Embrace the spooky spirit with these enchanting Halloween cake pops! These delightful, hand-crafted treats are an absolute must-have for any festive celebration, beloved by both children and adults alike. With their rich, fudgy texture and convenient bite-sized form, they are surprisingly simple to create, making them the perfect project for a fun-filled afternoon. Whether you’re hosting a ghoulish gathering or simply want to add a touch of magic to your October, these portable cake pops are sure to cast a delicious spell on everyone who tries them.
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Why You’ll Love This Halloween Cake Pop Recipe
These spooky and ghoulish cake pops are not just treats; they’re an experience! Perfect for Halloween parties at home, school events, or simply a fun baking project with the family, they offer endless possibilities for creative decoration. Each bite-sized delight is an irresistible blend of flavor and festive charm.
- Irresistibly Delicious: Our Halloween cake pops are wonderfully indulgent without being overly sweet, offering a perfectly balanced flavor that will leave you craving more. They are rich, fudgy, and moist—a true delight for your taste buds.
- Time-Saving & Simple: This recipe cleverly uses a box cake mix, significantly cutting down on preparation time. This means you can devote more of your valuable time and energy to the most exciting part: bringing your adorable, spooky decorations to life!
- Beginner-Friendly Decorating: You absolutely don’t need to be a professional baker to master the art of cake pop decorating. With our clear, step-by-step instructions and helpful photos, the entire process becomes incredibly simple and fun for everyone.
- Perfect for Parties: Their individual size makes them ideal for serving at any gathering. Easy to grab and eat, they prevent mess and add a festive, personalized touch to your dessert spread.
For even more decorating inspiration and essential tips, be sure to explore our guides on easy cake pops and homemade chocolate cake pops (from scratch). These resources will equip you with all the knowledge to create stunning treats every time!
What Exactly is a Cake Pop?
A cake pop is a delightful confectionery treat made from crumbled cake mixed with frosting or another binder, shaped into small spheres, and typically attached to a lollipop stick. Once formed, these cake balls are coated with a melted confectionery substance, such as chocolate, almond bark, or colorful candy melts. The final touch involves decorating them with various candies, sprinkles, or edible embellishments to create visually appealing and often themed designs. They offer a concentrated burst of cake flavor in a fun, portable format, making them popular for parties and special occasions.
Essential Ingredients & Decorations for Spooky Treats
To bring your Halloween cake pop visions to life, you’ll need a collection of key ingredients and decorative elements. Here’s a detailed list to guide your shopping and preparation:
- Food Coloring: Essential for customizing your cake’s base. For vibrant pumpkin cake pops, dye your white or vanilla cake mix with orange food coloring. This subtle orange hue will peek through a white coating, creating an authentic and beautiful pumpkin appearance. For other monster designs, purple, green, or blue food coloring will work wonders.
- Almond Bark or Candy Melts: These form the crucial outer shell of your cake pops. For brightly colored creations like Frankensteins or playful monster heads, colored candy melts are ideal. Remember to mix them with a touch of shortening for the perfect dipping consistency. For classic white or chocolate coatings, white and chocolate almond bark are excellent choices, known for their smooth finish.
- Shortening: This ingredient is absolutely critical when working with candy melts. Adding shortening helps to thin out the melted coating, allowing for a smooth, even, and relatively thin layer on your cake pops. Do not skip this step, especially when using candy melts, to achieve that professional, crack-free finish.
- Chocolate Oreo Cookies: These versatile cookies are transformed into spooky bat wings! You’ll need to carefully separate the creamy filling from the wafers and then break the wafers in half, preparing them to be artfully inserted into the sides of your chocolate cake balls.
- Candy Eyes: A Halloween decorating staple! You can never have enough of these whimsical edible eyes. Available in various sizes, they bring instant personality and a touch of silliness or spookiness to any monster, bat, or Frankenstein creation.
- Pretzel Sticks: Perfect for adding Frankenstein’s iconic neck bolts. Break these into 1-inch pieces and carefully insert them into the sides of your green-coated Frankenstein heads. Ensure you use stick pretzels, as pretzel twists won’t achieve the desired look.
