Easy Homemade Copycat Starbucks Cake Pops
These copycat Starbucks cake pops recreate the popular coffee shop treat at home with just a few simple ingredients. Made by combining crumbled cake with a sweet butter and powdered sugar mixture, then coating in pink-tinted white chocolate and sprinkles. The result is a perfectly sweet, bite-sized dessert that's great for parties, gifts, or satisfying your Starbucks craving without leaving home. The recipe uses a premade cake for convenience, making this an accessible project for bakers of all skill levels.
Ingredients
- 1 Premade Packaged Cake, or cake made from a box
- 1 ½ cups Powdered Sugar
- ½ cup Unsalted Butter
- ¼ cup Milk
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 1 cup White Chocolate
- 1 tsp Red Food Coloring, or pink candy melts(optional)Pink candy melts1:1dietary
Use pink candy melts instead of white chocolate with food coloring
Full guide → - White sprinkles
- 20 Cake Pop Sticks
Instructions
- 1
Beat butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer until creamy
- 2
Add vanilla and mix until well combined
- 3
Crumble the already baked cake with your hands into a large bowl
- 4
Mix the cake crumbles and the butter/sugar mixture together until combined
- 5
Make balls out of the mixture and arrange them on a baking tray lined with parchment paper
- 6
Melt the chocolate, dip each stick in the chocolate and poke the sticks in the balls
- 7
Refrigerate them until stiff
- 8
Heat the white chocolate in 30-second increments, stirring between each, in the microwave and mix with red food coloring until you get a nice pink color
- 9
Coat each cake pop in the chocolate, cover with sprinkles, and let them cool until the chocolate sets
Tips
Make sure cake balls are well chilled before dipping to prevent them from falling off the sticks during coating.
Work quickly when dipping in melted chocolate as it sets fast, and tap off excess chocolate for a smooth finish.
If chocolate becomes too thick while dipping, reheat briefly in microwave to restore proper consistency for coating.
Good to Know
Store in airtight container in refrigerator for up to 1 week. Keep upright in styrofoam or cake pop stand.
Cake balls can be made 2 days ahead and refrigerated before coating. Finished pops keep 3-5 days refrigerated.
Serve at room temperature for best texture and flavor. Can be displayed upright in cake pop stands.
Common Mistakes
Don't skip chilling time or cake balls will fall off sticks during dipping
Avoid overheating chocolate to prevent seizing and lumpy coating
Substitutions
Use pink candy melts instead of white chocolate with food coloring
Full guide →FAQ
Can I use homemade cake instead of store-bought?
Yes, any flavor of homemade cake works perfectly. Just make sure it's completely cooled before crumbling.
What if I don't have cake pop sticks?
You can make cake balls without sticks, or substitute with lollipop sticks, pretzel sticks, or even wooden skewers cut short.
How long do these cake pops keep?
Store covered in refrigerator for up to one week, or freeze for up to 3 months in airtight containers.