This copycat Starbucks Cake Pop Recipe is fudgy and moist, made with box brownie mix and coated in melted chocolate with white sprinkles. It’s so good, you’ll think it’s the real deal!
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Pin RecipeWhoever created the first cake pop deserves an award! I’ve yet to find anything that I don’t like about them. They’re the perfect bite-size treat that offers a cake-like center. Then, they’re coated in melted chocolate and decorated with sprinkles, sanding sugar, chopped nuts, or drizzled melted chocolate. What’s not to love?!
Today, I’m sharing my copycat Starbucks Cake Pop Recipe with you! Instead of cake, it calls for a fudgy brownie dough center. It’s made by baking brownies and mashing them into a thick and smooth chocolate dough. You get all the decadent flavor with a lot less work!
While I love the convenience of box brownie mix, go right ahead and make the brownies from scratch. I have a great recipe for homemade brownies that you can try!
Starbucks Cake Pop Recipe
Continuing with the rich chocolate flavor of the Starbucks cake pop, these mouth-watering homemade cake pops are submerged in melted milk chocolate candy melts and decorated with white sprinkles. Once dry, they can be added to a dessert charcuterie board or this Hot Chocolate Bar for the holidays!
If you love rich chocolate brownies, don’t be shy to try these Slutty Brownies, Oreo Brownies, and S’mores Brownies, too. You can’t go wrong with any of them!
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Ingredients for Starbucks Cake Pop Recipe
See recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
- Brownie Mix – I’ve used 1 box of Betty Crocker Fudge Brownie Mix for these cake pops. Another brand of brownie mix can be used, but you must check the packaging for any additional ingredients called for.
- Water
- Vegetable oil – Canola oil or unscented coconut oil is another option.
- Eggs – Bring to room temperature for easy mixing.
- Milk chocolate candy melts – Dark chocolate or white chocolate candy melts can also be used.
- White sprinkles – Or another colored sprinkle.
Variations
- If you prefer, make Homemade Brownies instead of using a box mix.
- Gluten-free brownie mix should be used when catering to anyone with gluten sensitivities.
- The brownie mix makes these cake pops moist and fudgy, but you could also use a chocolate cake mix instead.
- Use colored candy melts and sprinkles when making your cake pops for specific holidays or party themes.
- Add vanilla extract or another extract of your choice to the brownie mixture for added flavor.
How to Make Starbucks Cake Pop Recipe
- Make the brownies: Preheat the oven, and grease a cake pan with cooking oil spray. Combine the brownie ingredients in a bowl, and pour the batter into the pan. Bake for 25 minutes. Allow the brownies to cool completely.
- Make the cake pop dough: Remove the brownies from the pan, and mash them with an electric mixer on low speed until they’re smooth and resemble a wet dough.
- Form the cake pop balls: Measure out the dough using a small cookie scoop, and use your hands to roll the dough into smooth balls. Place the balls on a clean tray or plate.
- Assemble the cake pops: Heat the candy melts in a mug in the microwave for 30-second intervals, stirring in between, until the consistency is smooth. Dip the tips of the lollipop sticks into the melted chocolate, and insert a stick into each cake pop. Place the cake pops in the freezer for 10 minutes to harden and set.
- Coat and decorate: Once chilled, remove the cake pops from the freezer. Using the sticks to hold the cake pops, dip each cake pop into the melted chocolate. Shake gently over the mug to remove any excess chocolate, and then stick the lollipop stick into the styrofoam block. Repeat for all the cake pops, and sprinkle with white sprinkles while the chocolate coating is still wet. Allow the chocolate to cool and set, and enjoy!
Quick Tip
Dipping the lollipop sticks into the melted chocolate to insert into the cake pops helps them adhere to the brownie ball. Don’t skip this step, or they’re likely to fall out!
How to Store Starbucks Cake Pops
Store leftover Starbucks cake pops at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 1 week. This should ideally be in a cool and dry area of your kitchen to prevent the chocolate coating from becoming soft and melting.