- Edible Marker: A black edible marker is an invaluable tool for drawing fine details. Use it to meticulously sketch the mouths, scars, and stitches onto your Frankenstein cake pops once their coating is completely dry.
- Mini Chocolate Chips: These tiny chocolate morsels make the cutest and most charming little pumpkin stems, adding a final, delightful touch to your pumpkin-themed cake pops.
- Almond Slices: These are ingeniously pressed onto the top of witch finger cake pops to create eerily realistic fingernails, enhancing the ghoulish effect.
- Mini Stroop Waffles: These wonderfully flat, round wafers are repurposed to form the wide, distinct brim of a witch’s hat, providing a stable and delicious base.
- Mini Waffle Cones: These small, pointy cones are attached to the mini Stroop waffles, forming the iconic conical top of a witch’s hat, completing the miniature headwear.
- Food Coloring Spray: Black food coloring spray is used to quickly and effectively color your assembled mini witch hats a deep, ominous black, perfect for a bewitching aesthetic.
Understanding Almond Bark vs. Candy Melts
In my extensive baking experience, candy melts tend to have a thicker consistency compared to almond bark. This is precisely why I strongly recommend incorporating a small amount of shortening into candy melts. Shortening helps to thin out the candy melts, creating a smoother, more fluid coating that’s easier to work with and results in a beautiful, even finish on your cake pops.
Key Equipment You’ll Need
Having the right tools makes the cake pop creation process much smoother and more enjoyable. Here’s a list of essential equipment:
- Half Sheet Pan: Unlike traditional cakes baked in round pans, the cake for cake pops is often baked on a rimmed baking sheet. This method significantly cuts down on baking time, typically requiring only about 15 minutes, and provides a thinner, easily crumbled cake layer.
- Large Mixing Bowl: Any large mixing bowl will suffice for combining your crumbled cake with frosting or cream cheese to form the cake pop mixture. Ensure it’s big enough for comfortable mixing by hand.
- Baking Sheet: You’ll need at least one additional baking sheet, ideally lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat, for arranging your formed cake balls while they chill in the refrigerator. This keeps them organized and prevents sticking.
- Cake Pop Sticks: These are fundamental for turning your cake balls into actual cake pops. Opt for sturdy sticks that are at least 6 inches long to provide a good handle for dipping and decorating.
- Styrofoam Block or Cake Pop Stand: This is an absolute must-have! After dipping, your cake pops need to stand upright undisturbed while the candy coating sets and hardens completely. A Styrofoam block or a specialized cake pop stand provides the perfect support, preventing smudges and drips.
How to Make the Perfect Cake Pops: A Step-by-Step Guide
Creating delicious cake pops involves a few key stages, from baking the cake to forming the perfect balls and preparing them for their festive decorations. Follow these detailed steps to ensure your cake pops are a resounding success:
- Bake the Cake:
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baker’s half sheet pan with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
- Prepare your chosen cake mix (yellow cake mix is recommended for versatility) according to the box directions. This usually involves combining the mix with eggs, water or milk, and vegetable oil.
- Pour the cake batter evenly onto the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake for approximately 15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool completely on a wire rack before proceeding.
- Prepare the Cake Pop Mixture:
- Once the cake is fully cooled, crumble it thoroughly into a large mixing bowl. Ensure there are no large lumps; aim for fine crumbs.
- Add 4 oz (115g) of softened cream cheese to the crumbled cake. Using clean hands, mix the cream cheese into the cake crumbs until a uniform, dough-like consistency is achieved. The mixture should hold together when pressed, with no dry cake visible.
- If you plan to make colored cake balls (for pumpkins, monsters, etc.), divide the cake pop mixture into separate bowls at this stage. Add your desired food coloring to each portion and mix until the color is evenly distributed.
- Form and Chill the Cake Balls:
- Using a small portion scoop (approximately 1.5 inches in size) for uniformity, roll the cake mixture into smooth, round balls. For witch finger cake pops, shape the mixture into elongated, finger-like forms.
