Graduation Cake Pops In Colors (Print Version)

Moist cake pops dipped in colorful chocolate, decorated for graduation celebrations in your school colors.

# Ingredient List:

→ Cake

01 - 1 box (about 15 oz) vanilla or chocolate cake mix, plus ingredients as specified on box (typically eggs, vegetable oil, and water)
02 - OR 1 homemade 9-inch cake, completely cooled

→ Frosting

03 - 1/2 cup cream cheese frosting or buttercream frosting

→ Coating and Decoration

04 - 12 oz candy melts in school colors or white chocolate with food coloring
05 - 2 tablespoons vegetable shortening, optional for thinning chocolate
06 - Sprinkles, edible glitter, or colored sugar in matching colors
07 - 24 lollipop sticks
08 - 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips for tassels or accents
09 - Fondant in school colors, optional for cap decorations

# How to Make:

01 - Bake cake according to package or homemade recipe directions. Allow cake to cool completely before proceeding.
02 - Break cooled cake into fine crumbs by hand or with a mixer in a large mixing bowl.
03 - Add frosting gradually and mix using a spatula or clean hands until mixture holds together when pressed. Use only as much frosting as needed for a moldable texture.
04 - Scoop tablespoon-sized portions and roll into 24 evenly sized balls. Arrange on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
05 - Cover baking sheet and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or freeze for 20 minutes to firm up the cake balls.
06 - Melt candy melts or chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl in 30-second intervals, stirring after each, until smooth. If mixture is too thick, stir in vegetable shortening to reach desired consistency.
07 - Dip tip of each lollipop stick into melted coating, then insert halfway into each chilled cake ball.
08 - Submerge each cake pop fully into melted coating, swirling gently. Tap off excess coating and immediately proceed to decor.
09 - While coating is wet, apply sprinkles or colored sugar. For graduation caps, place a fondant square on top and attach a mini chocolate chip with a dab of melted chocolate as the tassel.
10 - Place pops upright in a styrofoam block or cake pop stand to set. Allow chocolate coating to harden completely before serving or packaging.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The coating locks in the moist, secretly delicious cake center—people won’t believe there’s box mix in there.
  • You get to channel your inner art class with those playful school colors and tiny fondant caps.
02 -
  • Don’t skip the chilling—my first batch slid off the sticks and made wild polka dots on the counter.
  • A thin coating will crack as it dries, but adding a bit of shortening keeps it flexible and glossy.
03 -
  • Scoop the cake mixture with a cookie scoop for perfectly even pops.
  • Only dip a few pops at a time—if you rush, the coating sets before you add decorations and nothing sticks.
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