll be difficult to shape them into balls.
- Wait for the chocolate to cool for 5 minutes before dipping. If the chocolate (or candy melts) is too hot, then the final cake pops will crack.
