You will love Halloween Cake Pops Recipe decorated like a Jack-o-Lantern for a festive treat. Make these for a Halloween party, trick or treating and more.
This fun and festive treat is perfect for Halloween. The recipe starts with a cake mix so it is really easy. With my large family, I like to make desserts that are easy and the kids can help.
We love making Halloween Desserts for many occasions throughout October. These Halloween treats are always on the list – Halloween Puppy Chow, Halloween Dirt Cups, and Easy Halloween Witch Cookies.
Table of Contents
Why We Love This Recipe
These Halloween Cakes pops save me a ton of money making them at home. They taste amazing and look so pretty. Everyone will really enjoy these for Halloween.
I love that they can be made in a variety of ways and my kids can help decorate them. Also try making Vanilla Cake Balls Recipe.
Ingredients
- Chocolate Box Cake Mix. The cake mix keeps it simple. You can use any brand you like.
- Chocolate Fudge Frosting. I used pre-made.
- Orange Candy Melts. Candy melts give the cake pops a smooth appearance.
- Confectioners Sugar. If the powdered sugar is lumpy, you can sift it.
- Green Food Gel Coloring. Gel is best and looks so vibrant.
- Black Writing Gel Icing. Find the writing gel in the baking section. These little tubes make it easy to draw the faces.
- Lollipop Sticks. These are thick enough support the cake pops.
For the full list of ingredients and recipe, scroll to the bottom for the recipe card.
Substitutions and Additions
- Little Monsters – Make these green using green candy melts. Then use black writing gel icing to create scary faces on each one. Make sure to add candy eyeballs for a fun look.
- Mummies – Dip into white chocolate or white candy melts. Drizzle melted white chocolate on top of each one to create the appearance of a mummy.
- Sprinkles – Dip into any color you prefer for Halloween. Orange, white or green would be great options. Then use festive sprinkles for each one.
- Cake – Instead of chocolate cake, you can use vanilla or white cake mix. Feel free to use your favorite type.
- Melting Wafers – Feel free to change the colors of the candy melts. They come in a variety of colors.
Step by Step Instructions
Step 1 – Make cake recipe and bake according to package instructions in a 9X13 pan. Then let the cake cool at room temperature.
Step 2 – Crumble up the cake into a large bowl. Add the chocolate frosting to your crumbled cake and stir everything together until well combined.
Step 3 – Shape mixture or use cookie scoop to make cake balls and place on a lined cookie sheet.
Step 4 – Dip Cake Pops into melted orange candy melts. Then decorate.
How to Dip Cake Balls
- Melt the candy melts. Put the orange candy melts in a small microwave safe bowl and microwave for 30 seconds, then stir. Then continue to heat in 30 second intervals stirring between each one until the candy melts are fully melted and creamy.
- Coat the cake ball sticks. Dip each cake pop stick into the melted candy. Then place them into the cake balls about halfway into the balls. Then place in the freezer for 10-15 minutes (do not freeze for longer than 15 minutes).
- Dip in the candy melts. After the cake pops have been chilled. Dip each cake pop into the melted candy melts (you may need to re-melt it if it has solidified some). Make sure that the candy covers the cake pop completely. Allow the excess melted candy to drip off back into the bowl.
- Allow to dry. Then place the stick of cake pops in a block of Styrofoam while the candy dries and solidifies. Continue until all the cake pops have been covered.
How to Decorate
To decorate these cakes, make the cake pops are dry. Combine the powdered sugar with the green gel food color to form a thick green icing.
Then use a toothpick to make a stem on each cake pop with this mixture. Then draw a jack-o-lantern face on each cake pop with the black writing gel.
Let the decorations dry and then the cake pops are ready to enjoy!
Pro Tips
- Thin the candy melts. If the melted candy melt is too thick, thin it out with a small amount of vegetable oil or coconut oil. Add it slowly to the melted chocolate.
- Melt in intervals. The candy needs to be melted in intervals to prevent it from burning. It is recommended to do this in intervals of 30 seconds.
- Cookie Scoop. The cake balls will all be the same size if you use a cookie scoop. This also makes it quicker to form each one.
- Styrofoam block. This makes it easy to store the cake pops while they dry. It is so handy and really convenient. We prefer this to a baking sheet because it ensures each side is perfect.
- White Chocolate. You can substitute white chocolate for candy melts. Then use food dye to color it orange.
- Decoration. Other options to make the Jack-o-Lantern include black candy melting and black nonpareil.
Frequently Asked Questions
Store the leftover cake pops in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
We often make these in advance to save time. I like to form the cake balls the night before and dip into the coating the next day. This saves time with prep work and allows you to do more the day of the party.
Cake pops can be frozen up to 6 weeks. Store them inside an airtight container. I also like to wrap them individually in plastic wrap. When ready to serve, thaw overnight in the fridge.
Yes, the cake pops will look much smoother when dipped if the cake balls are cold. Place them into the freezer for 10 to 15 minutes prior to dipping.
However, it is important that you do not freeze them longer than that. They need to be chilled but not so cold that the chocolate sets immediately. This will prevent the decoration from adhering.
More Easy Halloween Desserts
- Halloween Puppy Chow Recipe
- Mummy Cake Pops Recipe
- Monster Cupcakes
- Halloween Pretzels – Monster Eyeballs
- Halloween Spider Cookies Recipe
If you made these Halloween Cake Pops, make sure to leave a star review. We can’t wait to hear how they turned out!
Halloween Cake Pops
Ingredients
- 1 box Chocolate Cake Mix 15 oz
- *Plus ingredients to prepare the cake on the back of the box
- 1/3 cup Chocolate Fudge Frosting I use pre-made
- 16 oz. Orange Candy Melts
- 1/2 cup Confectioners Sugar
- Green Food Gel Coloring
- Black Writing Gel Icing
- Lollipop Sticks
Instructions
- Make cake and bake according to box instructions in a 9X13 pan. Then let the cake cool at room temperature.
- Remove the cake from the pan. Remove the outside layer from the cake and throw it away. Crumble up the remaining cake into a large bowl.
- Add the chocolate frosting to your crumbled cake and stir everything together until well combined.
- Shape mixture into about 24-36 cake balls (depending on their size) and place on a lined cookie sheet. I used a cookie scoop to ensure that each one is approximately the same size.
- Put the orange candy melts in a small microwave safe bowl and microwave for 30 seconds, then stir. Then continue to heat in 30 second intervals stirring between each one until the candy melts are fully melted and creamy.
- Dip each cake pop stick into the melted candy and then place them into the cake balls about halfway into the balls. Then place in the freezer for 10-15 minutes (do not freeze for longer than 15 minutes).
- After the cake pops have been chilled, dip each cake pop into the melted candy melts (you may need to re-melt it if it has solidified some). Make sure that the candy covers the cake pop completely. Allow the excess melted candy to drip off back into the bowl.
- Then place the stick of cake pops in a block of styrofoam while the candy dries and solidifies.
- Continue until all the cake pops have been covered.
- Once all the cake pops are dry, mix the confectioner’s sugar with some green gel food coloring to form a thick green icing. Use a toothpick to make a stem on each cake pop with this mixture. Then draw a jack-o-lantern face on each cake pop with the black writing gel.
- Let the decorations dry and then the cake pops are ready to enjoy!