- Arrange the formed cake balls or fingers on a lined baking sheet.
- Refrigerate the cake balls for at least 2 hours, or ideally, overnight. This chilling process is crucial as it helps the cake pops firm up, making them easier to handle and preventing them from falling off the sticks during dipping.
- Insert the Sticks:
- Melt a small amount of almond bark or candy melts (about ¼ cup) in a microwave-safe bowl according to package directions. This will act as “glue” for your sticks.
- Remove about 10 chilled cake balls from the refrigerator at a time to keep the rest cold. Dip about ½-inch of a cake pop stick into the melted coating.
- Immediately insert the coated end of the stick into the center of a chilled cake ball, pushing it about halfway through. The melted coating will help secure the stick to the cake ball as it cools.
- Continue this process until all the cake balls have sticks. Place the cake pops back into the refrigerator while you prepare your main coating and decorations to ensure they remain firm.
How to Decorate Enchanting Halloween Cake Pops
Now for the most exciting part – decorating! You can choose to focus on just one whimsical design or create an entire collection of all six Halloween cake pop characters. No matter your choice, these imaginative little treats are guaranteed to be a huge hit with your kids and party guests!
1. Decorating Delightful Frankensteins
- Prepare Your Workspace: Have your broken pretzel sticks, black sprinkles in a small bowl, and candy eyes ready and easily accessible.
- Melt the Coating: Melt green candy melts with 1-2 tablespoons of shortening in a microwave-safe cup (e.g., a 2-cup measuring cup) until smooth, following package instructions.
- Dip and Shake: Remove about 10 cake balls at a time from the fridge. Dip each cake ball completely into the melted green coating, ensuring the base is also covered. Gently shake off any excess coating to prevent drips.
- Add Hair & Set: While the coating is still wet, quickly dunk the very top of the cake pop into the bowl of black sprinkles, creating Frankenstein’s iconic hair. Immediately place the coated cake pops upright into a cake pop stand.
- Attach Neck Bolts: Gently poke the 1-inch pretzel stick pieces into the lower sides of the cake balls, forming the neck bolts. It’s often easier to insert them simultaneously from both sides.
- Place Eyes: Carefully place the candy eyes onto the pops. If the coating has already begun to dry, use a tiny dab of warm candy melt as edible glue to secure the eyes.
- Draw Features: Once the green coating is completely dry, use a black edible marker to draw Frankenstein’s mouth and distinctive stitches.
Pro Tip for Frankenstein Neck Bolts
Inserting the broken pretzel sticks becomes much easier if you gently poke them into both sides of the cake pop at the same time. This ensures they go in straight and secure without distorting the cake ball.
2. Crafting Charming Pumpkin Cake Pops
- Create Pumpkin Grooves: If you’re using orange-colored cake mixture (which looks fantastic peeking through white coating!), use a spare cake pop stick to gently indent lines into each cake pop, running from the top to the base. Make these dents relatively wide so they remain visible after dipping. Return the cake balls to the fridge to re-chill.
- Melt White Coating: Melt white almond bark or candy melts (with shortening, if using candy melts) in a microwave-safe cup until perfectly smooth.
- Dip Carefully: Remove about 10 cake balls at a time. Dip each cake ball entirely into the melted white coating, including the base. Gently shake to remove any excess, allowing the coating to settle into the grooves.
- Add Stem & Set: Immediately after dipping, place each cake pop upright into a cake pop stand. While the coating is still wet, carefully place a mini chocolate chip on top to create the pumpkin stem. For extra sparkle, you can also sprinkle orange sanding sugar all over the cake pops right after dipping.
3. Creating Ghoulish Witch Fingers
- Shape the Fingers: After preparing your cake pop mixture, form it into long, slender finger shapes rather than round balls. Ensure they are well-chilled.
- Melt White Coating: Melt white almond bark or candy melts (with shortening) in a microwave-safe cup until smooth.
- Dip the Fingers: Remove chilled cake fingers from the refrigerator. Dip each cake finger completely into the melted white coating, ensuring full coverage, including the base. Gently shake off any excess coating.
