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Love to bake but don’t exactly want a whole cake? Make some cake pops instead! Better yet, simplify this dessert with a box of cake mix. If you haven’t heard about them yet, cake pop makers are an amazing appliance that have been gaining popularity in homes all across the country. Their small size and convenient design allow people to make delicious bites of cake quickly.

You can make small, no-hassle batches, without having to wait for a big bulky oven to preheat or figure out the perfect ratio of buttercream frosting to crumbled cake.

A baby blue pail filled with cake pops, sprinkles in the background.

It’s really easy to learn how to make cake pops with cake mix. Just pick up a tasty box of mix from the baking aisle, grab a few extra ingredients if you don’t already have them on hand and you’re all set!

Mix the batter up and in 5 minutes or less of bake time, you too can be enjoying these bites of deliciousness. The homemade icing is very easy to make and adds the finishing touch to these unique and tasty treats.

Ingredients & Items You Will Need

Prepped ingredients for cake mix cake pops.
  • 1 box cake mix
  • Ingredients indicated on the cake mix package (usually milk, oil and eggs)
  • Cake pop maker
  • Cake pop stand
  • Lollipop sticks

For the Coating:

  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 lemon, juiced
  • Sprinkles

If you don’t have a cake pop maker just yet, take a look at our top 5 picks.

Step #1. Pour Cake Mix into Bowl

Cake mix in a bowl, spatula and pastry brush on the side.

Lightly oil the inside of the cake pop maker and then preheat. Pour the cake mix into a bowl.

Step #2. Add Ingredients Indicated On Cake Mix Package

Cake mix and butter in a bowl, spatula and pastry brush on the side.

Add the ingredients according to the cake mix package (in our case: butter, egg and milk). Mix well.

Cake mix, milk, egg and butter in a bowl, spatula and pastry brush on the side.
Cake mix batter in a bowl and whisk, spatula and pastry brush on the side.
Cake mix batter in a bowl, spatula and pastry brush on the side.
Cake mix and a whisk in a bowl.

Step #3. Fill Cake Pop Maker with Batter

Cake pop maker getting filled with cake batter, spatula and pastry brush on the side.

Pour the batter into the cake pop maker cavities (fill them about 1 mm from the top so that they don’t spill over or come out flat). Bake them for 4-5 minutes (if a toothpick comes out dry they are ready). Repeat for remaining batter. Unplug the device and let it cool before cleaning.

Cake pop maker filled with cake mix batter, spatula and pastry brush on the side.
Baked cake pops in the cake pop maker, spatula and pastry brush on the side.

Step #4. Prepare the Cake Pop Coating

Bowl of powdered sugar on blue background.

Mix the powdered sugar with the lemon juice to make the icing. For a thicker coating, add more icing sugar. For a thinner coating, add a little bit of water.

Bowl of icing sugar and lemon juice on blue background.
Bowl of icing sugar coating for cake pops.

Step #5. Insert the Cake Pop Sticks

Cake pop stick dipped into coating, blue plate of cake balls on the side.

Insert the tips of the treat sticks into the icing, and then into the cake pops (about half-way into the cake pop). Place them on a tray or plate. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Treat stick with frosting at the end, pushed into cake ball on a blue plate.
Blue plate filled with cake pops that have treat sticks inserted in them, pail of coating on the side.

Step #6. Coat the Cake Pops

Cake pop getting coated with powdered sugar and lemon coating.

Cover with the icing and sprinkles, place in a cake pop stand and let sit until coating has hardened (approximately 1 hour or more). They can be set in the fridge as well, for about 30 minutes.

Hand holding a cake pop that has been dipped into sugar coating.
Hand holding a cake pop that has rainbow sprinkles on it.

Step #7. Serve & Enjoy!

2 cute pails filled with finished cake pops.
2 cute pails filled with finished cake pops, jar of sprinkles on the side.
A baby blue pail filled with cake pops, sprinkles in the background.

What I love about baking cake pops in a cake pop maker is the lightness of the cake balls, compared to forming the balls by hand with the heavy frosting.

This method makes it far easier to keep the treat from falling apart or off of the treat sticks when dipping into the coating! Yes, you know what I’m talking about.

A baby blue pail filled with cake pops, sprinkles in the background.

Whether you’re just short on time or simply prefer your cake on a stick, this simple recipe allows you to bake your cake pops in a jiffy. Don’t worry if you’re having some trouble with the cake balls sticking to the cavities of the cake pop maker.

Simply spray it down with baking spray or make sure each cavity is lightly oiled before piping in the batter and your cake balls will pop right out. For more variety, melt some baking candy in different flavors to use as the coating.

Try out this recipe next time you’re in the mood for a cake but want to eat something unique and snack size. The moisture and sweetness of these bite-sized morsels will have your mouth watering before they’re even out of the cake pop maker. The only downside to this recipe is you’ll want to eat them all yourself.

A baby blue pail filled with cake pops, sprinkles in the background.

