My super easy strawberry cake pops recipe turns a box of cake mix into the perfect party treat in no time! I just combine cake crumbles with frosting to form tender balls of strawberry cake, dip them in chocolate, and they’re ready to go for holidays or birthday parties.
Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cake Balls
Just like my chocolate cake pops, I make these strawberry cake pops with cake mix, jarred frosting, and chocolate. The process is straightforward: bake the cake, crumble it, mix with frosting, roll into balls, and chill them before dipping. Chilling is key here. It gives you firm, smooth strawberry cake balls that won’t fall off the sticks or crack under the chocolate. These are easy enough to make that even my kids can help, and they are so excited to eat them once they’re finished.
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Don’t Skip Chilling
For a truly polished finish, don’t skip chilling the cake balls thoroughly before dipping. I recommend at least 1 hour in the fridge or even a quick 10-minute freeze. This step firms them up so they hold securely on the sticks and allows the chocolate coating to set instantly with a beautiful, crack-free shine, giving your homemade strawberry cake pops the same smooth, professional look you’d find in a high-end bakery.
Strawberry Cake Pops Recipe
Equipment
- Kitchen Scale (optional)
- 9×13 Baking Pan
- Baking Sheet
- Cake Pop Sticks
Ingredients
- 15.25 ounces strawberry cake mix (1 box)*
- 1 cup water
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 3 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons white frosting **
- 12 ounces milk chocolate chips
- Sprinkles optional, for garnish
Instructions
- Prepare the cake mix with the water, oil, and eggs. Bake in a 9×13-inch baking pan according to the package instructions.15.25 ounces strawberry cake mix, 1 cup water, ½ cup vegetable oil, 3 large eggs
- Allow cake to cool completely. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- Crumble the entire cake in a large bowl with a fork.
- Add the frosting and work it into the cake crumbs with your hands until it forms a ball. Add more frosting, 1 tablespoon at a time, as needed to get the right consistency.2 tablespoons white frosting
- Roll the dough into 1-inch balls and place them onto the prepared baking sheet.
- Melt a small amount of chocolate chips. Dip skewers into melted chocolate and then push them into the cake pops.12 ounces milk chocolate chips
- Refrigerate for 1 hour.
- Melt remaining chocolate chips. Dip each cake pop in melted chocolate, allowing excess to drip off.
- Add sprinkles quickly before chocolate hardens.Sprinkles
- Chill until ready for serving.
Notes
- The trick to making great cake pops is to let the cake cool completely before crumbling it, because the frosting won’t bind to warm cake–it’ll just melt right off!
- Use your hands when mixing the frosting in with the cake to ensure that you’re covering all the cake pieces.
- Make sure to use enough frosting in the cake pops to bind everything together, but not so much that they become squishy. You’ll also want to ensure an even chocolate coating on the outside to seal out oxygen and seal in the moisture!
- I highly recommend refrigerating strawberry cake balls before dipping them to ensure they are firm and set. Otherwise, the weight of the chocolate may cause the cake balls to fall off the stick.
- Cake pops can fall apart if you add too much frosting to the crumbled cake, if they are assembled warm, or if you don’t use chocolate to attach the sticks.
- Make sure you’re adding your sprinkles to your chocolate as quickly as possible. Once the chocolate hardens, the sprinkles won’t stick to it!
How to Make Strawberry Cake Pops with Cake Mix Step by Step
Bake the Cake: Combine 15.25 ounces (1 box) of strawberry cake mix with 1 cup of water, ½ cup of vegetable oil, and 3 large eggs. Bake in a 9×13-inch baking pan according to the package instructions. Allow the baked cake to cool completely before moving to the next step. This can be done ahead of time, so the cake is cooled and ready to crumble. For a homemade version, start with my strawberry sheet cake.
Crumble the Cake: Once the cake has cooled, line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set it aside. Crumble the entire strawberry cake in a large bowl using a fork or mixer. Then add 2 tablespoons of white frosting, and work it into the cake crumbs with your hands until it forms a ball. Add more frosting, 1 tablespoon at a time, as needed to get the right consistency.
Scoop: Once the crumbs and frosting are fully combined, it should form a fairly-wet dough that sticks together easily. Use a cookie scoop or tablespoon to gather the dough into individual portions.
Roll the Cake Balls: Roll the strawberry cake dough into 1-inch balls between the palms of your hands, then place them onto the prepared baking sheet.
Add the Sticks: Melt a small amount of the chocolate chips (about ¼ cup should be enough), and leave the rest for later. Dip skewers or lollipop sticks into the melted chocolate, then push them into the cake balls. Refrigerate for 1 hour so they have time to firm up, and the stick can set in place. This will help them hold up when dipped in chocolate.
Coat in Chocolate: After chilling, melt the remaining 12 ounces of chocolate chips in the microwave, stirring in 30-second increments. Dip each strawberry cake pop into the melted chocolate, and allow the excess to drip off.
Decorate and Set: If adding sprinkles, add them quickly before the chocolate hardens. Then let the cake pops chill and set until ready to serve!
How to Store
Store leftover chocolate covered strawberry cake pops in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let them come to room temperature before enjoying.
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