Fun cake pops decorated in graduation colors, perfect for school parties and celebrations. Moist, delicious, customizable treats.
# Components:
→ Cake
01 - 1 box (approximately 15 oz) vanilla or chocolate cake mix, plus eggs, oil, and water as required
02 - OR 1 homemade 9-inch cake, fully cooled
→ Frosting
03 - 1/2 cup cream cheese frosting or buttercream frosting
→ Coating & Decoration
04 - 12 oz candy melts in school colors or white chocolate with colored food coloring
05 - 2 tablespoons vegetable shortening (optional, for thinning chocolate)
06 - Sprinkles, edible glitter, or colored sugar in school colors
07 - 24 lollipop sticks
08 - 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips
09 - Fondant in school colors (optional, for cap decorations)
# Method:
01 - Bake cake following package or homemade recipe instructions. Allow the cake to cool fully before proceeding.
02 - Crumble the cooled cake into fine crumbs using hands or a food processor. Transfer crumbs to a large mixing bowl.
03 - Combine cake crumbs with frosting, mixing using a spatula or clean hands until a cohesive dough forms. Add frosting gradually; use only enough so mixture holds together when pressed.
04 - Portion dough into tablespoon-sized balls (approximately 24 pieces). Roll each ball to a smooth finish.
05 - Place cake balls on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or freeze for 20 minutes, until firm.
06 - Melt candy melts or chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl using 30-second increments. Stir thoroughly until smooth. If the coating is thick, add vegetable shortening to reach desired consistency.
07 - Dip the tip of each lollipop stick into melted coating, then insert halfway into each chilled cake ball.
08 - Fully submerge each cake pop into the melted coating. Gently tap off excess coating to achieve a smooth finish.
09 - Apply sprinkles, colored sugar, or edible glitter to the wet coating. For graduation caps, place a fondant square atop the cake pop and attach a mini chocolate chip with a dab of melted coating for a tassel.
10 - Insert coated pops upright in a styrofoam block or cake pop stand. Allow coating to harden completely before presentation or serving.
