Cakesicles

 Cakesicles, also known as cake pop popsicles, are just like cake pops but better! These scrumptious little treats can be made using any cake flavor (boxed or homemade) and with this full tutorial and all of my tips, your cakesicles will come out perfect each time! Not sure how to decorate? Check out these 8 different ways to decorate cakesicles! (see video below!)

What is a Cakesicle or Cake Popsicle?

Cakesicles/cake popsicles are everything you'd get in a cake, but on a stick! The inside is a mixture made of cake crumbs and frosting and the outside shell is formed in a special mold using chocolate or candy melts.

There are 2 elements that make up a cakesicle.

First, you have the outer shell which is made from either candy melts or chocolate. This is applied to a silicone mold which forms the cakesicle shape.

Next, there's the cake. Basically, you take some plain, baked cake, crumble it up and mix it with just a little bit of frosting to form a moldable mixture. This is the same kind of mixture you'd use if you were making cake pops or cake 'truffles'.

What sets cakesicles apart is that the whole treat is served on a cute little popsicle stick!

They're a great dessert idea for birthday parties, showers, holidays, and any celebration in between. Best of all, they can be decorated in countless ways.

Cakesicles vs. Cake pops

I feel like cake pops were the first to come onto the scene, so I always considered them the real OG. But let me tell you, cakesicles might be more amazing.

Why?

Well for one, I find them way easier to decorate. With cake pops, the round shape can be tough to work with. Even if you use cake pop molds, it can still be very difficult.

Also, with cakesicles, you get more than 1 bite! I think I speak for all dessert lovers when I say cake pops are TOO DARN SMALL.

I feel like cake popsicles are just the perfect size and I absolutely adore the shape and look of them.

They're great for all parties and events and no one can resist them!

What You'll Need to Make Cakesicles

There are a few things you'll need, but not too much!

To make cakesicles, you need...

• Cakesicle molds (this set on Amazon comes with the popsicle sticks!)
• Popsicle sticks that fit the molds
• 1, 9x13 baked cake - any flavor!
• My small batch frosting recipe, which is below (of course you can use your own or store-bought!)
• Candy melts or chocolate
• Treat packaging (if needed)
• A little bit of time and patience!

Cakesicle Molds

The cakesicle molds that I used were from Amazon. There were 2 in the set and they also came with popsicle sticks, which was super convenient! If your molds do not come with sticks, be sure to find some that will fit the mold accordingly.

Each mold contains 4 cavities to form 4 cakesicles. Each single cavity is 2.68" x 1.50" The popsicle sticks are about 3.60" long.

If you search around, there are other sizes you can get, but generally they are around the same.

I found this to be a great size.

How to Make Cakesicles

The Cake Mixture

The first step to making a cakesicle is getting the cake filling ready.

As I've noted, you can use any cake flavor you want. I always opt for homemade when I can, but since this recipe is more of a 'baking project', I really don't mind using boxed cake mix.

Making cakesicles involves some steps, so not having to make a cake from scratch is one less thing you have to worry about.

After you bake the cake, be sure to remove all of the edges as you don't want any large pieces of edge or crust in your filling.

Use the center part of the cake only.

I do however recommend making my small batch frosting recipe (in the recipe card below). All you need are a few ingredients and the flavor is superior to ready-made frosting in a can.

I also find that the cakesicles come out less greasy by using homemade buttercream frosting. If you want or need to used canned frosting, don't sweat it. The end result will still be great! Homemade is just my personal preference.

The amount of frosting you need to add to the cake will likely vary each time. Because the cake will always have a slightly varying level of moisture, you may need to add more or less frosting for each batch you make.

I found that a heaping 2-3 tablespoons of frosting is just the right amount to add, but don't worry if you need to add more.

You want to ensure that the final result of the filling is sticky enough where it will hold together well, but is not too wet or greasy. This is a problem that I see occur quite a bit.

Avoid adding too much frosting to the cakesicle filling!

