These pumpkin shaped and flavored cake pops are my go-to desserts when fall comes around as they are such a festive treat. They look fancy, but they come together easily with only a handful of ingredients that you may already have in your kitchen. Due to how well they travel and how delightful they look, these pumpkin cake pops make for the perfect gift to share with friends and family. For another pumpkin-flavored treat to kick off the holidays, try my Pumpkin Scones or Pumpkin Butter!
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE THIS RECIPE
Pumpkin cake — you can use a store-bought cake or box mix, but I prefer my Pumpkin Cake recipe. You can halve it or make two nine-inch layers and freeze one for later.
Cream cheese — make sure to purchase the full-fat block of cream cheese and not the spreadable cream cheese from a tub.
Powdered sugar — if you forgot to pick up powdered sugar, here’s my Homemade Powdered Sugar Recipe.
Candy melts — once melted and dipped, candy melts will set up with the same look and texture as chocolate. It’s easier to use than chocolate, as you can skip tempering it.
HOW TO MAKE PUMPKIN CAKE POPS
1. In a large mixing bowl, beat butter, cream cheese, vanilla, and salt until smooth and fluffy, about 2 minutes. With the mixer on low, slowly add the confectioners’ sugar and beat for 1 minute or until fluffy.
2. Crumble the cooled cake into the bowl with 1 cup of frosting.
3. Mix on low speed just until the mixer resembles wet sand and hold together when squeezed. Scoop the cake mixture into 1-inch balls.
4. Place on wax or parchment-lined baking sheet. Freeze for 20 minutes or until firm to the touch.
5. Press a lollipop stick around the sides of the frozen cake balls to create several grooves. Return the cake balls to the freezer for another 20 minutes or until firm.
6. Divide the remaining frosting into small bowls and color with gel food coloring. Transfer to piping bags attached with decorative tips. Melt the candy coating according to the package instructions. Add the melted vegetable shortening to the melted coating. Place in a drinking glass and dip the cake balls into the candy coat until fully covered. Once the coating is set, decorate the pumpkin cake pops with colored frosting and candy eyes.
PRO TIPS FOR MAKING THIS RECIPE
- When melting the candy melts, heating them in bursts will prevent the mixture from burning.
- Let the pumpkin cake cool completely before you begin to crumble it. If the cake is too warm, it’ll keep the cream cheese frosting that binds warm, making it difficult for the cake pops to stay together.
- As the cake and cream cheese mixture are moist when warm, it’s much easier to roll perfectly round and even cake balls if the mixture is chilled.
- The more finely you can make the cake crumbs, the more even they will roll and hold their shape.
- If you cannot find orange candy melts, melt white candy melts or white chocolate and add orange food coloring a few drops at a time.
- I prefer using vanilla extract over artificial for the best flavor.
- If you’re having trouble keeping the cake pops upright, you can try sticking them into styrofoam or a jar filled with dried beans.
- If your lollipop sticks aren’t staying in the cake balls, dip the sticks into the melted candy melts before inserting them into the cake balls.
- To make these cute cake pops, I added candy eyes and faces to them with frosting. However, you can simply top them with sprinkles if you prefer. Add the sprinkles while the coating hasn’t fully set.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
How do I store these?
If making ahead of time, un-dipped cake balls last in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. After dipped, store them at room temperature for about 2 days. If you’d like them to last longer, store them in an airtight sealed container in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Can I freeze these?
You can freeze un-dipped cake balls for up to 2 months. You can also freeze them with the coating on. When ready to enjoy, let them thaw at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before eating.
Why do cake pops crack?
If your pumpkin cake pops are cracking, it is due to significant temperature differences. If the cake balls are too cold and the melted candy melt is too hot, the coating will crack as the hot mixture will cause the cake balls to expand then contract. To prevent this from happening, make sure the coating isn’t piping hot when you dip your cake into it.
IF YOU LOVE THIS RECIPE TRY THESE OUT!
If you’ve tried this Pumpkin Cake Pops recipe, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!
Pumpkin Cake Pops
Equipment
- Mixer
Ingredients
For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
- ½ cup unsalted butter room temperature (113g)
- 4 ounces cream cheese room temperature (113g)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
- 1½ cups powdered sugar sifted (180g)
For the Assembly:
- 1 bag orange colored candy melts (12-ounces)
- 2 to 4 tablespoons vegetable shortening melted
- Lollipop sticks
- Candy eyes
Instructions
For the Cake:
- Bake according to instructions. You'll need one nine inch cake layer.
For the Frosting:
- In a large mixing bowl, beat butter, cream cheese, vanilla, and salt until smooth and fluffy, about 2 minutes. With the mixer on low, slowly add the powdered sugar. Once added, scrape down the bowl. Increase the speed to medium and beat for 1 minute or until fluffy. Remove all of the frostings but 1 cup.
- Crumble the cooled cake into the bowl with the 1 cup of frosting. Mix on low speed just until the mixer resembles wet sand and hold together when squeezed.
- Scoop the cake mixture into 1-inch balls and place on a wax or parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Freeze for 20 minutes or until firm to the touch.
- Press a lollipop stick around the sides of the frozen cake balls to create several grooves. Return the cake balls to the freezer for another 20 minutes or until firm.
For the Assembly:
- While cake balls are freezing, divide the remaining frosting into small bowls and color with gel food coloring. Transfer to piping bags attached with decorative tips.
- Melt the candy coating according to the package instructions. Add the melted vegetable shortening to the melted coating until it’s a pourable consistency. Place in a drinking glass.
- Working with a few cake balls at a time, leaving the remaining in the freezer or fridge, insert a lollipop stick into each cake ball about halfway. Dip the cake ball into the candy coating until fully covered. Tap on the side of the glass to remove the excess coating and place the cake balls on a parchment-lined baking sheet with the lollipop sticking straight up.
- Once the coating is set, decorate with colored frosting and candy eyes.
Video
Notes
- When melting the candy melts, heating it in bursts will prevent the mixture from burning.
- Let the pumpkin cake cool completely before you begin to crumble it. If the cake is too warm, it’ll keep the cream cheese frosting that binds warm, making it difficult for the cake pops to stay together.
- As the cake and cream cheese mixture are moist when warm, it’s much easier to roll perfectly round and even cake balls if the mixture is chilled.
- The more finely you can make the cake crumbs, the more even they will roll and hold their shape.
- If you cannot find orange candy melts, melt white candy melts or white chocolate and add orange food coloring a few drops at a time.
- I prefer using vanilla extract over artificial for the best flavor.
- If you’re having trouble keeping the cake pops upright, you can try sticking them into styrofoam or a jar filled with dried beans.
- If your lollipop sticks aren’t staying in the cake balls, dip the sticks into the melted candy melts before inserting them into the cake balls.
- To make these cute cake pops, I added candy eyes and faces to them with frosting. However, you can simply top them with sprinkles if you prefer. Add the sprinkles while the coating hasn’t fully set.
