There’s something magical about turning a classic pumpkin cake into adorable little spheres on a stick. Pumpkin cake pops are the perfect combination of moist, spiced cake mixed with creamy frosting, then coated in chocolate or candy melts. These handheld treats are ideal for fall gatherings, Halloween parties, Thanksgiving celebrations, or whenever you want to impress your friends and family with something both delicious and adorable. The warm spices of cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger blend beautifully with real pumpkin puree, creating a flavor that captures autumn in every bite. Best of all, they’re easier to make than they look, and you can decorate them in countless creative ways.
Serving Quantity: Makes approximately 36 to 40 cake pops
Cooking Time: 2 hours and 30 minutes (including baking, cooling, and decorating time)
1. Ingredients
- One box spice cake mix (15 ounces)
- Three-quarters cup pumpkin puree
- Three eggs
- Half cup vegetable oil
- One-quarter cup water
- Half cup cream cheese frosting
- Two bags orange candy melts or chocolate (24 ounces total)
- 36 to 40 lollipop sticks or paper straws
- Optional decorations: sprinkles, chocolate chips for drizzling, crushed graham crackers, or chopped nuts
2. Bake the Pumpkin Cake
Start by heating your oven to 350 degrees. Take a 9 by 13 inch baking pan and spray it well with cooking spray or grease it with butter. In a large mixing bowl, combine the spice cake mix, pumpkin puree, eggs, vegetable oil, and water. Use an electric mixer or whisk everything together for about 2 minutes until the batter is smooth and well blended. Pour the batter into your prepared pan and spread it evenly. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. The cake should spring back when you gently press the top.
3. Cool and Crumble the Cake
Once your cake is done baking, remove it from the oven and let it cool completely in the pan. This usually takes about 1 hour at room temperature. You can speed this up by placing the pan in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes. When the cake is completely cool, break it into large chunks and place them in a large mixing bowl. Use your hands or a fork to crumble the cake into fine crumbs. There should be no large pieces remaining. The texture should look like wet sand.
4. Mix in the Frosting
Add the cream cheese frosting to your bowl of cake crumbs. Start with half a cup, but you can adjust this amount depending on how moist your cake is. Use your hands or a sturdy spoon to mix the frosting thoroughly into the cake crumbs. Keep mixing until everything is well combined and the mixture holds together when you squeeze it. The consistency should be similar to cookie dough. If the mixture feels too dry and won’t hold its shape, add another 1 or 2 tablespoons of frosting.
5. Shape the Cake Balls
Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or wax paper. Scoop out about 1 tablespoon of the cake mixture and roll it between your palms to form a smooth ball. Place each ball on the prepared baking sheet. Continue this process until you’ve used all the cake mixture. Try to make all the balls roughly the same size so they look uniform when decorated. Once all the balls are formed, place the baking sheet in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or in the freezer for 15 minutes. Chilling the balls makes them much easier to dip without falling apart.
6. Melt the Candy Coating
While your cake balls are chilling, melt your candy melts or chocolate. Place them in a microwave-safe bowl and heat in 30-second intervals, stirring between each interval, until completely smooth and melted. This usually takes about 2 minutes total. You can also use a double boiler on the stove if you prefer. Make sure the coating is completely smooth with no lumps. If it seems too thick, add 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil or shortening to thin it out.
7. Dip and Decorate the Cake Pops
Remove your chilled cake balls from the refrigerator. Dip the tip of a lollipop stick about half an inch into the melted candy coating, then insert it straight into a cake ball, pushing it about halfway through. This helps the stick stay in place. Let this set for a minute. Then, holding the stick, dip the entire cake ball into the melted coating, making sure it’s completely covered. Gently tap the stick on the edge of the bowl to remove excess coating and create a smooth finish. Before the coating hardens, add any sprinkles or decorations you want. Stand the cake pop upright by sticking it into a foam block or an upside-down colander to dry completely.
8. Let the Cake Pops Set
Allow your decorated cake pops to set at room temperature for about 30 minutes, or place them in the refrigerator for 15 minutes to speed up the process. Once the coating is completely hard, your pumpkin cake pops are ready to serve. You can drizzle melted chocolate over them for extra flair or leave them as is for a clean, professional look.
9. Nutrition Information Per Cake Pop
- Calories: 145
- Total fat: 7 grams
- Saturated fat: 3 grams
- Cholesterol: 18 milligrams
- Sodium: 95 milligrams
- Total carbohydrates: 19 grams
- Dietary fiber: 0.5 grams
- Sugars: 14 grams
- Protein: 1.5 grams
10. Helpful Tips for Perfect Cake Pops
- Make sure your cake is completely cool before crumbling it, otherwise the frosting will melt and make the mixture too wet.
- Don’t add too much frosting to your cake crumbs or the mixture will be too soft and the pops will fall off the sticks.
- Chill the cake balls thoroughly before dipping to prevent them from falling apart in the warm coating.
- If your candy coating gets too thick while working, reheat it in the microwave for 10 to 15 seconds.
- Tap off excess coating gently but thoroughly to avoid a thick, uneven layer on your cake pops.
- Work quickly when adding decorations because the candy coating sets fast.
- Store finished cake pops in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
- You can freeze uncoated cake balls for up to 3 months and dip them later when you’re ready to serve.
- Use a styrofoam block, empty egg carton, or cardboard box with holes poked in it to hold your cake pops while they dry.
- For a fun twist, try decorating some pops to look like little pumpkins by adding green candy melts for stems and using a toothpick to draw vertical lines.
