Pink Cake Pops
These strawberry shortcake pink cake pops are the perfect treat for birthdays, celebrations or just for fun!
Strawberry shortcake inspired
If you’ve ever had this popular summer dessert, you know it’s 100% worth the hype.
It’s a combination of sweet biscuits layered with freshly whipped cream and ripe strawberries and it’s probably one of my favorite sweets ever.
These gluten free cake pops are directly inspired by strawberry shortcake and those crazy strawberry shortcake ice cream bars the neighborhood ice cream trucks sold.
Except, instead of using sweet biscuits, we’re using a lemon cake. And instead of whipped cream, we’re coating our cake pops in a strawberry white chocolate situation that does not disappoint.
Pick your flavor
If you’re not sold on the strawberry shortcake theme I’ve got good news for you:
These gluten free cake pops can be made with almost any kind of cake.
If you have a favorite vanilla or lemon cake base you want to try this recipe out with? Skip the instructions for making the cake and make your own.
Of course, you may want to adjust the flavors of your frosting and chocolate coating accordingly, but this recipe is easily customizable.
Here are some cake/frosting combos I think would be fun to try:
- Chocolate cake with raspberry frosting and a white chocolate coating
- Lemon cake with a lemon frosting and lemon chocolate coating
- Carrot cake with a cream cheese frosting and white chocolate coating
Easier than cake
One of my favorite things about cake pops? They are easy to make beautiful.
I’m all for a beautiful cake now and then, but if you really want to impress with your baking skills without feeling too much pressure? These gluten free cake pops are the way to go.
First, you start by making your cake. I’m using my favorite strawberry lemon cake (LINK TO IT) because it has a nice lemon vanilla base and will allow the strawberry frosting to shine.
Once your cake has cooled, we’re going to mix it with some luscious strawberry frosting. The key to the perfect strawberry frosting? Pulverized freeze dried strawberries.
Next, it’s time to shape your mixture into cake pops.
Traditional cake pops are shaped like balls, but I recently bought these silicone “ice cream bar” shaped molds that I thought would be a lot of fun to try. Again, this recipe is leaning into the strawberry shortcake ice cream bar nostalgia.
If you don’t have any molds, no worries! Using your hands or a cookie scooper, shape evenly sized scoops of the cake/frosting mix into balls.
Finally, it’s time to dip your cake pops into a layer of melted strawberry white chocolate.
And just like that, you’ve made pink cake pops like a pro!
Happy baking,
Pink Cake Pops
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 1 hours
- Total Time: 2 hours
- Yield: 20–24 cake pops 1x
- Category: Dessert, Cake Pops
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: Gluten Free, American
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
For the cake:
- fully cooked cake of your choice (I’m using my favorite gluten free lemon vanilla cake)
For the frosting:
- ½ cup butter (1 stick) – softened to room temperature
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tbsp milk
- ¼ cup freeze dried strawberries (pulverized)
For the candy coating:
- 4 cups chocolate candy melts (I used white)
- 3 tbsps freeze dried strawberries (pulverized)
Instructions
- Bake your cake and cool on baking racks until room temp. In a food processor, process the freeze dried strawberries until a powder is formed.
- In a large mixing bowl beat butter until light and airy. Add in powdered sugar, milk and freeze dried strawberry powder. Mix well until a smooth frosting is formed.
- Cut the cake into fourths and add the entire cake to the large bowl with the frosting. Mix well until the frosting and the cake is evenly combined. It should be thick and hold shape easily.
- Melt candy melts as instructed on packaging (usually in 15 second intervals, mixing in between). Add in freeze dried strawberry powder and mix well.
- If making traditional cake pops, shape into balls with your hands, rolling to ensure they are smooth and not bumpy. Dip into the candy chocolate melts and set on parchment paper to harden. Enjoy!
- If using popsicle molds (as pictured above) pour a thin layer of chocolate into the mold. Pop into the freezer for a couple minutes to harden, add a bit of the cake mix, then top with additional chocolate candy melt coating. Freeze for a few more minutes and enjoy!
