Copycat Starbucks Cake Pop Recipe

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This copycat Starbucks chocolate cake pop recipe is rich, decadent, and fudgy just like the original. It's a sweet chocolate treat that everyone always loves.

I love the cake pops from Starbucks. They're sooo good. I'm not, however, such a big fan of how much I have to pay for them. That's why I decided to just make my own!

Starbucks Chocolate Cake Pops

This was inspired by my easy donut hole cake pops recipe on this site and makes a great addition to any potluck desserts table.

Why You Will Love this Recipe

It only uses a handful of ingredients.
It's super quick and easy.
It's a recipe that you can easily adapted with flavors and decorations.
It's great for parties and get-togethers of all kinds.
It's a fun way to get the kids in the kitchen.

Top Tip:

Always chill your cake balls before dipping them so the coating will adhere readily.

Ingredients

You only need a few basic ingredients to make these cake pops, and most if not all of them are probably in your kitchen right now. You'll find the exact quantities in the recipe card at the end of the post.

Chocolate cake mix prepared according to package directions
Chocolate frosting
Chocolate bark
White sprinkles

Substitutions and Variations

Use gluten-free cake mix.
Use dark chocolate, carob chips, or melted butterscotch chips in place of chocolate bark.
Use any sprinkles you like for these cake pops.
Drizzle with melted peanut butter or white chocolate before serving.
Use your favorite chocolate cake for these pops.
Make blonde pops with vanilla, white, or butter cake and white bark.
Use any kind of toppings you like. Crushed peppermint, mini marshmallows, mini M&Ms, and more will all work.
Use cream cheese frosting in place of chocolate frosting.

Instructions

This is an incredibly straightforward recipe that will have you in and out of the kitchen quickly. Check out the highlights below, but for the exact instructions, find the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

1: Prepare and bake the cake according to the package directions.

Overhead shot of three eggs and cake mix in a mixing bowl

Oil being poured into a bowl with cake mix and eggs

2: Add oil and eggs or whatever ingredients are needed.

Cake mixture inside a glass mixing bowl with a blue spatula.

Cake mix poured into a greased cake pan.

3: Stir until blended. Pour into greased 13 x 9 inch cake pan.

A baked chocolate flavored cake inside a cake pan.

Half of the cake is crumbled using a fork inside a cake pan.

4: Let the cake bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Then crumble it up with a fork.

Overhead shot of frosting on top of crumbled cake

Closeup shot of cookie scoop full of chocolate cake pop mixture

5: Mix in the frosting and using your hands, scoop and form the mixture into smooth balls.

Closeup shot of chocolate cake balls on parchment paper

Closeup shot of popsicle stick with chocolate on the end

6: Dip popsicle sticks into melted chocolate bark and push them into each cake ball.

Cake pop balls on parchment paper. Two cake balls have popsicle sticks in them.

7: Chill in the freezer.

Overhead shot of glassful of melted chocolate

Chocolate cake ball being dipped into glassful of chocolate

8: Dip the balls into melted chocolate bark.

Closeup shot of copycat Starbucks chocolate cake pop with white sprinkles

Copycat Starbucks chocolate cake pops standing upright in box

9: Then add sprinkles and place them upright in a box with holes in it until the chocolate sets.

Closeup shot of copycat Starbucks chocolate cake pops in a glass jar

Storage

Refrigerator: Store for up to a week in an air-tight contatiner.

Freezer: Store for up to 2 months in an air-tight, freezer-safe container.

Thaw: Place the cake pops in the refrigerator overnight.

What to Serve with Cake Pops

These cake pops are delicious with a glass of milk, salted caramel milkshake or a cup of coffee. They're the perfect addition to a larger dessert table at your special events, as well.

Tips

Make sure to freeze the cake pops on their sticks for 1 hour before dipping them in melted chocolate. This will help ensure that the pops stay on their sticks when being dunked into the chocolate.
Do not to add too much frosting or balls will be too soft to hold together.
Add the sprinkles to each cake pop before the chocolate hardens to ensure that they stick.
Work the frosting into the cake crumbs with your hands until everything forms a ball that holds its shape.
Melt chocolate bark in 30-second intervals, stirring often, and dip each stick in it before pushing it into a ball so it holds.
Use a cardboard box with holes poked in it as an easy place to chill and harden them after dipping them in melted chocolate if you don't want to buy a stand.
Roll each cake pop carefully in melted chocolate and allow excess to drip off
Invest in quality ingredients to ensure the best results 3. Double up on chocolate bark when melting so that you have enough to dip all of your cake pops.

FAQ

Can I make my own frosting for this recipe?

You sure can. Homemade frosting works just as well as purchased frosting.

What kind of chocolate should I use for this recipe?

Semi-sweet or dark chocolate bark work the best in our opinion. In any case, using almond bark is your best bet for a pretty, smooth coating.

Is almond bark safe for nut allergies?

Absolutely. Contrary to its name, there's no almonds or nuts of any kind in almond bark.

Closeup photo of three Starbucks Cake Pops. One cake pop is half eaten.

More Cake Pops Recipes

Do you like cake pops? Here are some recipes you may also like to try.

Starbucks Chocolate Cake Pop Recipe

Ready to get cooking? Remember that you can print this recipe if you would like.