Incredibly easy no-bake cake pops made with only 2 ingredients from the dollar store! Sprinkles and popsicle sticks optional.
This is the third in my series of easy and inexpensive recipes made with ingredients and tools found at the dollar store. As of this writing, the total cost of this recipe was $4.50 Canadian dollars or $3.25 US dollars at my dollar store Dollarama in Canada. With the optional sprinkles and popsicle sticks, it was $7.75 or $5.65 US. Obviously, you can shop anywhere!
You will need:
- 1 package of snack cakes with a cream or frosting layer
I used a package of 10 Amadore Snack Cakes with cream filling ($2.50 CAD, $1.80 US) You can use Little Debbie cakes, Vachon cakes, etc., as long as there is a layer of frosting or a creamy filling. I chose these based on price alone; they were about a dollar less than other cake brands. - Chocolate for melting
I chose a solid milk chocolate Santa. At $2.00 CAD ($1.45 US) for 150grams (5.3 oz), he was the best priced chocolate in the store. He melted extremely smoothly, perfect for dipping. Much easier than chocolate chips! Note that my experience was that the chocolate melted more smoothly over a double boiler than in the microwave. - (Optional) 1 package of sprinkles ($1.75 CAD, $1.30 USD).
- (Optional) 1 package of popsicle sticks, lollypop sticks, straws, or anything to put your “pop” on. You can totally omit these and just make chocolate-covered cake truffles. I could only find popsicle sticks at my dollar store: $1.50 CAD for a package of 100 ($1.10 US).
Why this works
To make a traditional cake pop, you bake a cake, then you crumble the baked cake and mix it with frosting to make it moist and sticky enough to roll into a ball. Then you dip it in melted chocolate. Here I’ve totally eliminated any baking, because this works just as well with any little snack cake that already has frosting in it.
Caveats
Of course, all dollar stores are not equal. My dollar store is Dollarama. You may or may not be able to find these ingredients at your local dollar store, but of course you can shop anywhere you like.
These are best the next day; they need about 24 hours to develop the best flavor and texture.
Makes: 16 cake pops (see note*)
Incredibly easy no-bake cake pops made with ingredients from the dollar store. If you choose not to make cake pops, without the stick they can be cake truffles.
Ingredients
1 package snack cakes with frosting layer, any flavor (see note *)
chocolate to melt (see note **)
(optional) lollypop sticks, cake pop sticks, or popsicle sticks
(optional) sprinkles
Directions
- Prepare by cutting small slits into the top of an old, shallow box. This will be to hold the cake pops upright while they dry.
- Remove cakes from packaging and place them in a large bowl. With an electric mixer, completely mix them until they reach the consistency of a cookie batter. At one point, they may look too dry and crumbly to come together, but keep at and they will as the frosting inside gets totally incorporated. If necessary, add a very small amount of water (no more than 1 teaspoon).
- Chop chocolate into chunks and place in the top of a double boiler over hot (not boiling) water. Allow to melt, stirring occasionally. See note ***.
- Form cake mixture into 1-inch balls and, if desired, insert a lollypop stick (or popsicle stick) into each ball. If not making pops, insert a fork into the ball in order to hold it temporarily.
- Spoon melted chocolate over each ball, then insert lollypop or popsicle stick into prepared box to hold it upright. If you did not make pops, place ball on waxed paper, the holes from the fork on the bottom.
- If desired, top with sprinkles. Allow to cool for chocolate to set.
- These are best eaten the next day; they need about 24 hours to develop the best flavor and texture. They will keep several days in the refrigerator or longer in the freezer.
Notes
- * Any size package of 6 to 10 (or more) snack cakes will work, as long as the cakes have a cream or frosting filling. Little Debbies in the US and Vachon cakes in Canada are perfect. The larger your package of cakes, the more cake pops you’ll have. My package of Amadore cakes was 280 grams (9.8 ounces).
- ** Whatever chocolate your dollar store has. I used a 150 gram (5.3 ounce) solid milk chocolate Santa Claus. This was enough for my 280 gram (9.8 ounce) box of Amadore cakes. If your box of cakes is more than this, you’ll need more chocolate.
- *** My milk chocolate Santa melted surprisingly well with a perfect texture for dipping. If that is not the case with you, add a tablespoon of coconut oil.