- Add Fingernails & Set: Place the cake fingers upright into your cake pop stand. Immediately, while the coating is still wet, press an almond slice onto the top end of each “finger” to create a realistic fingernail.
- Draw Wrinkles: Once the coating has slightly set but is not fully hard, use a cake pop stick or a toothpick to gently draw a few horizontal lines across the finger joints. These lines will resemble the wrinkles on a witch’s bony finger.
4. Crafting Spooky Bat Cake Pops
- Prepare Bat Wings: Carefully separate chocolate Oreo cookies from their creamy filling and break each cookie wafer in half. Have these halves and your candy eyes ready.
- Melt Chocolate Coating: Melt chocolate almond bark in a microwave-safe cup until smooth, following package instructions.
- Dip Cake Balls: Remove about 10 chilled cake balls at a time. Dip each cake ball completely into the melted chocolate almond bark, covering the entire surface, including the base. Gently shake to remove excess coating. Place each cake pop upright into a cake pop stand or Styrofoam block.
- Insert Wings: Working quickly while the chocolate coating is still wet, poke two Oreo halves into the sides of each cake ball to form bat wings. For best results, try inserting them simultaneously from both sides.
- Attach Eyes: Affix the candy eyes to the bats. If the coating has already set, use a tiny drop of warm almond bark as an adhesive to “glue” the eyes in place.
Tip for Attaching Bat Wings
To make the process of inserting the Oreo halves smoother and prevent damage to the cake pop, it’s easiest if you poke them into both sides of the cake balls at the same time. This creates a balanced insertion.
5. Assembling Whimsical Witch Hat Cake Pops
- Create Mini Witch Hats:
- Melt a small amount of chocolate almond bark.
- Dip the wide end of a mini waffle cone into the melted chocolate, then immediately stick it onto the center of a mini Stroop waffle. This forms the basic witch hat structure.
- Continue assembling as many mini witch hats as needed. Allow them to sit and harden completely.
- Color the Hats Black:
- Transfer the hardened “witch hats” to a baking sheet.
- Using black food coloring spray, carefully spray the hats until they are a uniform, deep black. Allow them to air dry completely.
Avoid Making a Mess with Food Spray
Food coloring spray can create a fine mist that may stain surfaces. For best results and to keep your kitchen counters pristine, it’s highly recommended to spray the witch hats outside or in a well-ventilated area like your garage.
- Dip Cake Balls: Remove chilled cake balls. Dip each cake ball completely into melted almond bark (or chocolate candy melts with shortening). Gently shake to remove excess coating. Place each cake pop upright into a stand.
- Attach Hats: While the coating on the cake pop is still wet, drop a small dollop of melted almond bark onto the very top of the cake pop. Immediately place one of your prepared black witch hats on top, holding it gently for a few seconds to allow the almond bark to set and secure the hat in place.
6. Designing Silly Monster Head Cake Pops
- Prepare for Dipping: Have your purple or blue cake mixture ready (for vibrant monster colors). Also, prepare your black sprinkles in a small bowl and have a variety of big and small candy eyes within easy reach.
- Melt Colorful Coating: Melt purple or blue candy melts (with shortening) in a microwave-safe cup until smooth and fluid, following package instructions.
- Dip & Shake: Remove about 10 chilled cake balls at a time. Dip each cake ball entirely into the melted colorful coating, covering the base as well. Gently shake off any excess coating.
- Add “Hair” & Set: Immediately dunk the very top of the monster head into the black sprinkles, creating wild, shaggy monster hair. Place the cake pops upright into a cake pop stand.
- Place Eyes Creatively: This is where the fun truly begins! Place candy eyes onto the monster heads in any configuration your heart desires. Be as creepy, silly, or imaginative as you can – multiple eyes, mismatched sizes, or off-kilter placements will add to their monstrous charm.
Pro Tips for Cake Pop Success
Achieving perfectly coated and beautifully decorated cake pops requires attention to detail. Follow these expert tips to ensure your Halloween treats turn out flawlessly:
- Uniform Sizing is Key: For consistently sized cake balls, use a small portion scoop. Aim for balls that are approximately 1.5 inches in diameter. Uniformity ensures even coating and a professional look.
