Graduation Cake Pops School Colors (Printable Version)

Colorful cake pops combine moist cake and creamy frosting, perfect for graduation celebrations in your school’s colors.

# What You'll Need:

→ Cake

01 - 1 box (about 15 oz) vanilla or chocolate cake mix, plus eggs, oil, and water as specified
02 - OR 1 homemade 9-inch cake, fully 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, to thin coating)
06 - Sprinkles, edible glitter, or colored sugar in coordinating colors
07 - 24 lollipop sticks
08 - 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips
09 - Fondant in school colors (optional, for cap decorations)

# Steps:

01 - Prepare and bake cake mix or homemade cake according to the instructions. Allow cake to cool completely before proceeding.
02 - Break cooled cake into fine crumbs in a large mixing bowl.
03 - Add frosting gradually, mixing until the crumbs bind together and hold shape. Do not over-moisten the mixture.
04 - Scoop tablespoon portions and roll into 24 consistently sized balls. Place balls on a lined baking sheet.
05 - Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or freeze for 20 minutes for easier dipping.
06 - Microwave candy melts or white chocolate in 30-second intervals, stirring until smooth. Add vegetable shortening if a thinner consistency is required.
07 - Dip the tip of each lollipop stick into melted coating and insert halfway into each cake ball.
08 - Fully immerse each cake pop into the melted coating, gently tap off any excess.
09 - While coating is wet, decorate with sprinkles, colored sugar, or glitter. For graduation caps, place a fondant square atop each pop and attach a mini chocolate chip with a dab of melted chocolate.
10 - Stand cake pops upright in a styrofoam block or cake pop stand. Allow the coating to harden completely before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Each cake pop is a tiny celebration — making them feels like hosting a party right in your kitchen.
  • The process is so hands-on that you get to customize every treat for your favorite graduate, and it never gets old.
02 -
  • Skipping the chilling step means melted coating will drag the cake off the stick — I learned this after a batch collapsed.
  • Thinning the candy melts with a tiny bit of shortening prevents clumps and leaves a smooth finish, especially in humidity.
03 -
  • If you want pops to stay upright, use styrofoam or a cake pop stand — balancing them on a plate rarely works.
  • The secret to super vibrant coatings is to melt candy slowly and keep the pops smooth and chilled before dipping.
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