Cakesicles are just like cake pops but even bigger and shaped like popsicles. If you are a cake pop lover then you will absolutely love these cakesicles, with that same yummy cake filling and chocolate shell on the outside.
Growing up I have always loved eating cake. When I discovered cake pops I was in heaven, they are so good. So naturally the idea of a cakesicle intrigued me. I mean how can you go wrong with cake mixed with frosting covered in chocolate? You can’t!
Cakesicles are really easy to make at home, time to impress your friends and family with these delicious treats. In this recipe, I will show you a couple of different methods that you can use to make cakesicles. If I can do it, you can do it. Let’s get started!
Step 1: Gather the ingredients
In order to make cakesicles you need just a handful of ingredients and a few tools:
- Cake – You need to bake a cake. Any cake mix cake will work or you can use a homemade cake recipe if you like. You can do vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, etc.
- Frosting – You can use store-bought frosting or something like a homemade buttercream frosting. The frosting will act like glue and hold the cake crumbs together.
- Chocolate – There are several options for chocolate that you can use. Candiquik works great for dipping, but you can use Candy melts, which are very popular, candy bars, chocolate chips, etc.
Tools
- Small cakesicle molds
- Large cakesicle molds
- Gloves
- Treat bags
- Spoon
- Bowls
- Pastry brush
- Cake spatula or knife
- Bags
Step 2: How to make cakesicles
To begin you will need to bake a cake. If you like you can use any number of homemade cake recipes or of course you can use a box cake as well, it is totally up to you. Once the cake is baked allow it to cool completely.
Now it is time to break up that cake! There are a few ways you can do that. Place the cake in a bowl and crumble it up with your hands. Wear gloves if you like, especially if you are going to sell them or give them away. I don’t always wear gloves if I am making them for myself, and my hands are always clean.
Another option is to put the cake into a plastic bag and mash it up with your hands. Then pour the crumbs into a bowl. Either way works great!
Now add two heaping tablespoons of frosting, you may need a little bit more, to the cake crumbs and then mix and knead that frosting and crumbs together until well combined and it forms a play dough consistency. When you squeeze it together it should hold its shape well.
This is the exact same technique that we would do when making the inside filling for cake pops.
Step 3: Cakesicles Method 1 – Dipping
There are a few different methods for forming the cakesicles. In this first method, what I refer to as the dipping method, take the cakesicle filling and stuff it into the mold. Make sure the top is level.
Then gently insert the popsicle sticks into the little slits in the mold, and push it into the cake so it is a little more than halfway in.
Now, place the mold in the freezer for 20 to 30 minutes, this will allow the cakesicles to firm up and make it easier to dip, without falling off the stick.
Take your Candiquik, chocolate chips, candy melts, etc. and melt them in a microwave safe bowl in the microwave. Use the defrost setting or use half power, and turn it on for 30 seconds, then stir the chocolate. Heat again for 30 seconds, and stir until completely melted.
You can also use the double boiler method if you like. Place a pot on the stovetop with about 1 inch deep of water. Rest a large bowl, metal or pyrex on top of the pot. Set the heat to medium, as the water heats steam will warm the bottom of the bowl and gently melt the chocolate.
Remove the mold from the freezer. Gently squeeze the sides of the mold and tilt and pull the cakesicle from the mold. Then dip it in the chocolate. I like pouring the melted chocolate in a glass, because it is easier to dip. Tilt the cakesicle so it gets cover completely. Then pull it out of the chocolate and let the excess drain off.
Place the dipped cakesicle onto a sheet pan or cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat so it can set.
Step 4: Cakesicles Method 2 – Painting
The next method for making homemade cakesicles, I call the “painting” method. This is a very common method, and works well for larger molds.
Take the melted chocolate, whichever kind that you want, and spoon some into each mold. Then spread it out and paint up the sides of the mold with the back of the spoon or a pastry brush. Or you can tilt the mold all around and allow the melted chocolate to flow up onto the sides coating them.