- Work in Small Batches: To prevent your cake balls from warming up and potentially crumbling or falling off their sticks, only remove about 10 cake balls from the refrigerator at a time. Keep the rest chilled until you are ready to dip them.
- Avoid Freezing: Never coat frozen cake balls directly. The drastic temperature difference between the frozen cake and the warm coating will cause the coating to crack as it sets, ruining the smooth finish. Ensure your cake balls are thoroughly chilled but not frozen.
- Shake Off Excess Coating: After dipping each cake pop, gently shake it to allow as much excess coating as possible to drip back into the bowl. This helps prevent unsightly drips, an overly thick shell, and ensures a cleaner, more refined appearance.
- Prepare All Decorations in Advance: Candy coatings set very quickly, often within seconds. Before you begin dipping, make sure all your sprinkles, candy eyes, pretzel sticks, and any other decorations are laid out and ready to be applied immediately.
- Allow Adequate Setting Time: After decorating, let your cake pops set for at least an hour at room temperature or in the refrigerator before packaging them. This ensures the coating is completely firm and durable.
Make-Ahead Tips for Stress-Free Baking
Planning ahead can significantly reduce stress on decorating day. Cake pops are wonderfully versatile and can be prepared in stages:
- Prepare Cake Balls in Advance: You can make the undipped and undecorated cake balls up to 3 days ahead of time. Simply store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator until you are ready to dip and decorate.
- Store Finished Cake Pops: Once decorated and set, Halloween cake pops can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 1 week, ready to be enjoyed or served.
Storing & Freezing Your Halloween Cake Pops
Proper storage ensures your delightful Halloween cake pops remain fresh and delicious for as long as possible:
- Refrigerator Storage: Store your finished Halloween cake pops in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. This keeps them firm and prevents the coating from becoming sticky or soft.
- Freezing for Longer Storage: For extended storage, you can freeze cake pops for up to 2 months. Place them in a single layer on a baking sheet to freeze solid, then transfer them to an airtight freezer-safe container, separating layers with parchment paper.
- Thawing Frozen Cake Pops: When you’re ready to enjoy frozen cake pops, simply transfer them to the refrigerator overnight to thaw gradually. Avoid thawing at room temperature too quickly, as this can cause condensation and affect the coating.
Halloween Cake Pops FAQs: Your Questions Answered
Halloween cake pops are best displayed upright to show off their creative decorations and prevent any damage to the coating. You can use a dedicated cake pop stand, a sturdy Styrofoam block, or even a cardboard box with small holes carefully poked into it to hold the sticks. For an extra festive touch, adorn your display with Halloween-themed decorations like plastic spiders, candy corn, leftover candy eyes, or sprinkles to create a truly enchanting centerpiece.
Temperature is the primary culprit behind cake pops falling apart. If the cake balls are too warm (at room temperature), the mixture can become soft and crumbly, causing them to detach from the stick during dipping. Conversely, if they are frozen solid, the candy coating will likely crack as it sets due to the significant temperature difference. The key is to keep the cake balls consistently chilled in the refrigerator – firm enough to hold their shape but not frozen solid.
Both candy melts and almond bark are excellent choices for coating cake pops, and each has its advantages. Candy melts are fantastic for their wide range of vibrant colors, making them ideal for creating specific character cake pops like green Frankensteins or blue monsters. They can be melted easily in the microwave or using a double-boiler. While they tend to be thicker, adding a small amount of shortening will thin them out to the perfect dipping consistency, ensuring a smooth, even, and crack-free finish for all your decorating needs.
Explore More Delicious Cake Recipes:
- Easy Cake Pops
- Homemade Chocolate Cake Pops
- Funfetti Mini Layer Cakes
- Mini Carrot Cakes with Candied Pecans
Halloween Cake Pops Recipe
Shinee Davaakhuu
Halloween cake pops are a magical, hand-crafted treat perfect for celebrating the spooky season. Loved by both kids and adults, they’re rich and fudgy, portable, and surprisingly easy to whip up!
