I know I’m so incredibly late to the Cake Pops party, but hey I’m here, even if it’s a year later! The beautiful and talented Bakerella introduced the world to her cake pops and I’ve been ooh’in and aah’in from day one.
Bakerella was kind enough to email me a few extra tips to ensure that these cuties would turn out perfect. And they sure did. Since Sunday is Valentine’s Day, I thought this would be a perfect Saturday afternoon project for you and your kids.
I added a big shortcut to the recipe – a BIG one. I always say, if there’s a shortcut to baking something, I’m gonna take it. Wanna know what my secret is? Come watch!
How to make Cake Pops (video): Cupcake Shape
Cake Pops Recipe: Cupcake Pops
It seems like there are a lot of steps, but I’ve taken care to give you detailed instructions so that your cupcake pops come out beautiful! I purchased all my ingredients (except for the cake mix and frosting) at Michael Arts & Craft Store. Use a cookie cutter no larger than 1.25”.You don't have to bake the cake in the microwave (though technically it's no longer "baking" right!?) and instead you can bake the cake in the oven according to package instructions.
Ingredients
- 1 box red velvet cake mix + ingredients needed to make the cake according to package instructions
- 1 can cream cheese frosting
- 1.25” round or flower shaped cookie cutter
- 1 bag chocolate candy melts (or chocolate bark)
- 2 bags each pink and hot pink candy melts (or colors of your choice)
- 3 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil
- parchment or wax paper
- sprinkles
- 20 popsicle sticks
- large styrofoam block
- 20 clear candy bags
- ribbon
Instructions
- Mix the cake batter according to package instructions. Pour batter in an 13" x 9" microwave safe pan. If you are using a smaller pan, use less batter or divide into two (though your cooking time will decrease and you'll have to adjust on your own.)
- Set your microwave on medium-high (level 7) and cook time for 9 minutes. Take a peek, and if there is a large area of "wet" batter, add another 1 minute - 3 minutes, until there is barely any wet batter on surface. It's okay if the center is still just slightly wet - it will finish cooking as it cools. Let cake cool 10 minutes. Use a large spoon or fork to break up the chunks so that the steam can escape and cool faster. Now let cake cool the rest of the way.
- Place the cake chunks into a food processor and pulse until cake is crumbly, about 8 times. You may want to do this in 2 batches. Dump the cake crumbles into a large bowl.
- Add about 3/4 of the can of cream cheese frosting and use a large spoon mix well until you can’t see any of the frosting. The cake should be a bit wet and sticky. Take a little scoop in your hands and roll into a ball. If the ball falls apart, mix in another big spoonful of frosting. The ball you form should stick together nicely, not crumble apart.
- Using your hands, roll the cake into 1.5” compact balls and place on baking sheet. If the balls don’t quite stick well, mix in more frosting. Refrigerate the balls for 40 minutes (or freeze for 15 minutes).
- In separate bowls, melt the candy melts in the microwave at 30 second intervals, stirring each time until smooth. This should take about 1 1/2 minutes. Stir in 1 tablespoon of the cooking oil in each bowl to thin out the frosting a bit.
- Let’s form the cupcakes. Roll a cake ball into an slight oval. Stick one end into the cookie cutter and use your hands to press and form so that it has a flat bottom and a round muffin top. Pop it out of the cutter and place back on the plate. Repeat with all balls and then return to refrigerator to chill.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment or wax paper. If your candy melts have stiffened a bit, return to microwave for 30 seconds.
- Take one cupcake and dip the base into the chocolate melt to completely cover the bottom. If the chocolate is too thick, stir in a teaspoon of cooking oil. Place the dipped cupcake upside down onto the baking sheet. Insert a popsicle stick in the middle of the base. Repeat with the remaining.
- Now let’s dip the top! Start with the first batch again. If needed, you can warm the pink candy melts in the microwave for 30 seconds. Holding the cupcake by the popsicle stick, dip and swirl the top of the cupcake into the pink. Sprinkle the top with a bit of fun sprinkles and then poke the stick into the styrofoam block to let the cupcake pop dry. Repeat with remaining.