Next, put in the popsicle stick a little bit of the way. If the mold is brand new, before putting the chocolate in it, poke the stick through the little slit. To make sure it is open all the way.
Once all the sides are coated, remove any excess with the spoon, you don’t want the layer of chocolate to be super thick. Scrape off any chocolate that may have gotten on top of the mold.
Then place the mold in the fridge for 15 to 20 minutes to allow the chocolate or candy melts to set.
Once the chocolate sets, take the mold out of the fridge, and add a little more chocolate around the sides of the mold this will strengthen the sides a bit.
Now, take the cakesicles filling mixture and pack it into the mold, using your fingers to poke it underneath the stick. Don’t fill it all the way to the top, leave a little room for the top layer of chocolate.
Next, you can slide the sticks in so they are a little more than halfway in. Pack down the cake mixture again.
Place more chocolate on top and spread it out so it covers the whole top. Use a cake spatula to scrape off any excess. Then place the cakesicles into the fridge for 20 minutes or so to allow the top chocolate to set.
Step 5: Decorating the cakesicle
After the chocolate sets, remove the mold from the fridge, and then gently pry it out of the mold. Don’t push too hard on the stick, it might press it through the top. Now it is time to decorate them.
While the cakesicles are on the sheet pan, you can drizzle a different color of chocolate on top if you like. Just put the melted chocolate in a plastic sandwich bag and snip off the corner, then gently squeeze the thin stream of chocolate and zig-zag it over the cakesicle.
There are so many other ways you can decorate them as well. Be creative! Allow the decorations to set and then they are ready to eat!
Step 6: Packaging the cakesicles
You can leave them as is, or a fun way to package them is to put them in individual treat bags. They come with twisty ties, or you can use a colorful ribbon or something. This is a perfect way to make them as gifts or ready to sell.
I encourage you to try both different methods and figure out which way you like the best. The bigger ones, get a bit heavy and are harder to dip, sometimes the cake falls of the stick, so keep that in mind.
Have fun with different designs, and enjoy your homemade cakesicles!
How long do cakesicles last?
If your house is relatively cool, the cakesicles will last about a week at room temperature. Or you can store them in the fridge for a few weeks. They can also be frozen for a few months.
Here are some other cake recipes you may like:
Cakesicles
Equipment
- Small cakesicle molds
- Large cakesicle molds
- Gloves
- Treat bags
- spoon
- Bowls
- pastry brush
- Cake spatula or knife
- bags
Ingredients
- 1 standard cake mix with ingredients (or homemade cake, I have several recipes for those)
- 2 heaping tbsp of frosting you may need more, winds up being around 1/2 cup (homemade or storebought)
- 2 to 3 cups of chocolate or more (Candy melts, candy bars, chocolate chips, Candiquik)
Instructions
- Start by baking a basic cake, use a box cake mix, or homemade recipe. After it is done baking allow it to cool completely.
- Place the cake in a large bowl. Use your fingers and break the cake up into crumbs. Clean your hands, also wearing gloves is a good idea if you are making them for someone else.You can also break the cake up in a bag.
- Now add two heaping tablespoons of frosting to the bowl of cake crumbs. Mix the frosting in with your fingers, and knead it along with the crumbs until all combined, add a bit more frosting as needed to create a playdough-like consistency. It should hold its shape when pressed together.
- There are a couple of methods to form the cakesicles. The first is the dipping method. Take some cake mixture and pack it into the mold until it is level with the top. Then gently slide in the popsicle stick until a little more than halfway. Once done, place the mold in the freezer for 20 to 30 minutes until it hardens up.
- Melt your chosen chocolate in the microwave, using bursts of 30 seconds then stirring with the defrost mode or half power, until melted.Or on the stovetop with the double boiler method. Place a pot with about an inch of water on the stovetop, set the heat to medium. Set a larger metal or pyrex bowl on top, as the water heats the steam with warm the bowl melting the chocolate.
