# What You’ll Need:
→ Cake
01 - 1 box vanilla or chocolate cake mix (15 oz), plus eggs, oil, and water as specified on box
02 - or 1 homemade 9-inch cake, fully cooled
→ Frosting
03 - 1/2 cup cream cheese frosting or buttercream frosting
→ Coating & Decoration
04 - 12 oz candy melts in school colors, or white chocolate with colored food coloring
05 - 2 tbsp vegetable shortening, optional for thinning chocolate
06 - Sprinkles, edible glitter, or colored sugar in coordinating colors
07 - 24 lollipop sticks
08 - 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips
09 - Fondant in school colors, optional for cap decorations
# How to Make It:
01 - Prepare the cake mix following package instructions or use a homemade 9-inch cake. Cool completely before proceeding.
02 - Crumble the cooled cake into fine crumbs in a large mixing bowl.
03 - Add the frosting, mixing with a spatula or your hands until the mixture holds together. Use only as much frosting as needed.
04 - Portion out level tablespoonfuls and roll into 24 even balls.
05 - Place cake balls on a lined baking sheet, cover, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or freeze for 20 minutes.
06 - Melt candy melts or chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl in 30-second intervals, stirring until smooth. If needed, add vegetable shortening for a thinner consistency.
07 - Dip the tip of each lollipop stick into the melted coating, then insert halfway into each cake ball.
08 - Submerge each cake pop in the melted coating and gently tap off any excess.
09 - While coating is wet, decorate with sprinkles and colored sugar. For graduation caps, place a fondant square on top and attach a mini chocolate chip with a touch of melted chocolate.
10 - Stand cake pops upright in a styrofoam block or cake pop stand to set. Allow coating to harden completely before serving.