- When the cupcake pops are dry, package them with the clear bags and a pretty ribbon.
Notes
Recipe adapted from Bakerella
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Did you try this recipe? Please leave a star rating in the recipe card below and leave a review in the comment section! I always appreciate your feedback and I know other readers do, too!
Stay in touch with me in our 
Thanks for the cake pops cupcake recipe.please send me the complete list of the red velvet cake mix + the ingredients needed to make the cake.Thanks.Expecting your favourable reply.
I was very pleased to find this great site. I want to to thank you for ones time for this fantastic read!!
I definitely liked every part of it and i also have you book-marked to look at new stuff on your blog.|
They seem to have a pint buenisima. I’d love to buy them. Look delicious.
Esta pagina parece muy profesional, digna de estar en mi sitio de webs profesionales
Hi Whitney, the whole cake gets crumbled anyways – just use a big spoon and scoop out what’s cooked and microwave the uncooked portion for another minute.
What an awesome idea…save time and cook in the microwave. However, I followed your directions exactly, and by 13 minutes, the whole inside of the cake was still uncooked. The outside was fine, but the whole inside looked as if I just put the batter in the pan. I don’t want to burn the outsides by cooking it longer. Any thoughts?
Thank you very much for the information and the tips you explain it very simple and fun for me and my daughter. I really appreciate your time and concern for other people to undertand it.
This looks darling!
You can find Candy Melts at any of the Walmarts on the island, also at Party City in Waikele. I purchased from both places.
Love your recipe, and the easy way you do it!! Congrats from Guatemala ;D
Nice recipes… It’s like a good cake… 🙂
Hi, I really love the instructions you gave on how to make cupcake cake pops. Anyways I was wondering if I could use any type of chocolate like hersheys for example because I am not able to find candy melts in honolulu. I really wanna try and make those delicious cupcake cake pops and would you think it would be a great idea to use the chocolate, strawberry or caramel syrup for the ice cream as decoration on the cupcake cake pops? Thank you!
I’d ask someone like Bakerella for subsittutions.
Tks for the great tips..its really useful n i’m going to make this for my kids fun-raising events..
Thank you for your great video! I am going to make these for my sister’s birthday! LAKER THEME 🙂
Great Job ,, Loves it <3
My mom saw something similar to these on a “Live” broadcast show, either The Talk or The Today Show. She told me about them, and thought they would be perfect for my soon to be 2-year-old’s birthday party. After seeing the prices to have them made, I almost fell out (literally). I came across your site and I am going, tomorrow, to get the supplies to try these!! They are going to make perfect party favors!! We are going to attempt to decorate them in a fire fighter theme, to match his party theme. Thanks for this!! I am so releaved. We love DIY things!! Cheaper, and so much more fun!!
This video was great! Thanks!
LOVE LOVE LOVED this video, and sorry if it comes from a total stranger from other continent I LOVE YOU!! You just saved me $25 from a 1 session cakepops class @ a local store, I can´t wait to make these cake pops for my daughter´s birthday party!!
By the way, I´m amazed by the microwave “baking” it´s so quick and easy!
greetings from Ecuador!!
Thank you Marla!
I absolutely love this! I just baked my first microwave cake and the kids love it. The balls are next and we will be feeding the homeless and handing out your quick and easy cake pops! Thank you so much! You’re a blessing!
Check out cakepops.com if you don’t have enought patience/time to cook cake pops….they are delicious!!!!
I was wondering for the chocolate, does it have to be chocolate candy melt or can I use chocolate chips and melt them in a double boiler??
I want to try and make these, looks like it would be fun for my daughters 1st birthday treat 🙂
I think the reason the candy melts are used is because they harden really well.
Awesome! LOVE the shortcuts! I’ll have to try this with CHOCOLATE cake!!!
Please google the dangers of microwave cooking.
uhmm,,here’s a thing..our english teacher assign us to demo.
when i saw what you did i just said wow!!that’s incredible.
but i just have many questions to ask about those thing (ingredients) in your “recipe”..