Bring them to your next party or simply make a whole batch and share with friends. Either way, everyone will be admiring your awesomeness and talking about your baking skills for days.

Do you have a cake pop maker in your kitchen? If so, what other recipes have you tried? Let us know below!

A baby blue pail filled with cake pops, sprinkles in the background.

How to Make Cake Pops with Cake Mix

Joss D
It’s really easy to learn how to make cake pops with cake mix. Just pick up a tasty box of mix from the baking aisle, grab a few extra ingredients if you don’t already have them on hand and you’re all set to begin!
5 from 17 votes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 4 minutes
Chill Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 14 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 70 cake pops (approximately)
Calories 23 kcal

Ingredients
 
 

  • 1 box cake mix
  • Ingredients indicated on the cake mix package - (usually butter, egg and milk or water)

For the Coating:

  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 lemon - juiced
  • Sprinkles

Instructions
 

  • Lightly oil the inside of the cake pop maker and then preheat. Pour the cake mix into a bowl.
    Cake mix in a bowl, spatula and pastry brush on the side.
  • Add the ingredients according to the cake mix package (in our case: butter, egg and milk). Mix well.
    Cake mix and a whisk in a bowl.
  • Pour the batter into the cake pop maker cavities (fill them to just below the top so that they don’t spill over or come out flat). Bake them for 4-5 minutes (if a toothpick comes out dry, they are ready). Repeat for remaining batter. Unplug the device and let it cool before cleaning.
    Cake pop maker getting filled with cake batter, spatula and pastry brush on the side.
  • Mix the powdered sugar with the lemon juice to make the icing. For a thicker coating, add more icing sugar. For a thinner coating, add a little bit of water.
    Bowl of icing sugar and lemon juice on blue background.
  • Insert the tips of the treat sticks into the icing, and then into the cake pops (about half-way into the cake pop). Place them on a tray or plate. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
    Cake pop stick dipped into coating, blue plate of cake balls on the side.
  • Cover with the icing and sprinkles, place in a cake pop stand and let sit until coating has hardened (approximately 1 hour or more). They can be set in the fridge as well, for about 30 minutes.
    Hand holding a cake pop that has been dipped into sugar coating.
  • Serve & enjoy!
    A baby blue pail filled with cake pops, sprinkles in the background.

Equipment

Cake Pop Maker
Cake pop stand
Lollipop sticks

Video

Notes

  • The nutrition information will vary depending on the cake mix you choose.
  • If you accidentally overfill the cake pop cavities, that is okay. After the cake pops bake, let them cool for a few minutes (they will crisp up) and then you can break off the excess cake.
  • If you don’t want to make all of the cake pops at once, you can freeze some of the cake balls for later in a freezer bag.

Nutrition

Calories: 23kcalCarbohydrates: 2gProtein: 1gFat: 2gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 7mgSodium: 3mgPotassium: 3mgFiber: 1gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 10IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 1mgIron: 1mg

Nutrition information on In the Kitch is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. It may not include toppings and/or sauces.

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Looking to further enhance your cooking skills? Check out…How to Make Chocolate Covered Coffee Beans

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    1. Hi Yesenia, this might have to do with how much batter you are filling the cavities with. It can take some practice to get just the right amount so that a round cake ball forms. If you fill the batter to just below the top of the cavity and then close the lid, when it bakes it will rise into the top cavity. If you fill it any less, you could end up with a flat top. Also, make sure they are fully baked before removing them to cool by testing with a toothpick.

  1. I love how easy these are with the simple glaze and cake pop maker. I’ve always made them by hand, but a cake pop maker is sooo much simpler!

    1. Yes! Cake pops don’t have to be difficult. They are way easier with a cake pop maker, cake mix and a simpler coating. Thanks Terri!

  2. Very fun recipe! I have to admit, I didn’t know that cake pop maker moulds were a thing. Lol. I wonder if you could make a takoyaki mould work too? Lol, rather different recipes I suppose, but the idea is quite similar. In any case, I really like the light coating you use on these too, as I often find cake-pops a little over-iced. Cheers, and thanks for sharing this!

    1. Thank you Sean! A takoyaki maker definitely has a similar shape and I’ve seen people make takoyaki in a cake pop maker lol.

  3. What a great idea for quick and easy treats! Perfect for when I don’t want to bake a whole cake. Thanks for the great recipe and tips!

  4. Cake pops are so cute and fun to eat! I love how simple this recipe is by using cake mix. Will definitely be trying this out. Thanks for the recipe!😊

  5. Very cool! I think I would like this style of cake pop much better than the had formed ones. These are especially cute for Springtime!

  6. Extremely tasty and a big hit with the guests! The whole batch was gone in a couple hours and I received compliments from the vast majority. A very well done recipe that will be bookmarked. Thanks inthekitch.net!

    1. Hi Becca. It does depend on the cake pop maker you have but mine are about 1 1/2″ in diameter, which is pretty standard.

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