Cake pops: a step-by-step recipe with photos

Cake pops Cake pops are desserts with unique shapes and designs, the name of which translates from English as "cake on a stick." By saving the simple step-by-step recipe for cake pops presented on this page, you can easily prepare this unusual holiday treat at home, surprising your guests with this ultra-fashionable dessert.

Nutritional value per serving

315.5 kcal

Proteins: 5.8 g
Fats: 15.5 g
Carbohydrates: 38.8 g

*Nutritional value is calculated per 100g of ingredients

Total time: 3 hours 20 minutes
Time in the kitchen: 50 min
Complexity:

It's easy and straightforward to prepare, but it does require some experience. Not everyone can do it right the first time.
Number of servings: 20

Classic cake pops are round balls made from biscuit crumbs or crushed cookies and condensed milk, similar to the familiar "potato" cake from childhood. They are typically coated in dark, milk, or white chocolate, or coated with chocolate icing.

The Atlanta-based American confectioner Angie Dudley invented the treat known as cake pops. Initially, this unusual lollipop-shaped treat received little attention, but in 2008, it rapidly gained popularity thanks to the interest of many bloggers in the dessert's unusual shape and content.

Like the mega-popular cupcakes, beautifully decorated cake pops (or as they're sometimes called, popcakes) can be the highlight of any celebration for children and adults. These sweet treats are especially popular at events with a large number of guests, as the dessert is individually portioned and compact.

Homemade cake pops can be very diverse in flavor. The center of such a cake can be made of:

classic vanilla sponge cake;
chocolate biscuit;
colored sponge cake, like for red velvet cake;
green biscuit, as for decorative moss;
crushed cookies;
dough with fruit additives;
dough with nuts, coconut flakes and other fillings.

Key-pops can look like a large lollipop, Christmas tree baubles, a soccer ball, a planet, or even an Eskimo candy, an animal, or a favorite children's character (such as SpongeBob SquarePants).

These days, you can't find this delicacy in every bakery, as the preparation process is labor-intensive. Ordering a popcake will cost you around 150 rubles per cake, while a custom-designed one (for a special occasion) can cost as much as 300 rubles or more per cake. Therefore, it's worth learning how to make your own pop-ups to delight your loved ones and surprise your guests with unusual treats.

In this simple recipe, we'll show you step-by-step how to make classic cake pops, which are made with airy chocolate sponge cake and condensed milk.

Making trendy cake pops – a simple recipe at home

Chocolate Pop Cake – A Classic Step-by-Step Recipe with Photos

Ingredients

Servings

Flour

250 G
Sugar

300 G
Cocoa

50 G
Egg C1

2 pcs
Milk

270 ml
Butter

60 G
Salt

1 tsp
Soda

1.5 tsp
Apple cider vinegar

1 tbsp
Vegetable oil

60 G
Condensed milk

3 tbsp
White chocolate

100 G
Wooden skewers

for filing

Preparation

Step 1

To make a soft, airy dough, first sift 250 grams of flour and 50 grams of cocoa through a sieve, thoroughly breaking up all the lumps.

Step 2

Add 1 teaspoon of salt, 1.5 teaspoons of soda, 300 grams of sugar to the flour and mix thoroughly with a whisk.

Step 3

Beat 2 room temperature eggs (yolks + whites) into the dry ingredients and mix well again with a whisk.

Step 4

Add 60 grams of vegetable oil and 60 grams of softened butter to the mixture. Mix thoroughly until smooth.

Step 5

Add 270 ml of milk and mix until the dough becomes smooth.

Step 6

Add 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar to the dough and beat the mixture with a mixer.

Step 7

Pour the dough into pre-prepared molds (ours have a diameter of 20 cm) and place in the oven.

It is necessary to bake the sponge cake for cake pops 35-40 minutes at 180℃, but depending on your oven's operating conditions, the baking time may be longer or shorter. We previously described how to check if a sponge cake is done.

Step 8

Finished sponge cakes can be cooled directly in the pans. Natural cooling typically takes about 2 hours.

If you prepare the biscuits in advance, then after cooling they need to be wrapped in cling film.

Step 9

Step 2 – Prepare the pop-cake filling

If the sponge cake has dried out slightly during storage, trim off the top layer and bottom of the cake. A fresh, unburned cake can be used in its entirety.

Step 10

Break the cakes into pieces and crush into crumbs using a blender or chopper.

Step 11

Add a few spoons of condensed milk to the crumbs and mix the mixture thoroughly until smooth.

The amount of condensed milk may vary depending on the biscuit recipe and the desired density of the mass.

Step 12

Please note! The mixture may remain crumbly, but sticky enough to form into balls, as shown in the photo.

Step 13

Prepare the balls that you will later use to make popcakes and place them in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes.

Step 14

Step 3 – Decorating the cakes

While the cookies are cooling, you can prepare the chocolate glaze for decorating them. To do this, melt 100 grams of white chocolate or confectioners' glaze in the microwave using short bursts.

If you want to create a colorful coating for your cake pops, color the chocolate with fat-soluble food coloring. We've previously covered all the ways to color chocolate at home in detail.

Step 15

Dip a wooden skewer or plastic stick into the chocolate and insert it into the ball, about halfway down, as shown in the photo. Since the balls are well chilled, the glaze will set immediately, securing the ball to the stick.

Step 16

Repeat the procedure with each piece and put the balls back in the refrigerator for 15-20 minutes.

Step 17

Remove the cooled cakes from the refrigerator and dip them one by one into the chocolate. After allowing the excess chocolate to drip off, arrange the cakes in a convenient position for drying. We use Styrofoam for this, as it easily accommodates any skewers.

Step 18

The final step is decorating the cake pops. You can create any design you like in the photo. We simply smeared chocolate drips onto the cooled surface and added a few sprinkles.

You can see the unique cake pops in these photos. You can find many more ideas online for decorating these cakes for Halloween, New Year's, children's parties, anniversaries, and weddings.

We also offer you another original cake pop recipe using sponge cake and cream cheese. Watch the master class from Yulia Small:

An alternative is to make cake pops using a mold, using a classic sponge cake recipe. Watch this video to learn how to use a special silicone mold for baking sponge balls: