This easy Halloween cake pops recipe brings together an easy to shape cake pop with all the festive spooky spirit you want for halloween. We are using boxed cake mix and a few simple ingredients. I want to set you up for success so you can have so much fun for your next Halloween party.
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Making Delicious Halloween Cake Pops
Making fun and spooky cake pops is one thing. I want these to taste amazing also. You are going to use good chocolate and my favorite boxed cake mix from the grocery store so that your cake pops are the best in town!
Favorite Cake Pop Ideas
- Mummy cake pops
- Pumpkin Cake Pops
- Little Ghouls or Frankenstein cake pops
- Festive sprinkles (keeping it simple)
Basic Cake Pop Ingredients
- boxed cake mix with required ingredients to bake the cake
- jarred store bought frosting
- candy melts in various colors including white, orange, green, and brown
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Specialty Supplies
- cake pop sticks or lollipop sticks in 4" or 6"Β
- cake pop stand (optional)
- cookie sheet lined with a silpat or parchment paper
- silicone mold for gauging consistent size
Recommended Melting Chocolate
Melting chocolate is tricky business. Colored chocolate can be especially difficult to melt. My go-to melting chocolate is Ghirardelli. It is a little more expensive than other brands, however, it is the easiest to melt and dip.
I also use some of the white chocolate with my color to make it smoother.
If you need to add more color for your chocolate shell, make sure to purchase an oil based food coloring. Gel coloring will not work.
Step-By-Step Directions
First, follow the package directions on the store-bought cake mix. After the cake has cooled, transfer the cake to the bowl of a large stand mixer. Using the paddle attachment, break up the cake into a fine crumble.
Next, add β of the canned frosting. Mix on low speed until the cake and frosting is well incorporated. For the best results, do this step ahead of time and chill the cake pop mixture at least 2 hours in advance. Transfer the prepared cake to an airtight container and refrigerate until you are ready to use.
To shape the cake pops, use about 1 Β½ tablespoons of the cake mixture and roll into a smooth ball. Set the cake ball aside and continue to roll all of the cake pops.
Dipping Cake Pops
To add the lollipop stick, dip the tip into melted chocolate and stick into the cake pop about halfway. Let the chocolate harden before dipping into the rest of the chocolate coating. Tap the stick to remove excess chocolate and set into either a cake pop stand or cake ball down onto a chilled sheet pan.
Halloween Cake Pop Decorations
For Mummy cake pops: dip your cake balls into white chocolate. After the white shell has hardened, add candy eyes. In a disposable piping bag, add stripes of white chocolate to make the mummy design.
Pumpkin or Jack-O-Lantern Cake Pops are made with orange candy melts as the outer shell. After the steel hardens, use dark chocolate to pipe on the eyes and mouth or use green chocolate to add a stem and leaves.
Frankenstein Cake Pops are made with a green candy shell. Use chocolate jimmies or black sprinkles for the hair when the chocolate is still melted. After the outer coating has set, ass candy eyeballs and use dark chocolate for the mouth.
Pro Tip For Homemade Cake Pops
I prefer to make this the kind of cake pop that stand on their own. In order to solidify the bottom of the candy shell, I pop a metal baking sheet lined with wax paper or parchment in the refrigerator for 20 minutes before dipping the cake pops.
When I am ready to dip the cake balls, I place them top-side down on the baking sheet. That helps the melted candy coating harden quickly and prevents the cake from coming through.
Saving and Packaging Cake Pops
For cake pops that stand on their own, I like to use mini cupcake liners because they're extra cute and make the packaging look more finished. Place the cake pop into a 3x4" bag and secure with a twist tie.
If you're not packaging the cake pops individually, store them in an airtight container until you are ready to serve them.
Related Cake Pop Recipe
Check out the post on perfectly smooth Birthday Cake Pops for more helpful information!
Halloween Cake Pops Recipe Card
Fun and Easy Halloween Cake Pops Recipe
Equipment
- cake pop sticks or lollipop sticks in 4" or 6"
- cake pop stand (optional)
- cookie sheet lined with a silpat or parchment paper
- silicone mold for gauging consistent size
Ingredients
- 1 boxed cake mix with required ingredients to bake the cake
- β jarred store bought frosting
- 3 cups candy melts in various colors including white orange, green, and brown
Instructions
Bake Cake
- Bake cake according to package directions. Let cool completely or overnight if possible.
Make Cake Pop Balls
- Place cooled cake into the bowl of a stand mixer. Use the paddle attachment and turn on to the low setting. Let the mixer run until the cake is completely crumbled with no more big pieces.
- Add a half cup of frosting and mix on low again. You may need more frosting depending on the humidity in the air or dryness of the cake. Start with a Β½ cup and add more if needed to evenly incorporate all of the cake. Check the consistency of the cake and frosting mixture. It should come together completely without leaving any small dry crumbs in the bowl. Almost a play-doh like consistnecy.
- Chill the cake pop mixture for 30 minutes or overnight. This will make the cake pop balls easier to shape.
- Using a tablespoon or cookie scoop, portion out some cake into your palm and give it a few squeezes. Roll the mixture into a ball and make sure it is smooth all the way around. Place the ball in a cake mold or on a sheet pan lined with parchment. Continue until all of the cake mixture is rolled into balls.
Dip and Decorate
- In a microwave safe dish, melt about a β of a cup of candy wafers. Follow the package directions for melting. Heat in 30 second intervals and stir well after each 30 seconds until the chocolates are smooth.
- Dip Β½" of a cake pop stick into the melted chocolate and poke into the cake ball. Continure until all of the cake pops have sticks.
- Chill the cake balls in to fridge for 15-20 minutes.
- After cake pops have set, bring them back out of the fridge for dipping. Melt about a 1 Β½ cups of candy wafers in a microwave safe measuring cup, 30 seconds at a time and stirring in between. Once the chocolate has melted evenly and you have a smooth mixture, you are ready to dip the pops.
- Tilt the measuring cup with the chocolate coating on an angle and dip a cake pop, rotating through the coating until it is evenly covered. Use the side of the measuring cup to tap the cake pop stick against until the excess coating has dripped off.
- Add candy eyes while the chocolate shell is still wet or use more melted chocolate to adhere the candy eyes.
- To decorate with mummy strips, pumpkin stem, and master face transfer melted chocolate to disposable piping bags. Cut a very small tip off the end of the piping bag and decorate each cake pop as desired.
- Let the cake pops set at room temperature. After the chocolate shell and decorations have completely set, you can bag them with cake pop bags and seal with a twist tie.
Video
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