Creating the Shell

I always opt to make the cake popsicle shell using the molds. There is a method out there for dipping but I did not find this to be the best way to make them.

The popsicle stick can slide out very easily from the cake filling, so it's easy to run into problems when dipping.

Getting the chocolate or candy melts to set nicely in the cake popsicle mold is probably the hardest part about making cakesicles.

You don't want your shell to be too thin or thick, and getting the coating to coat evenly on the sides of the cakesicle mold was a tad more challenging than I originally expected.

I really like the look of using candy melts, (especially white candy melts) but the consistency is very thin and hard to work with. When you go to smooth it out on the sides, it tends to drip back down and settle into the bottom of the molds.

If you choose to use candy melts, know that you're going to have to re-coat the sides a few times. I did it 2-3x and it was enough.

Similarly, to my Hot Chocolate Bombs, I find that I prefer to use melted chocolate chips.

Candy Melts? Chocolate Chips? White Chocolate? What's Best? 

It's important to use the right ingredient for creating the coating for the cakesicles.

Melted chocolate chips have a thicker consistency, so it was very easy to smooth out the chocolate in the molds. I also didn't have to recoat the sides.

White chocolate is not recommended as white chocolate has a higher tendency to crack. It's more brittle once set. Using white candy melts is a better fit for making white cakesicles.

If you're looking for a white chocolate look, then I suggest using white candy melts.

If you are comfortable with using other chocolate and tempering chocolate, you can certainly do that as well!

I just find chocolate chips to be very convenient because I always have them on hand, and the consistency was easy to use in the cakesicle molds. If you have other types of chocolate, that will work too.

Whether you're using chocolate or candy melts, it's easy to melt them down by putting them in a microwave safe bowl and microwaving in 15 second intervals (stirring in between) until fully melted.

Using candy melts is great because they come in so many colors! It makes it easy to match your cakesicles to any theme.

Fitting the Stick

Let me start off by saying the popsicle stick gets inserted into the cake filling as the last step of the whole process.

However, after coating the bottom and sides of the mold with melted chocolate or candy melts, you'll need to use the popsicle stick to re-form the opening that gets covered by melted chocolate.

Cakes popsicle molds have a little opening at the bottom where the stick goes in, but it can get covered by the shell coating.

I can't tell you how many times I forgot about it while I was making these! I became so entranced with taking time to smooth out the coating until it was just right, I ended up putting the molds right into the fridge and completely forgetting that I needed to make room for the stick.

If you forget, you won't be able to get the sticks inserted into the cake pop later.

After you are done smoothing out the coating in the cakesicle cavity, insert the stick into the opening and pull it out.

Repeat 2-3x.

This ensures that the opening is clear of chocolate/coating so you can easily slide the stick in later.

Do not miss this step.

Then, after the hole is cleared, chill in the fridge until set.

Adding the Cake

When you go to add the cake filling, there are a few things to keep in mind.

First, be gentle when doing so. You are pressing the cake into the shell that you just put a lot of work into creating. If you press the cake in too hard, it could crack.

However, you need to be sure that the cake mixture is pressed down enough to create nice density. You don't want any pockets of air inside the cakesicle.

Second, do not fill the cake flush with the top of the cakesicle mold. Be sure to leave a 1/16" gap between the top of the cake filling and the top of the mold.

Press the top layer until it's smoothed out.

You do not need to chill the cake popsicles after adding the cake.

Forming the Back Shell Layer

Add a small dollop of coating on top of the cake layer. Spread it out over the cake; it should cover it completely and fill in that 1/16" space left between the cake and edge of the mold.

Now, when you take a bench scraper or flat knife to remove excess chocolate, it creates a completely smooth backside to your cakesicle!

Using a bench scraper or back of a knife, drag over the top of the mold to remove any excess coating. The chocolate/candy melts will settle nicely into that 1/16" gap that we left between the cake and the mold.

