If you’ve ever had the chance to enjoy one of Starbucks’ iconic chocolate cake pops, you know how addictive they are. These little cake bites are the perfect combination of rich, moist chocolate cake covered in a sweet, smooth coating of chocolate ganache. They’re easy to eat, fun to make, and the perfect treat to share with friends or enjoy by yourself with your favorite cup of coffee. I’ve always loved the idea of cake pops—they’re so cute, portable, and packed with flavor. Making them at home? Even better! With this Starbucks chocolate cake pop recipe, you can recreate the magic at home, and trust me, they’re just as good as the ones from your local café.
I love making chocolate cake pops for special occasions like birthdays, holidays, or even just to share with my family during a cozy afternoon. They’re super fun to customize—add some sprinkles, drizzle with a bit of white chocolate, or just keep them simple with the rich chocolate coating. Either way, they always disappear fast!
The best part is, these cake pops are easy to make from scratch and require only a handful of ingredients. Once you get the hang of shaping them and dipping them in chocolate, you’ll be making cake pops for all your gatherings—big or small.
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Starbucks Chocolate Cake Pop Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 box chocolate cake mix or homemade if preferred
- ½ cup water
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 3 large eggs
- ½ cup chocolate frosting store-bought or homemade
- 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips for the coating
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil for thinning the chocolate
Optional Add-ins
- Sprinkles for decoration
- White chocolate chips for drizzling
- Edible glitter or gold dust for an extra festive touch
Instructions
- Prepare the cake: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line a 9x9-inch cake pan with parchment paper. Follow the instructions on the box of cake mix or make your own cake batter and pour it into the prepared pan. Bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool completely.
- Crumble the cake: Once the cake has cooled, crumble it into small pieces using your hands or a fork. You should have a bowl full of fine crumbs.
- Mix with frosting: Add 1/2 cup of chocolate frosting to the cake crumbs and mix it together until it’s a dough-like consistency. You may need to add more frosting to get the right texture. The mixture should be moist enough to roll into balls, but not too wet.
- Form cake pops: Take small portions of the cake mixture and roll them into 1-inch balls. Place them on a baking sheet or tray lined with parchment paper.
- Prepare the chocolate coating: Melt the semisweet chocolate chips with 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat in 30-second intervals, stirring each time until smooth.
- Dip the cake pops: Insert a cake pop stick into each cake ball. Dip each cake pop into the melted chocolate, ensuring it's fully coated. Gently tap the stick to remove any excess chocolate.
- Cool the cake pops: Place the dipped cake pops back on the parchment-lined tray. Allow them to cool and harden for at least 20 minutes.
- Decorate (optional): If you’d like, drizzle the cooled cake pops with white chocolate, and add sprinkles, glitter, or any decorations you prefer.
- Serve or store: Once fully set, serve your homemade chocolate cake pops or store them in an airtight container for up to a week.