Do-It-Yourself: Cake Pops

by Crystal on May 24, 2011

Kojo Designs has a tutorial on how to make cake pops.

You can also check out The Pioneer Woman’s detailed step-by-step guide to making cake pops here.

Do you have a fun and frugal DIY idea to share? I’d love to hear about it! Read the submission guidelines and submit it here.

Subscribe for free email updates and be entered to win $100!

Looking for more? Click here to read other posts about Do-It-Yourself Ideas.

Previous post: Walmart: Free Nexcare Bandages + Brown Rice for $0.49

Next post: From Thrift Store TV Stand to Adorable Play Kitchen

{ 35 comments }

Becky @ Our Peaceful Home May 24, 2011 at 11:22 am

Oh cake pops! How i wish I found you before my daughters 1st birthday party. Oh well, we had a great time with homemade chocolate cake! http://www.ourpeacefulhome.com/2011/05/all-natural-chocolate-cake-recipe-to.html

Tina May 24, 2011 at 11:35 am

How do you make the batter? How do you roll it?

Crystal May 24, 2011 at 11:45 am: This link has more details: http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2009/03/cake-pop-lesson-1-the-cake-ball/

Gina May 24, 2011 at 11:36 am

I’m still confused…I would love to make these but her tutorial started too late in the process for me…how do you make batter that you can roll into balls? At what point do you bake them? I know for someone with a clue, these are silly questions but I clearly don’t have one!

Crystal May 24, 2011 at 11:45 am

Try this link: http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2009/03/cake-pop-lesson-1-the-cake-ball/

Tammy V May 24, 2011 at 12:03 pm

You bake the cake according to the box directions. Once the cake is cooled, crumble it into a large bowl. Mix in a tub of frosting (not quite all of it) and that is how you get your cake balls.

Kelly May 24, 2011 at 12:07 pm

You bake the cake just like normal . Then once it cools you crumble
It onto a bowl and mix with frosting. Then you form it into the balls <3

Kelly May 24, 2011 at 12:11 pm

Its easy. You bake the cake like you normally would. Then you crumble the whole thing into a bowl, mix in some frosting to make it stick to itself and then use your hands to roll out the balls. Hope this helps!

Nettie May 24, 2011 at 12:15 pm

After you make the cake you crumble add a little frosting and the start making the balls. Then freeze for easy handling. Another trick so the sticks don’t fall out is to dip them in the chocolate before inserting into the ball.

amy May 24, 2011 at 4:53 pm

I wonder if just using plain donut holes would work, then use candy melt on the stick to “glue” the cake on the stick…..any thoughts?

Rae May 24, 2011 at 5:42 pm: That sounds yummy too. Not as yummy as cake balls but easier/quicker and still yummy especially if you started with cake donut holes (chocolate maybe?) then added the chocolate coating… yes I like chocolate

Nicole May 24, 2011 at 11:38 am

I use to make cakes for people. When you cut off the tops of the cakes to even the cakes out you would then use the top part you cut off to make cake balls. I would assume you can just make a cake and roll it into balls. The tutiorial didnt give much to go on but making cakes for people you dont want to waste anything and thats what we did with the cake tops.

Mary H. May 24, 2011 at 11:47 am

Here is the website I used – she has some good tutorial videos.

http://veronicascornucopia.com/2010/01/20/cake-pops-2/

Natalie Lee May 24, 2011 at 11:59 am

Bake you cake as usual. Let it cool completely. Then crumble it–very fine. Then mix in 1/2-3/4 tub of icing. Mix very well. then roll into balls. Refrigerate for a few hours or freezer for 15 min. Melt your candy melts, and dip away! They are awesome. I use chocolate icing w/ chocolate cake and cream cheese icing w/ red velvet. Delicious!

Amber Erwin May 24, 2011 at 11:59 am

i made cake pops for christmas. They are time consuming but easy to make!!

Shannon Hartman May 24, 2011 at 12:00 pm

go to bakerella.com – she gives you a total tutorial. But you make a cake in a 9×13 as directed. Once cooled completely you crumble it completely then add 3/4 of a can of frosting (you can use a whole can but I find that just under makes it not so gooey) put it in the fridge to get cold then once cold you can roll it into balls. Again bakerella has complete instructions.

Allison V. May 24, 2011 at 6:23 pm: I love Bakerella! She makes such adorable cake pops, and she even has a book published now.

Sandra Lewis May 24, 2011 at 12:02 pm

I make my Cake balls by baking a 9X13 cake (any flavor) then you add buttercream or icing of your choice to moisten them a bit. Don’t add to much or they will come out sticky and not stay on stick. freeze the cake balls for about 30 min, In that time melt your chocolate and or tint if need to. Get your frozen cakeballs out dip your stick in chocolate and quickly stick in cake balls. Do this process until all are done. I re chill mine for about 10 more min. Then i dip them in my Tempered Chocolate.