Next, insert the stick through the opening of the mold and into the cake filling. It helps to point the stick downward slightly to ensure a secure hold.

Once done, chill again.

If you find that the back shell coating got too lumpy or isn't looking so neat and clean, you can easily fix this. 

Dip a knife or metal spatula in a cup of boiling water and let it heat up. Dry off the knife/spatula and slowly run it over the coating. It will gently re-melt the surface so that you can achieve a smoother look. 

Removing Cakesicles from the Mold without Breaking

The great thing about silicone cakesicle molds is the fact that they can stretch.

When removing cakesicles from the molds, I grab the sides of them and stretch the mold away from the cakesicle. Then, I gently push from underneath (the front of the cakesicle) and pop it out.

Since the stick was inserted into the little opening, you have to maneuver that separately.

Be careful not to push the stick up as it can slide further into the cakesicle.

Lastly, avoid touching the front surface if you can. Fingerprints can mess up the smooth, shiny surface quickly!

Final Prep

There may be some excess coating leftover hanging off the sides of the cakesicles. Removing this is easy.

Simply set the cakesicle on a surface and carefully cut away the excess using a sharp knife. This will give your cakesicles a super clean, professional look!

If any areas of the shell cracked off while removing from the molds, don't fret! Simply touch up with a bit of melted coating.

Don't forget, you can always cover any mess ups areas with sprinkles or other décor too.

Decorating Cakesicles

Now, for the fun part! Decorating cakesicles has to be my favorite.

When ready, melt the chocolate or candy melts and place in a piping bag. Drizzle over the tops of the cakesicles and add sprinkles.

I like to make each cake popsicle slightly different and unique.

Here are links to the products I used:

• Premium sprinkles
• Dutch chocolate sprinkles (these are the only ones I buy. They are made from REAL chocolate, not the waxy stuff!)
• Gold luster dust

Here are some more ideas!

• Drizzle on different colored candy melts
• Apply premade icing decorations
• Add edible gold foil
• Add other candies

Making these for a special event? Check out these beautiful boxes to package them in!!

Here is a Recap of All My Tips for Making Cakesicles

• Cakesicles take a little extra time to make - don't rush.
• Use the center of the cake only (remove all edges!)
• Using boxed cake is fine - add a taste of homemade by making your own frosting (recipe below)
• Do not add too much buttercream frosting or your cake mixture will be greasy.
• Using cakesicle molds to create the shell is the easiest method. Dipping is not preferred as the filling may fall of the stick.
• If using candy melts for the shell, keep in mind you'll need to recoat the sides 2-3x.
• Melted semi-sweet, milk or dark chocolate chips are easy to work with. White chocolate is not recommended.
• Be gentle when pressing the cake mixture into the mold.
• Leave a 1/16" gap at the top between the cake and edge of the mold to create a completely smooth back layer.
• Be gentle when removing the finished cakesicle and stick.
• Avoid touching the front as you don't want fingerprints on the shell.
• Have fun decorating!! Use extra chocolate or melts to drizzle or make a design on top of the shell or add sprinkles.

How Long Do Cakesicles Keep?

Cakesicles keep very well since they are covered in a chocolate/candy coating. They can definitely be made a day or two ahead of time and stored in an airtight container.

If you do make these ahead of time, they can be stored at room temperature.

Even though there is a small amount of butter (in the frosting) it become more stable when mixed with sugar and doesn't require immediate refrigeration.

However, that's not to say that you can keep these on the counter for a week.

I always err on the side of caution with food safety, so if you think you'll need to store these for longer than a couple of days, keep them in the fridge.

The only caveat I have for that is, any condensation that builds up on the shell of the cakesicle may affect the look of the coating.

Looking For Birthday Party Recipes? Try These!

• Number Cake
• Dessert Charcuterie Board
• Perfect Sugar Cookie Cut Outs
• Famous Royal Icing
• Cheesecake Dip
• Crisco Pie Crust

Cakesicles

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Crisco Pie Crust