- Take the mold out of the freezer and gently remove the cakesicles from the mold. Then dip them in the chocolate. If you pour the melted chocolate in a tall slender glass it makes dipping them a little easier. Once dipped hold it above the bowl or glass and allow the excess chocolate to drain off. Then place them on a sheet pan or cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat to set.
- An alternative way is the painting method. This works great for larger molds. Add some melted chocolate to the mold, then use a spoon or pastry brush to spread out the chocolate in the mold and paint it up on the sides. Slide the popsicle stick in just a little bit. You can also tilt the mold all around, with the chocolate in it, which will coat the sides. Either way.
- Now place the mold in the fridge for 20 minutes until the chocolate sets. Remove it from the fridge and add more chocolate to the sides of the mold to strengthen them. Stuff the molds full of cake mix leaving a bit of room at the top. Slide the sticks in so they are a little more than halfway in the mold. Press the cake mixture back down and pack it tightly.
- Next, pour more chocolate on top and smooth it out so the top is completely covered. You can use a cake spatula to scrape the top smooth if you like. Place it back in the fridge for 20 minutes or so until it sets.
- Once the chocolate sets, remove them from the fridge and gently remove them from the molds. Now you can do some decorations if you like. I like to add some melted chocolate to a little plastic bag, snip off the corner, and then drizzle a different color of chocolate over it. There are so many possibilities. Allow the decorations to set, and serve. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Do you like the recipe? Please give it a rating and comment down below, I really appreciate it.ย ย If you make it tag me on Instagram @inthekitchenwithmatt. Also, sign up for the newsletter so you wonโt miss out on any of my new posts and recipes.
Hi, Thank you so much for the very specific directions. I followed them for a couple practice trials using the โpainting methodโ. They come out looking nicely, however, many of them have very fine cracks. Do you have this happen? Do you know why?
Hi there Julie! Glad you tried them. You have have just needed to do another coat of chocolate with the painting method to make it a bit thicker. That is usually the most common reason for cracks, because the chocolate walls aren’t thick enough.
I love this recipe! I’ve tried both methods and they’re both great. Thanks for sharing!
Glad you like it!! ๐ You are welcome!
Just curious have you ever made these with cupcakes instead of a whole cake. Trying to make a fun activity with a group of kids for a birthday party. didn’t know how you would suggest breaking up the ratio if I gave them each 4 cupcakes. How much frosting for each one?
You can certainly do it with cupcakes. Each cake recipe usually makes 24 cupcakes. So if you had 6 kids with 4 each. Just divide the amount of frosting by 6. Just over a standard tablespoon of frosting should be good. Have fun!
Can you use food coloring for and to make different colors with the white chocolate?
Yes! You sure can, but you need to make sure to use food coloring powder or oil-based food coloring. NOT water-based. The water-based could ruin the chocolate.
I’m sayin this is a 5โ recipe and haven’t even made these yet!! I’m about to do a small trial run before going in full throttle; making these in mini geometric heart molds, without the popsicle sticks, along with the large geometric, breakable chocolate mold- in red pink & white chocolate, cocoa bombs & valentine’s candies. Then arranging everything in a cake box filled with red shredded crinkle paper. I’m so happy I found your recipe!! Thank you for your perfect explanation, recipe & tipsโค. I’ll be following you on IG and will tag you in my post when done with my V-Day chocolate & cakesicle surprise box for my Grandson. I’ll be back for a real review once completed! So very elated to try this.
Thank you so much, Jeanie! I am glad you found the recipe too! Yeah, there are all kinds of fun things you can do with it, so many cool molds out there. Sounds like you have a great Valentine’s Day plan. ๐ You are very welcome! Yes please do tag me once you are done. I am excited to see it!
Hi Matt – made these for my daughter’s bridal shower and everyone loved them! Even sent the link to a few who requested it. Thanks for making it so easy to do!
Hello Kathy! That is so awesome! Glad you made them and everyone loved them. Thanks for sending the link ๐