1. is there any other candy that we can melt.?beacause i think there is no available in our country or may i say in our city.ahahhaha : )
2. can i use bought cake that a homemade cake?
3.or can i use cupcake?
4.and what is frosting?
hahahah..hope you answer..
immediatelly.. please 🙂
here’s my email ma’am
kiarealis@yahoo.com
im 14 years old but running to 15 this coming january 25,2011
im 2nd year high school
🙂 tnx ..<3
You can use store bought cake. Frosting is the sweet, sugary soft topping that you spread on cakes. You can search the word “frosting” and get a translation in your language.
I used to think cake pops were so difficult to make…until I viewed your video. THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!! I’ve enjoyed the video and learned how to “BAKE”.(SHHH…I’ll be taking your shortcut,no baking,MICROWAVE! Ha! Ha!)It’s like dinner and a movie. Nobody can beat that! So, thanks again for making and sharing this video. I know my family will be enjoying cake pops this Christmas! One more thing, if you have any spare time, please make another cool baked dessert video. You and your little helpers sure know how to make them actually easy for others to learn. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!!!!!!!!!!!
thanks very much! mabuhay from the philippine isles 🙂
im planning on making these soon and your video tutorial is very informative especially the tip about how to thin out the candy melts, really helpful…just one question though, you used a microwave oven to bake the cake? didnt know that you could bake in a microwave! is your microwave a regular microwave oven? im curious and would like to try using the microwave too. are there special instructions i should know when baking in a muicrowave? (okay, that’s three questions already, hehe) please help!
Yes, you can bake a cake in the microwave! It’s super easy. Just make sure you use a microwave safe dish. It’s a regular microwave oven, and I put the power to medium-high (on scale of 1-10, I used power level 7 or 8)
YAY! I finally made these as as practice run for my sister’s bridal shower. They were really delicious, although I will say that I did things the hard way, as in the overall preparation due to my not having many kitchen gadgets.
I don’t own a microwave, so I baked the cake of course, no big deal there. But I ran into a conundrum when seeking to melt the candy melts without burning them. Crisis averted: I converted two small pots, one smaller than the other into a makeshift double-boiler by immersing the smaller pot into just enough water to cover the bottom by about an inch or so. Then I tilted the smaller pot to facilitate the melting process. Depending on the speed of your burners, make sure to boil at about medium-medium/high, and don’t get water into the candy melts. This may be the only way to do it successfully, unless you have an induction range/cook-top/accessory burner, or of course, a double-boiler or microwave.
There was also a “sweet” tip on the package containing the candy melts: As most are vanilla in flavor, using flavored oils, such as lavender or orange, will create excellent results when seeking to add a little extra oomph to this already amazing cupcake variation.
Hi there! What a great video! Especially ‘baking’ the cake in the microwave!!!! Our babysitter makes these cake pops and I loved them from the first time I tried them. Now I don’t have to bother her to make me some!! I thought this would be the perfect addition to a baby gift ( for the 3 older brothers of the family). I’m going to try using pretzel rods or smaller pretzel sticks instead of lollipop sticks…sweet + salty=YUM!
Wow! I am not a baker at all, but these cupcake pops look so good it almost makes me want to throw on an apron, dust flour on my face, and hunker down… almost. A better idea, hand the recipe off to a friend and have them make these for me! 🙂
Japanese Girls’ Day is coming up on March 3rd. I think this might be just the thing to make for my daughters’ classes. Thank you!
I just made these today! I used butter cream frosting though and german chocolate cake mix, with chocolate bottom and purple top. They cam out great!! Thanks for the video!!!
I watched this video and had to make them! I made the balls Saturday and dipped them Sunday. They looked amazing and tasted even better! I can’t wait to make them again!
These are so cute! I love the decorations!
I haven’t made these yet either, so you aren’t the only one who is late to the party. I think they look equally easy and challenging at the same time. But totally delicious as well. Maybe I should just tackle them with my boys…..