25 mins
15 mins
2 hrs 40 mins
25 cake pops
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Ingredients
For cake pops:
- 1 box yellow cake mix (Note 1)
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup (240 ml) water or milk
- ½ cup (120 ml) vegetable oil
- 4 oz (115 g) cream cheese (Note 2)
- 25 cake pop sticks
- 16 oz (450 g) almond bark, or candy melts (Note 3)
- 4 tablespoons shortening (optional, Note 4)
For Frankensteins:
- Green candy melts + shortening
- Pretzel sticks
- Black sprinkles
- Candy eyes
- Black edible marker
For pumpkins:
- Orange food coloring
- White almond bark or candy melts
- Mini chocolate chips
For witch fingers:
- White almond bark or candy melts
- Almond slices
For bats:
- Chocolate almond bark
- Chocolate Oreo cookies
- Candy eyes
For witch hat:
- Mini Stroop waffles
- Mini waffle cone snacks
- Black food coloring spray
- Chocolate almond bark
For monster heads:
- Purple or blue candy melts + shortening
- Big and small candy eyes
Equipment
- Half sheet pan
- Large bowl
- Baking sheet
- Cake pop sticks
- Styrofoam or cake pop stand
Instructions
Bake the cake:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baker’s half sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
- Make the cake batter according to the box directions using 1 box yellow cake mix, 3 large eggs, ½ cup vegetable oil, and 1 cup water.
- Pour the cake batter into the prepared baking sheet and spread it evenly.
- Bake for 15 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Cool the cake completely.
Make the cake pop mixture:
- Crumble the cooled cake into a large bowl.
- Add 4 oz cream cheese and mix it well into the cake with clean hands. Ensure there’s no dry cake visible.
- If desired, divide the cake mixture into 3 parts and color them with purple and orange food coloring for different designs.
Form the cake balls:
- Divide the cake pops into 1.5-inch balls and arrange them on a lined baking sheet. For witch finger cake pops, form the cake mixture into long fingers.
- Refrigerate for 2 hours, or overnight.
Coat the cake balls (initial step for all designs):
- Melt a small amount of almond bark or candy melts with shortening in a microwave-safe cup.
- Dip a cake pop stick about ½-inch deep into the melted coating, then insert it into the chilled cake balls. Continue until all cake balls have sticks. Place them back into the fridge to keep cool.
For Frankenstein cake pops:
- Break pretzel sticks into 1-inch pieces. Put black sprinkles in a small bowl, and have candy eyes ready.
- Melt green candy melts with 1-2 tablespoons of shortening in a 2-cup measuring cup in the microwave until nice and smooth, according to package instructions.
- Bring out about 10 cake balls at a time. Dip each cake ball into the melted candy coating until it’s fully covered, including the base. Gently shake to let the excess coating drip off.
- Working quickly, dunk the top of the cake balls into the bowl with black sprinkles. Place the cake pops upright into a Styrofoam, or cake pop stand.
- Poke the pretzel sticks into the lower half of the cake balls. (TIP: It’s easier to poke the sticks from both sides at the same time.)
- Place the candy eyes. If the coating is already set, simply use a tiny bit of candy melt as glue.
- Once the coating is completely dry, draw the mouth with stitches using a black edible marker.
For pumpkin cake pops:
- Use an orange cake mixture with white coating for a pretty effect.
- Using a cake pop stick, make wide dented lines from the top of the cake pop to the base to resemble pumpkin grooves. Place the cake balls back into the fridge.
- Melt white almond bark with 1-2 tablespoons of shortening in a 2-cup measuring cup in the microwave until nice and smooth, according to package instructions.
- Bring out about 10 cake balls at a time. Dip each cake ball into the melted candy coating until it’s fully covered, including the base. Gently shake to let the excess coating drip off.
- Place the cake pops upright into a stand.
- Immediately put a mini chocolate chip on top for the stem.
- If desired, you can also sprinkle the cake pops with orange sanding sugar all over right after dipping.
