Graduation Cake Pops Gold (Print Version)

Festive treats in school colors with sparkling gold sprinkles, perfect for celebrations and gatherings.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Cake

01 - 1 box (14 oz) vanilla or chocolate cake mix with required ingredients per package directions

→ Frosting

02 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
03 - 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
04 - 1 tablespoon whole milk
05 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
06 - Pinch of salt

→ Coating and Decoration

07 - 16 oz candy melts in two school colors
08 - 2 tablespoons vegetable shortening or coconut oil
09 - Gold sprinkles or edible gold glitter
10 - 24 lollipop sticks
11 - Styrofoam block for drying

# How to Make It:

01 - Prepare the cake mix according to package instructions. Allow to cool completely before proceeding.
02 - Beat softened butter until creamy. Gradually incorporate powdered sugar, then add milk, vanilla extract, and salt. Continue beating until smooth and fluffy.
03 - Crumble the cooled cake into a large mixing bowl. Add frosting gradually, 1/2 to 3/4 cup total, mixing until the combination holds together without excessive moisture.
04 - Roll mixture into 24 evenly-sized balls, approximately 1 tablespoon each. Arrange on parchment-lined baking sheet and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or freeze for 30 minutes.
05 - Melt a small quantity of candy melts. Dip the end of each lollipop stick into melted candy, then insert halfway into each cake ball to secure.
06 - Melt candy melts in separate bowls per package directions. Stir in shortening if desired for smoother consistency. Dip each cake pop into chosen school color, gently removing excess.
07 - While coating remains wet, apply gold sprinkles or edible gold glitter. Position upright in Styrofoam block to set completely.
08 - Allow coating to harden thoroughly before serving or packaging. Pops are ready for celebration.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • They're individually portioned, which means guests can grab one without the messiness of cutting into a cake.
  • School colors make them feel like insider celebrations rather than generic desserts.
  • The whole project is surprisingly forgiving—wonky shapes don't matter once they're dipped and sparkly.
02 -
  • Don't skip the chilling step after forming the balls—warm cake pops disintegrate in melted candy and you'll be fishing for crumbs in a bowl of colored coating.
  • If your candy coating is too thick and won't flow smoothly, add shortening a teaspoon at a time instead of dumping in too much and making it weirdly oily.
03 -
  • Use a small cookie scoop to portion the cake mixture so every ball is identical in size and they all bake evenly when cooling.
  • Add a tiny bit of shortening to your candy melts even if the recipe doesn't call for it—it transforms the texture from waxy to silky and makes dipping infinitely easier.
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