Lemon Cake Pops

Who doesn’t love cake pops? They’re tasty, adorable, fun to eat, and are just a mouthful of goodness so you don’t need to worry about overindulging. These Lemon Cake Pops are perfect for spring or Easter! They’re cheery, lemony, and so easy to make!

Cake pops are my idea of the perfect dessert. You can decorate them with colored chocolate or candy melts, add sprinkles (I have SOOOO many sprinkles), and these one-bite desserts are perfect when you just want a wee bit of something sweet.

When you start with a boxed cake mix, they’re also so easy to make. You can even bake the cake the day before and let it dry out a bit. In my experience from baking for bazillion years and working closely with a professional pastry chef when I had my restaurant, this process makes the best cake pops.

There’s nothing tricky about making Lemon Cake Pops, and it’s a great rainy-day activity to make with the kids!

What You’ll Love About Lemon Cake Pops

• They’re quick and easy to make, and you can even do the baking portion the day before.
• Lemon Cake Pops look so pretty when wrapped up in a gift bag. They’re a terrific party favor, hostess gift, or get-well-soon present.
• They freeze like a dream if you don’t eat them all at once.

Ingredients

• 1 box lemon cake mix – Prepared according to package directions.
• Prepared icing – You’ll need about 12 ounces. I like using whipped buttercream, but vanilla would also work.
• White chocolate candy melts – Or couverture white chocolate.
• Yellow food color – Gel colors work best in chocolate or candy melts.
• Piping bag
• Decorator’s tip with a small hole – (Tip #2 or #3 works well)
• 24-30 lollipop sticks
• Sprinkles

To Decorate

How to Make Lemon Cake Pops

1. Prepare the cake according to the package directions. Bake it in a 9×13 baking dish so it bakes more quickly.
2. Let the cake thoroughly cool.
3. Crumble the cake – you can use an electric hand mixer to crumble the cake, or just use your hands.
4. Mix in 1/2 cup of icing and see if the cake balls will hold together. How much icing you need depends on how moist your cake is. Add up to 1/2 cup more icing until the cake balls hold together but aren’t too sweet.
5. Roll ping-pong-sized balls, pressing the balls firmly as you roll.
6. Pop the balls into the freezer for 20 minutes to firm up.
7. Remove the balls from the freezer, insert the sticks, and then return them to the freezer to freeze solid.
8. Melt the candy melts according to the directions on the package. Set 1/2 cup of the candy melt mixture aside in a smaller bowl and tint it with bright yellow food color.
9. Transfer the melted candy melts to a tall, narrow glass that’s wide enough for the cake pop to fit into.
10. Working one cake pop at a time, dunk the cake end into the candy coating, turning it gently to get an even coat. Transfer it to a parchment paper-lined baking sheet to firm up. Repeat until all are coated.
11. Transfer the yellow candy coating to a piping bag fitted with a tip and decorate your cake pops.
12. Let them sit for about 30 minutes to harden up, and then enjoy!

Step By Step Process

Chef Jenn’s Recipe Notes

• If your cake is very moist, you might need less icing. The key is to find a balance where the cake balls are moist enough to hold together but not too sweet.
• Freezing the cake balls before dipping them in the candy melts helps maintain their shape.
• Experiment with different colored sprinkles and icing for a fun look.
• Use a styrofoam block to hold the cake pops upright while they set, if needed. You can also use an upside-down egg carton. You can buy fancy cake pop holders, too.

How Many Cake Pops Do You Get From a Boxed Cake Mix?

Typically, you can expect to get about 24-30 cake pops from one boxed cake mix, depending on the size of the cake balls you roll.

How to Serve Lemon Cake Pops

Lemon Cake Pops are the perfect end to a light summer meal. Serve them after a refreshing salad or a light pasta dish. They’re also great for afternoon tea or high tea, or as a sweet snack during a brunch gathering.

Storage

Store your Lemon Cake Pops in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. For longer storage, you can freeze them for up to 2-3 months. Just make sure they’re wrapped well to avoid freezer burn.