Mimi May 24, 2011 at 12:04 pm

@Tina – you just bake a cake the normal way, then you mash it up with a tub of frosting and shape them into balls. Then you can put them on a stick and dip and decorate them. If you check out Bakerella, she really popularized “Cake Pops” a few years ago. There’s a ton of links, tutorials and inspiration from here:

http://www.bakerella.com/dont-lick-bite%E2%80%A6/

Tina May 24, 2011 at 12:06 pm: Thanks so much everyone!! I am going to try it.

Jennifer @ yardsalemommy.blogspot.com May 24, 2011 at 12:08 pm

I had these made for my sister-in-law’s baby shower as the favors in the form of little globes (I would have tried to make them myself but I was only charged $1 each by a cake maker!) since that was her nursery theme. They make adorable party favors and both kids and adults love them!

Candi May 24, 2011 at 12:10 pm

Here’s the best one I’ve ever found.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JpIifr0VOxY

She gives you start to finish.

yolanda May 24, 2011 at 12:12 pm

Target sells a cake pop maker for like 20.00

Erin May 24, 2011 at 12:13 pm

Freezing the cake balls before dipping really does make all the difference, no matter how you plan to serve them (on sticks or as bonbons). So much easier for the coating to cool! Plus, freezing keeps the moisture locked in!

Mandy May 24, 2011 at 12:15 pm

Bakerella was the first person I know of to make these, and made them pretty popular. You can find a good tutorial on her website:

http://www.bakerella.com/hope-these-put-a-smile-on-your-face/

Basically, you make a cake, either homemade or from a box, according to the directions. Then you crumble the whole thing up, mix in some frosting so that it makes a sort of paste, and go from there. If you have a cookie scoop, it is really useful for scooping the cake/frosting mix into balls. One of my good friends makes these all the time, and says that if you have time to freeze the cake balls, it makes dipping them in the chocolate a whole lot easier.

Hope that helps!

Mandy May 24, 2011 at 12:15 pm

Here’s a great {detailed} tutorial for cake pops (part of the Kojo Designs series) by Jenny at The Southern Institute for Domestic Arts and Crafts – http://www.thesoutherninstitute.com/2011/05/tutorial-color-my-summer-blue-with-cake.html Yummy!!

Michelle Krisik May 24, 2011 at 12:16 pm

I’ve made cake pops before. I just baked a cake, Let it cool. Break the cake up and put into large bowl. Add a tub (or homemade) frosting. Mix. Shape into balls, add sticks. Refridgerate. Melt choclate, or wafers, and dip cake pops into melted chocolate. Decorate or leave as is. Simple! P.S last time I did these I shaped them into egg shapes, for our family Easter party. Just left out the sticks. Hope this helps

Natalie May 24, 2011 at 12:26 pm

To get more info on cake pops, here is the best site ever: http://www.bakerella.com/.

liz May 24, 2011 at 12:44 pm

bakerella.com give GREAT photos and details on how to make cake pops!!!

Heather @ Family Friendly Frugality May 24, 2011 at 12:45 pm

I made these SO MUCH a few years ago that I finally had to tell people I just didn’t want to make them anymore, LOL. Anytime I went anywhere it was, “Um Heather, do you mind bringing the cake balls? ”

They are goooooood. I find the Kroger chocolate bark really does coat the best though.

Heather @ Smashing Cakes & More... May 24, 2011 at 1:56 pm

These are so easy to make with a Wilton candy melting pot. No reheating the melts and ruining the consistency of the candy coat. I freeze them up to three months and always have dozens on hand. Just finished making 400 for weekend orders. Whew!
http://www.bakerella.com is my main source of info and ideas. She just released a book titled “Cake Pops.” Check if your local library as it’s an easy reference.

Amy May 24, 2011 at 3:09 pm

There are also Cake pop makers. they look like waffle makers but have circle indentations for cake pops. I found one at Kohl’s for $20.00.

bobbi jo May 24, 2011 at 4:54 pm

does anyone know of a trick to stop the “oozing?” i froze my cake balls (before coating) and it seemed that once they were out for a while, the mixture started to expand and ooze out of the holes (on the bottom). maybe i froze it for too long?

terri May 24, 2011 at 5:08 pm

try bakerella.com she has a step by step, so easy, I am not good at elaborate baking but very fun. If you are in a time crunch, skip putting them on sticks and do just like a truffle. Simple, fun and people love these.

Diana Messner May 25, 2011 at 10:43 pm