Easy Valentine Cake Pops
These cute Valentine cake pops are made from scratch with vanilla cake and buttercream—simple, delicious, and better than store-bought!
Servings 26 cake pops
Equipment
- one 8 inch (20cm) round cake pan
- parchment paper
- mixing bowls
- cake pop sticks
- baking sheet or sheet pan
- mini heart mold
- small cookie scoop
- cake pop sticks
Ingredients
For the vanilla cake
- 1 ¼ cups all purpose flour (155g)
- 1 ¼ teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature (85g)
- ¾ cup sugar (150g)
- 1 large egg at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ½ tablespoon light vegetable oil
- ½ cup whole milk (125ml)
For the frosting
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature (57g)
- 1 cup powdered sugar (120g)
- 2-3 teaspoons milk or heavy cream
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
For the coating
- 12 ounces candy melts (340g) (I use pink and white)
- sprinkles (optional)
Instructions
Make the vanilla cake
- Preheat the oven to 350℉/180℃.
- Grease and flour the pan, then tap out any excess flour. Line the bottom with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.1 ¼ cups all purpose flour (155g), 1 ¼ teaspoons baking powder, ¼ teaspoon salt
- In a large bowl, beat the butter for 1–2 minutes until softened. Add the sugar all at once and beat for about 5 minutes until light and creamy, scraping down the sides as needed.¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature (85g), ¾ cup sugar (150g)
- Add the egg, vanilla and oil, and mix until combined.1 large egg at room temperature, 1 teaspoon vanilla, ½ tablespoon light vegetable oil
- Gradually add the flour mixture and milk to the butter mixture, alternating between the two (beginning and ending with the flour). Beat on low to medium speed, mixing just until combined after each addition. Be careful not to overmix.½ cup whole milk (125ml)
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 30–35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the top is light golden brown.
- Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn it out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Make the buttercream frosting
- Sift the powdered sugar and set it aside.1 cup powdered sugar (120g)
- In a large bowl, beat the butter with a hand mixer or stand mixer on high speed until light and creamy, about 3-4 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl a few times as needed.¼ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature (57g)
- Add the powdered sugar in 4 additions, mixing on low speed at first, then increasing to medium. Beat well after each addition until fully incorporated.
- Mix in the vanilla extract and add the milk one teaspoon at a time. You may not need all the milk—stop once you reach your desired consistency. If the frosting is too thick, add a little more milk. If it’s too thin, mix in 1-2 extra tablespoons of powdered sugar.½ teaspoon vanilla, 2-3 teaspoons milk or heavy cream
Make the cake pops
- Crumble the cooled cake into fine crumbs in a large mixing bowl. I use my hands.
- Add 1–2 tablespoons of buttercream at a time, mixing gently after each addition. Continue adding small amounts until the cake crumbs stick together. Keep an eye on the texture as you mix. The dough is ready when it holds together and can be easily rolled into balls without crumbling.
- Use a cookie scoop to portion out even amounts (about 1 to 1 ½ tablespoons in size), then roll into balls. For heart cake pops, press the cake mixture firmly into each cavity of the silicone heart mold, adding just enough to level it off at the top. Make sure to pack it tightly to maintain the heart shape once it sets. Smooth the surface with your fingers or a spatula for an even finish.
- Place the cake balls on a parchment-lined (or non-stick) baking sheet and chill in the refrigerator for about 5 minutes. If you're using the heart mold, place it in the freezer for 10 minutes so the cake hearts are easier to remove (I push them up from the bottom of the mold).
- Melt the candy melts according to the package instructions until it's smooth. Make sure the chocolate is runny or the coating won't be smooth.12 ounces candy melts (340g)
- Insert a stick into each cake ball to make an indentation, going halfway through—don’t push too far, or the cake pop may fall off later. Remove the stick, dip the tip in melted chocolate, and insert it back into the hole. Place the cake ball on a baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining cake balls/hearts, then refrigerate for 5 minutes to let the chocolate set.
- Remove 2-3 cake balls/hearts from the refrigerator. Dunk each cake ball into the melted chocolate coating so it's completely covered, including the base where the stick and cake ball connect. Lift and gently tap the stick on the edge of your container to remove any excess coating. If using sprinkles, add them now while the chocolate is still wet so they stick on the cake pops.sprinkles
- Let the coated cake pops stand upright to set. I used small glasses filled with sugar, but you could also use a Styrofoam block to set them upright. Alternatively, place them stick-side up on parchment to set. Repeat with the remaining cake balls/hearts, taking only 2-3 out of the refrigerator at a time.
- The chocolate coating needs about 45 minutes to set. Store coated cake pops in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.
- Enjoy!
Notes
Tips for Perfect Cake Pops
- Cool the cake completely—making it a day ahead works best.
- Go easy on the frosting—use just enough to bring the crumbs together without making the pops too dense.
- Use a cookie scoop for evenly sized cake pops.
- Candy melts work best since they don’t need tempering like regular chocolate.
- Chill briefly—5 minutes in the fridge is enough to prevent the chocolate from cracking.
- Dip in a deep container for easier coating.
- Tap off excess coating by gently tapping or shaking the stick over the container.
- Work in batches—keep some cake balls in the fridge while you dip a few at a time.
