Vegan cake pops

Name: Vegan cake pops
Prep time: 1 hour 30 minutes (plus about 1 hour to cool and freeze)
Yield: 20
Ingredients: 1 cup unsweetened plant-based milk, such as oat milk; 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar; 1.5 cups all-purpose flour; 0.75 cup granulated sugar; 1 teaspoon baking powder; 0.5 teaspoon baking soda; 0.25 teaspoon salt; 0.33 cup neutral oil, such as avocado or canola; 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract; 2 tablespoons vegan butter sticks, softened; 0.5 cup powdered sugar; 0.5 teaspoon pure vanilla extract; 1 to 2 teaspoons unsweetened plant-based milk; 2 (9-ounce) bags vegan white baking chips; 1 teaspoon coconut oil, refined or unrefined; 2 to 3 tablespoons freeze-dried strawberry powder, to color; 0.33 cup white sugar pearls, for decorating

If you love the pink birthday cake pops at Starbucks, you’re going to love this homemade version! These vegan cake pops have everything that makes the original so fun: soft vanilla cake inside, a smooth pink coating outside, and a sprinkle of tiny white sugar pearls on top.

They’re made completely from scratch. Just bake a simple one-bowl vanilla cake, crumble it, and mix it with vanilla buttercream. Then roll it into balls and dip each one in a pink coating colored naturally with freeze-dried strawberry powder. It takes a little time, but every step is easy, and they’re a sweet surprise to bring to a party or share with friends. Short on time? Use a vegan vanilla boxed cake mix instead.

Preparation Time: 1 hour 30 minutes (plus about 1 hour to cool and freeze)

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Ingredients

SERVINGS:

Calories: 280 Protein: 2 g

Vanilla cake

1 cup unsweetened plant-based milk, such as oat milk
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1.5 cups all-purpose flour
0.75 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
0.5 teaspoon baking soda
0.25 teaspoon salt
0.33 cup neutral oil, such as avocado or canola
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Vanilla buttercream

2 tablespoons vegan butter sticks, softened
0.5 cup powdered sugar
0.5 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 to 2 teaspoons unsweetened plant-based milk

Pink coating

2 (9-ounce) bags vegan white baking chips
1 teaspoon coconut oil, refined or unrefined
2 to 3 tablespoons freeze-dried strawberry powder, to color
0.33 cup white sugar pearls, for decorating

Preparation

Bake the cake: Preheat the oven to 350°F and line an 8 by 8-inch pan with parchment paper. Stir the vinegar into the plant-based milk and let sit for 5 minutes. In a large bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the milk mixture, oil, and vanilla, and stir just until combined. Pour into the pan and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
Cool completely: Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then lift it out and cool completely on a wire rack, 30 to 40 minutes.
Make the buttercream: Beat the vegan butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk until smooth and creamy.
Crumble and mix: Crumble the cooled cake into fine crumbs. Add all of the buttercream and mix with your hands until the mixture holds together when squeezed.
Shape and freeze: Scoop the mixture by the tablespoon and roll each portion into a smooth ball. Place on a parchment-lined tray and freeze for at least 30 minutes, until cold and firm.
Melt the coating: Set up a double boiler by placing a heatproof bowl over a small pot of gently simmering water, making sure the bottom of the bowl doesn’t touch the water. Melt the white chips and coconut oil over low heat, stirring until smooth. Pour the melted chocolate into a small, deep ramekin or bowl for easier dipping. Stir in 1 teaspoon of strawberry powder, then keep adding 1 teaspoon at a time until you reach the pink you like.
Add the sticks: Dip the tip of each stick about ½ inch into the melted chocolate, then insert it halfway into a cake ball.
Dip and decorate: Working with a few cake pops at a time and keeping the rest frozen, dip each one into the pink coating, turning to cover. Since the coating is thick, use the spatula or a clean cake pop stick to spread it over any bare spots, especially around the stick. Gently tap the stick against the edge of the ramekin to let the extra coating drip off. Hold the cake pop over an empty bowl and sprinkle with sugar pearls right away.
Let them set: Stand the cake pops upright in a cake pop stand. Because the cake balls are cold, the coating sets almost right away. If the cake balls start to crumble while dipping, return them to the freezer for about 5 minutes.

A hand lifting a pink vegan cake pop covered in white sugar pearls from a plate of cake pops.

Tips

Cool the cake completely: If the cake is still warm, the buttercream will melt and the cake balls will turn greasy. In a hurry? Spread the crumbs on a tray for a few minutes to release the last of the heat.
Check the texture: The mixture should hold together like soft dough. If it feels too crumbly, keep mixing with your hands, since the warmth helps the buttercream blend in.
Keep them cold, not frozen solid: Cold cake balls hold their shape and stay on the sticks. Work with a few at a time and keep the rest in the freezer.
Don’t skip dipping the sticks: Dipping the tip of each stick in melted chocolate before inserting it works like glue, so the cake pops stay put.
Add the color slowly: Freeze-dried strawberry powder is strong, so add it 1 teaspoon at a time until you reach the pink you like.
Avoid water-based coloring: Water can make melted chocolate thick and grainy. Use freeze-dried fruit powder or an oil-based food coloring instead.
Keep the coating smooth: If the chocolate starts to thicken, warm it over the double boiler again for a moment.
No cake pop stand? Poke holes in a cardboard box or a block of foam to hold the cake pops upright while they set.
Use a boxed mix: For a shortcut, bake a vegan vanilla cake mix according to the package and use it in place of the homemade cake.
Make them with kids: Little ones love crumbling the cake, rolling the balls, and decorating with sugar pearls or sprinkles. Let an adult handle the oven and the melted coating.
Make ahead: Roll the cake balls and freeze them for up to 1 week. When you’re ready, insert the sticks, dip, and decorate straight from the freezer.
Storage: Store the cake pops in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Let them sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes before serving.