For witch finger cake pops:
- Melt white almond bark with 1-2 tablespoons of shortening in a 2-cup measuring cup in the microwave until nice and smooth, according to package instructions.
- Bring out about 10 cake fingers at a time. Dip each cake finger into the melted candy coating until it’s fully covered, including the base. Gently shake to let the excess coating drip off.
- Place the cake pops upright into a stand.
- Immediately place an almond slice on top for fingernails.
- Using a spare cake pop stick or a toothpick, make a few horizontal lines to resemble wrinkles on finger joints.
For bat cake pops:
- Separate the Oreo cookies from the filling and break the cookies in half. Have candy eyes ready.
- Melt chocolate almond bark in a 2-cup measuring cup in the microwave until nice and smooth, according to package instructions.
- Bring out about 10 cake balls at a time. Dip each cake ball into the melted almond bark until it’s fully covered, including the base. Gently shake to let the excess coating drip off. Place the cake pops upright into a stand.
- Working quickly, poke two Oreo halves into the sides of the cake balls. (TIP: It’s easier to poke the cookies from both sides at the same time.)
- Place the candy eyes. If the coating is already set, simply use a tiny bit of candy melt as glue.
For witch hat cake pops:
- Melt a small amount of chocolate almond bark.
- Dip a mini cone into the melted chocolate coating and immediately stick it to the top of a mini Stroop waffle. Let them set and harden.
- Place the “witch hats” on a baking sheet and spray them with black food coloring spray. Let them air dry completely. (TIP: Spray outdoors or in a garage to avoid mess.)
- Melt chocolate almond bark in a 2-cup measuring cup in the microwave until nice and smooth, according to package instructions.
- Bring out about 10 cake balls at a time. Dip each cake ball into the melted almond bark until it’s fully covered, including the base. Gently shake to let the excess coating drip off. Place the cake pops upright into a stand.
- Put a dollop of almond bark on top of the cake pop and place the prepared witch hat. Hold the hat for a few seconds to let the almond bark set.
For monster head cake pops:
- Melt purple or blue melting wafers with shortening in a 2-cup measuring cup in the microwave until nice and smooth, according to package instructions.
- Prepare black sprinkles in a small bowl and have candy eyes ready.
- Bring out about 10 cake balls at a time. Dip each cake ball into the melted coating until it’s fully covered, including the base. Gently shake to let the excess coating drip off.
- Immediately dunk the top into the sprinkles. Place the cake pops upright into a stand.
- Put candy eyes however your heart desires, making them as creepy or silly as possible.
Packaging:
- Let the cake pops set for about an hour before packaging.
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Tips & Notes
Note 1: You can use any cake mix you prefer. Feel free to follow the box directions precisely, or experiment with substitutions like butter for oil, or milk for water, to suit your taste.
Note 2: We find that cake mix cakes can be quite sweet, which is why we prefer using plain cream cheese to bind the cake pop mixture. This creates a balanced flavor. In blind taste tests, cream cheese was consistently preferred over store-bought frosting or regular buttercream, which often made the cake balls overly sweet.
Note 3: Almond bark generally offers the best consistency for coating cake balls, providing a smooth finish. However, for specific colors like the green for Frankensteins or purple for monsters, colored candy melts are necessary. Remember to adjust consistency with shortening if using candy melts.
Note 4: Shortening is crucial for thinning out almond bark or candy melts. A thinner coating is easier to apply evenly, prevents excessive drips, and is especially important for designs like pumpkin cake pops, where you want the grooves to remain visible.
Note 5: The nutrition information provided does not include the calories or sugar content from decorations or additional candies used for topping.
Storing Tips:
– Store finished cake pops in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
– For longer storage, freeze for up to 2 months in an airtight container. Thaw them overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
General Tips:
– Do not coat frozen cake balls; the coating will crack as it sets due to temperature differences.
– Always work with about 10 cake balls at a time from the refrigerator to prevent them from warming up and falling off the sticks.
– Shake off as much excess coating as possible after dipping to avoid drips and an overly thick shell.
Nutrition
1 cake pop
231 kcal
30 g
2 g
11 g
22 g
178 mg
Dessert
American
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