Strawberry cake pops made with real strawberry cake, cream cheese, and a crunchy pink coating – the cutest bite-size treat for parties and birthdays.
I make strawberry cake pops often for my kids, and this version is the one everyone asks for.
Soft strawberry cake mixed with a little cream cheese, rolled into smooth strawberry cake balls, then dipped in a crisp pink coating.
These strawberry cake pops are simple, full of real strawberry flavor, and perfect for parties or anytime you want a cute bite-size treat.
Why you'll love this recipe
- Fresh strawberry flavor – Made with real strawberry cake and strawberry puree, not just flavoring.
- Moist cake balls – The mix of cake and cream cheese gives smooth, perfect strawberry cake balls.
- Party-ready treat – Easy to dip, decorate, and serve as pink cake pops for birthdays, baby showers, or Valentine’s Day.
Ingredients Notes
You need these ingredients to make homemade strawberry cake pops:
- Butter: Soft unsalted butter for a tender strawberry cake.
- Sugar: Fine granulated sugar to keep the strawberry flavor clean.
- Egg whites: Give a pretty pink crumb; you can swap for whole eggs if needed.
- Flour: Cake flour if you have it, or all-purpose flour.
- Leavening: Baking powder and a little baking soda so the cake stays light.
- Milk / buttermilk: Keeps the crumb soft and moist.
- Vanilla and salt: Boost all the flavors.
- Strawberry puree: From your homemade strawberry compote or a simple reduction.
- Cream cheese: Helps bind the crumbs into smooth cake balls; you can whip it with powdered sugar for frosting.
- Substitutions: Mascarpone, vanilla buttercream, or strawberry jam also work to bind.
- White chocolate or candy melts: For dipping the cake pops; color them pink if you like.
- Decoration: Freeze-dried strawberry powder, sprinkles, or strawberry shortcake crunch.
Tips for this recipe
- Finely crumble the cake the finer the crumbs, the smoother the balls.
- Place the strawberry cake balls in the fridge for 20 minutes to 1 hour before fixing them to the lollipop sticks.
- Dip the sticks well into the chocolate before attaching them to the ball, and leave to cool before coating the balls completely in chocolate or candy melts.
How to make strawberry cake pops
Bake and cool the strawberry cake.
Rub the cake between your fingers in a large bowl until you have fine, even crumbs.
Add cream cheese and stir until the mixture feels slightly sticky and holds together when pressed.
Roll into balls of about 20 g and place on a lined baking sheet, then chill 30–60 minutes.
Melt a little white chocolate or candy melts, dip one end of each stick, and insert into the center of a cake ball. Chill again to set.
Melt more chocolate or candy melts until smooth, then dip each chilled cake pop, letting the excess drip off.
Sprinkle freeze-dried strawberries or sprinkles on top and stand the cake pops upright in a cake pop stand or cardboard box until the coating is firm.
Recipe Variations
- Chocolate strawberry cake pops – Dip in dark or milk chocolate.
- Strawberry crunch cake pops – Roll the wet coating in strawberry shortcake crunch.
- Lemon strawberry cake pops – Add lemon zest to the cake mixture.
- Extra strawberry – Use strawberry buttercream instead of plain cream cheese.
Recipe Questions
Can I use a strawberry cake mix?
Yes, you can use a boxed strawberry cake. Just crumble the cooled cake and add enough cream cheese or frosting to form cake balls.
How do I stop cake pops from falling off the sticks?
Dip the stick in melted chocolate first, insert it into the cake ball, let it set, then dip the whole pop.
Do I need to chill cake pops before dipping?
Yes, chilled cake balls are much easier to dip and give a smoother coating.
Can I make strawberry cake pops ahead of time?
You can keep the coated cake pops in the fridge for up to 1 week or freeze them for about 1 month.
More strawerry recipes
I hope you’ll love this recipe! Rate it ★★★★★ and leave a quick comment — it always helps. Happy baking!
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Strawberry Cake Pops
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Yield: 20 cake pops
Description
Delicious strawberry cake pops made with a soft strawberry sponge, real strawberry purée, and a pink candy melt coating (about 20 cake pops).
Ingredients
Strawberry cake
- 150 g (⅔ cup) Butter – unsalted, softened
- 290 g (1 ½ cups) Sugar – fine granulated
- 2 tsp Vanilla extract
- 4 Egg whites – about 150 g, room temperature
- 160 ml (⅔ cup) Buttermilk
- 150 g (1 ¼ cups) Cake flour
- 1 ½ tsp Baking powder
- ½ tsp Baking soda
- ½ tsp Salt
- 60 g (¼ cup) Strawberry purée
- Pink food coloring (optional)
Strawbery puree
- 150 g Strawberries – fresh or frozen
- 1 tbsp Sugar
- 1 tsp Lemon juice
Frosting and coating
- 115 g Cream cheese
- 200 g Pink or white candy melts
- Freeze-dried strawberries (crushed)
Instructions
Strawberry puree
- Place the strawberries, sugar and lemon juice in a small saucepan.
- Cook over low heat for about 8–10 minutes until the berries soften.
- Blend into a smooth purée, then simmer 2–3 minutes more to thicken slightly.
- Let cool completely before using in the cake.
Strawberry cake
- Preheat oven to 329°F / 165°C and line a 20 cm cake pan with parchment paper (bottom only).
- Mix and sift the dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
- Beat the softened butter and sugar for about 3 minutes until creamy.
- Add vanilla and the egg whites one at a time, then mix on high speed for 5 minutes.
- Add the dry ingredients and buttermilk alternating in small additions, then mix in the strawberry purée until smooth.
- Pour into the pan and bake for about 25 minutes. Let the cake cool completely.
Assembling the cake pops
- Crumble the cooled cake into fine crumbs.
- Add cream cheese and mix until slightly sticky and compact.
- Shape 20 g balls and chill for about 30 minutes.
- Melt the candy melts. Dip one end of each stick in chocolate, insert into the cake balls, and chill again.
- Dip each cake pop fully in melted candy melts, let excess drip, then sprinkle freeze-dried strawberries.
- Place upright and let set completely.
Notes
Storage: Store in the fridge for up to 1 week or freeze for 1 month.
Tips:
- Use a kitchen scale for accurate, consistent results.
- Crumble the cake very finely for smooth cake pops.
- Chill the cake balls before dipping to prevent cracking or sliding.
- Keep the candy melts warm and fluid for clean dipping.
- Use a deep narrow cup for easier coating.
- Prep Time: 40 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Cake pops, cake
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 pop
- Calories: 225
- Sugar: 21.7 g
- Sodium: 138.3 mg
- Fat: 11.7 g
- Carbohydrates: 28.3 g
- Protein: 2.7 g
- Cholesterol: 24.9 mg
Samia
These cake pops are so cute, thank you for your recipes!
Soojin
25 minutes at 320°F is not nearly enough time to make this bake. I cranked up the heat to 350°F and baked for another ten minutes.
Fadela
Thank you for your feedback. Of course, I don't expect you to follow the recipe blindly; you should definitely check the doneness. In my oven, the cake baked in 25 minutes, but every oven is different, and the power can vary. I always prefer baking at a lower temperature to keep the cake soft and retain its moisture. Feel free to also share your thoughts on the final recipe. See you soon.
Best
they are absolutely delicious!!!
Delia
Came out great!