Extend the storage of these cake pops by storing them in the fridge for up to 2 weeks or in large plastic sealable bags in the freezer for 1 to 3 months. Allow them to thaw in the fridge overnight before serving.
FAQs
The top of the brownies should look flaky, and the edges should pull away from the sides of the pan. You can also insert a toothpick into the center of the baked brownies. If it comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs, your brownies are done!
I highly recommend using a cookie scoop to measure the brownie mixture for uniform-sized cake pops. If that’s not an option, a 1/4 cup measuring cup will also work.
You will only need a small amount of melted chocolate for dipping the lollipop sticks. If you think it will take a while to assemble the cake pops, only melt the majority of the candy just before coating the cake pops.
I don’t recommend adding nuts to the brownie cake pop dough as this will make the dough harder to form into balls and may cause the cake pops to fall apart!
More Copycat Recipes
Starbucks Cake Pop Recipe (Copycat)
Equipment
- Styrofoam block
- Mug
- 9×13 cake pan
- Large mixing bowl
- Rubber spatula
- knife
- Small cookie scoop
- measuring spoons
- Measuring cup
- 30 lollipop sticks
- Plate or tray
- Microwave
Ingredients
Brownies
- 1 box Betty Crocker Fudge Brownie Mix
- ¼ cup water
- ⅔ cup vegetable oil
- 2 Eggs
Cake Pops
- 12 ounces of milk chocolate candy melts
- 30 lollipop sticks
- White sprinkles
Instructions
- Start by making the brownies for the cake pops. Preheat your oven to 350ºF and grease a 9×13 can pan with baking spray.
- Mix all of the ingredients for the brownies together in a large bowl. Mix until the batter is smooth then pour it into the prepared pan. Spread the batter into an even layer in the pan.1 box Betty Crocker Fudge Brownie Mix, ¼ cup water, ⅔ cup vegetable oil, 2 Eggs
- Bake the brownies for about 25 minutes. The top of the brownies will look flakey and the edges of the brownies will be pulling away from the sides of the pan.
- Let the brownies cool completely.
- Cut the brownies out of the pan and place them all into a large mixing bowl. Use an electric mixer on low speed to mash the brownies, making a very thick, smooth paste. The brownies should look like thick cookie dough.
- Use a small cookie scoop to scoop the brownie mix into small balls. Use your hands to roll each scoop into a smooth, round ball then place the ball on a clean plate or tray. You should get about 30 round balls of cake. (This will depend on the exact size cookie scoop you use.)
- Place the candy melts in a large mug. Microwave the candy melts for 30 seconds then stir and microwave for another 30 seconds. Keep heating the candy melts for 30 seconds and stirring until they are completely melted and smooth.12 ounces of milk chocolate candy melts
- Dip the tip of each lollipop stick in the candy melts then push the dipped stick into each cake pop. The chocolate on the stick will help the stick adhere to the brownie ball.30 lollipop sticks
- Place the brownie balls with the sticks in the freezer for 10 minutes to chill.
- Use the stick to pick up the brownie pop and dunk the brownie ball into the smooth candy melts chocolate. Coat the ball completely then shake it off gently, letting the excess chocolate drip back into the mug.
- Place the stick of the cake pop in a block of styrofoam and add the white sprinkles to the cake pop while the chocolate is wet. Let the cake pop dry in the styrofoam block. This helps keep the perfectly round shape.
- Dip all of the cake pops and add sprinkles after you dip each one. Once the cake pops are dry, they are ready to serve!White sprinkles
Notes
- Use any color candy melts and sprinkles to make the cake pops match your party theme
- Use a boxed brownie mix but follow the recipe on the back of the box to make the brownies. Some mixes use an extra egg or less water and oil.
- Do not use brownie mix that contains nuts. The brownie cake balls will be harder to form if there are nut pieces.