Great video, I liked that you did it all with photos. I image it’s a little less time consuming than actually shooting video.
Oh how I have missed you, Jaden! I moved into my new home last month, and just found my computer this weekend!
Your cake pops are adorable (as are your children), and I love the video! Please make more…you make difficult recipes seem so easy! Thanks for sharing! 🙂
These are much easier to make than they look! I may try a cupcake ‘wich version.
What an awesome idea. You might behind on the “trend” but I hadn’t even seen it until now. Love them!
Should be a hit with the kids, from the vivid colours to the sweet notes.
Happy New Year.
Wow, those look really good. That is something that I would never think of doing, putting a cupcake on a stick.
Gong hei! Gong Hei! sis…… GOng Hei Fatt Choy! may the Tiger bring loadsof prospeity and good health to you! . . . . . fromm us both Sunny & Sid
How fun! I made Bakerella’s cake pops for my secretary’s birthday last year, and everyone loved them. They aren’t too difficult, but they are very time-intensive (and I made the cake and frosting from scratch – yeah, I’m a crazy person). Totally worth the effort, though! These are the finished pops. Happy V-Day!
OMG – you DID it!!! I always watch with AMAZEMENT as Bakerella makes her pops. You are totally adorable Jaden – LOVE the video….maybe I should actually brave making the pops for Valentine’s day since I am STILL debating what to make 🙂
Danica
wow cupcake pops! I love that! Oh, and your video rocks 😀
Those are so cute!
I love the video. It shows quite clearly the whole process. And your boys are co cute! 🙂
Oh, these are adorable! And now, after watching your video, my girls and I can’t wait to try our hand at making them! 🙂
These pops are so cute and the use of microwave is genius… it cuts baking time significantly.
I love love the video and your family is so natural on cam… charming indeed!
Great video! Those are so adorable. This looks like a perfect fun-with-kids craft.
Please check-out our site. We would be delghted to do a give-away for contest, etc.
http://kidscookingshop.com/barbara-beery-biography
How Fantabulous! A red velvet recipe would work awesome with these… thanks for the great idea!
this is exciting, sounds like I must try making this gorgeous desserts! 🙂
Microwave baking calms the Valentine fuss and the outcome looks so sweet :))
These are so cute!
love the video! the camera loves you and your boys!
I’ve never made these either but they look so cute. I totally love that photo of your boys in their pj’s looking through the glass of the microwave! Just adorable… 🙂 Great video too. It helped make the process of making these very clear.
Oh, I’ve never heard of cupcake pops. They are so cute, just like your boys!
i want to sell these in my online candy shop http://www.munchiessweetsandtreats.com does anyone know where i can get these wholesale?
Love the how-to video! This is a really cute idea but one I think I’d save to do with my two oldest rather than my two youngest. I’m sure I’d lose patience way too quickly and then it would no longer be fun. LOL
These are beautiful! Happy Valentine’s Day!
Wow first time ever to see these kind of pops. Awesome concept. ??? Does cake flavor matter? Can I use chocolate cake mix and chocolate frosting instead?? Thanks.
You can use any type of cake flavor!
Your video is awesome! I’ve made just the simple cake balls and struggled with the dipping process. My godson has been asking for more, and I’ve dreaded making them. But I think the “cupcake pops” will be easier because of the 2-step dipping. (Not to mention that for the life of me I can’t seem to roll a round ball…I think my palms must be square!) So thank you for the detailed video…as always, you rock Jaden!
I had trouble dipping balls too! Yes, the cupcakes are much easier to make, despite the extra step.
genius! those look gorgeous. i wonder if you could make diet coke cake in the microwave — i’ve been wanting to try it 🙂
Fabulous, Jaden! I love that you made the cake in the microwave. I need to make these with my grandchildren. Hey, have you seen the pie pops from http://luxirare.com/float/ ~ that’s where Bakerella first saw them, too.
I haven’t made them yet either, so you’re not the only one late to the party. My kids would love to eat these, but I don’t know if they’d be patient enough for the process. I’d have to keep it a secret until they’re done. 🙂