Last month, I attended a friend’s baby shower and knew Vanilla Cream Cheese Cake Pops would be the perfect cute and tasty treat to bring. They’re both pretty and portable, making them an instant hit! It was fun to see all the guests’ faces light up, especially the little girls! Thankfully, I let my kiddos have one before the event because there were none left! I highly recommend these Vanilla Cream Cheese Cake Pops if you have a little time and want to make something special for Valentine’s Day, a baby shower, or a birthday party.
Want to Make Your Own Vanilla Cream Cheese Cake Pops? Follow These Simple Steps!
Step 1: Prepare the Cake Base
Bake a yellow cake mix according to package instructions. Once it’s cooled, crumble it into a separate bowl using your hands. Discard any hardened pieces from around the edges. For smooth cake crumbs, crumble thoroughly—this step will help achieve a smoother, more consistent cake pop texture.
Step 2: Add the Cream Cheese Frosting
Add 2 tablespoons of cream cheese frosting to the crumbled cake. Use your hands to mix until evenly combined. The cake should mold easily, almost like playdough. Start with a smaller amount of frosting to keep the mixture from becoming too mushy, then add only if needed for the ideal consistency.
Step 3: Form the Cake Balls
Using a cake ball former or your hands, shape the mixture into balls.
A cake ball former helps create consistent shapes, but hands work fine too.
For a smoother finish, roll each ball, place them on a lined tray, and chill them briefly in the fridge for 30 minutes before rolling again. This step makes the Vanilla Cream Cheese Cake Pops extra smooth and round. This recipe makes about 24 cake pops; line them up on parchment paper once shaped.
Step 4: Prepare the Chocolate Coating
For the chocolate coating, I couldn’t find pink melting chocolate, so I used white and added a few drops of food coloring.
Melting wafers or candy melts can be a great choice, as they’re designed for easy dipping and a firm set. This package was the right amount for 24 Vanilla Cream Cheese Cake Pops. Set out your cake pop sticks at this stage.
Step 5: Test and Melt the Chocolate
To get the right consistency and color, start with a test bowl. Melt the chocolate in 40-second intervals to avoid boiling or burning it. Adding a little shortening can also thin the chocolate and prevent clumping. When using regular chocolate, vegetable oil can also work well to smooth and thin the chocolate for even coating.
Step 6: Insert the Sticks
Once the chocolate is melted, dip the tip of each cake pop stick and insert it halfway into each cake ball. This step helps the chocolate harden inside the cake, creating an anchor effect. Freeze the Vanilla Cream Cheese Cake Pops for 15 minutes to set but avoid leaving them in too long, as frozen pops can crack when coated.
Step 7: Add Color and Dip
To get the color just right, I added a few more drops of pink food coloring.
Pour the chocolate into a tall glass to make dipping easier and monitor how much chocolate you have. Half a glass worked perfectly, with more prepared for later.
Step 8: Dip and Decorate
Dunk each cake pop into the chocolate, letting the excess drip off as you slowly rotate the stick.
If you want to add sprinkles, do so while the chocolate is still wet, it dries fast, so keep sprinkles close by.
Step 9: Let Them Dry
For a secure setup, place each cake pop upright in a styrofoam block or use a sturdy cardboard box with holes poked in it. You can also fill a cup with rice to hold them upright as they dry, helping each one maintain its shape without smudging. Let them dry for at least 15 minutes. No need to freeze them again; refrigerate until ready to serve.
Repeat the last few steps for the remaining Vanilla Cream Cheese Cake Pops, and you’re done! This project takes a little time, but the results are worth it. My daughter loved helping, so we’ll definitely make these again, maybe for Valentine’s Day. It’s a fun and supervised activity for kids.
Let me know if you try this Vanilla Cream Cheese Cake Pops recipe and how it turns out. If you need any other dessert recipes check out my blog. Happy baking, y’all!
