Name: Chocolate Cake Pops
Prep time: 30 min
Total time: 1 h 30 min
Yield: 12
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 10 Hostess Cupcakes; 4 oz. Cream Cheese; 1 pound Chocolate Almond Bark; 1 cup White Chocolate Chips

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Last Updated on June 22, 2025 by Jennifer Osborn

What if I told you you could make fudgy, chocolate-dipped cake pops without baking? These chocolate cake pops start with a box of Hostess cupcakes. Yes, the ones with the squiggle that I was never allowed to eat as a child. These come together in minutes. They’re rich, chocolatey, and cute enough for a party platter but easy enough for a Tuesday night.

Chocolate cake pops with white icing swirl, one sliced open, on a newspaper background.

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What Makes These Cake Pops So Easy
Ingredients
How to Make Chocolate Cake Pops
Process Shots Below
Recipe Notes
Frequently Asked Questions
PIN TO SAVE FOR LATER
Recipe
Comments

What Makes These Cake Pops So Easy

No need to bake a chocolate cake. Instead, you make chocolate cake pops… from a box of Hostess cupcakes!

If you like cake pops, you'll like these Melted Ice Cream Cake Pops too.

Here’s what you’ll need:

Ingredients

10 Hostess Cupcakes
4 ounces or ½ a brick Cream Cheese (room temperature)
1 pound Chocolate Almond Bark
1 cup white melting wafers or chocolate discs

You'll also need sticks, a cookie scoop and a way to melt almond bark or melting wafers like a microwave or a double boiler and a lined cookie sheet to place the pops on while you're chilling them.

See recipe card for ingredient amounts.

Assorted chocolate treats in a bowl with chocolate squares and white chocolate chips on a table with newspaper.

How to Make Chocolate Cake Pops

Mix Hostess cupcakes and cream cheese in a large bowl until smooth.
Roll mixture into a large ball, then portion with a cookie scoop, a #40 is a good size, and shape into smaller balls.
Freeze for 1 hour.
Melt almond bark in the microwave, stirring until smooth.
Dip a cake pop stick into the melted bark and insert into each cake ball. Let set.
Dip cake pops into melted almond bark, shake off excess, and place on parchment to set.
Melt white chocolate, pipe swirls on each pop, and let set.
Chill until ready to serve.

Chocolate cake pops with white icing swirl, displayed on a surface with printed text.

Process Shots Below

Glass bowl with assorted chocolate and cream-filled cake pieces, placed on a wooden cutting board. — Put Hostess cupcakes and cream cheese in a mixing bowl.

A glass mixing bowl with chocolate cookie dough next to chocolate cookies and a hand mixer, on newspaper. — Beat on high speed until the mixture is smooth and well combined.

Chocolate pieces in a glass bowl with chocolate cream-filled cookies on a wooden board. — Melt the almond bark by microwaving it in one-minute intervals, stirring well between each round, until it’s completely smooth and creamy.

Chocolate cookie dough scoops on a wooden board with a metal scoop, next to a chocolate cupcake. — Knead the mixture and roll it into a large ball. Using a cookie scoop, portion it into individual cake pops to ensure each one is evenly sized.

Three chocolate truffles on a wooden cutting board, with pastries and newspaper in the background. — Roll each portion into a tight, smooth ball and place them on a lined baking sheet. Transfer to the freezer for one hour to firm up before decorating.

Chocolate cake pop with a white stick on a wooden board. — Dip the tip of a cake pop stick into the melted chocolate, then gently insert it into the center of each cake ball. Allow the chocolate to set to secure the stick in place.

Chocolate cake pop on a wooden board, with a glass bowl of melted chocolate and decorated cupcakes nearby. — Dip each chilled cake pop into the remaining melted almond bark, coating it fully. Gently tap off any excess chocolate, then place the pops onto a sheet of parchment paper to set until firm.

Chocolate cake pop with white icing swirl on a wooden surface beside a piping bag. — Once the chocolate coating has fully set, melt your white chocolate using the same method—microwaving in short intervals and stirring until smooth. Transfer the melted white chocolate into a piping bag, snip a small tip off the end, and pipe a decorative swirl onto the front of each cake pop. Set aside and allow the white chocolate to firm up completely.

Recipe Notes

Pull the cream cheese out of the fridge about an hour before you're going to make these.

Room temperature cream cheese will be easier to combine with the cupcakes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why are my cake pops falling apart?

Usually, there’s not enough binder to hold them together. Make sure the mixture is moist enough (your Hostess filling helps!) and chill the rolled pops before dipping.

How do you get cake pops to stay on the stick?

Dip each stick in melted chocolate before inserting it into the cake pop. That chocolate “glue” helps anchor the stick in place once it sets.

Do I need to refrigerate cake pops before dipping?

Yes, chill the cake pops for at least 30 minutes so they’re firm enough to dip without crumbling or sliding off the stick.

Can I freeze cake pops?

Yep! You can freeze them before or after dipping. Wrap them well and thaw in the fridge to avoid ruining the coating.

What kind of chocolate is best for coating cake pops?

Candy melts or almond bark are easiest. Chocolate chips work too—just add a little coconut oil or shortening to thin them for smooth dipping. See how to melt chocolate.

Do I need a cake pop mold or machine?

No, I used a cookie scoop but you can roll these by hand also. Molds are optional if you already have them but not necessary.

How long do cake pops last?

They’ll stay fresh about 5 days at room temp (sealed), or up to 2 weeks in the fridge.

Why is my cake pop coating cracking?

It’s a temperature mismatch. Let cold cake pops sit out for a few minutes before dipping into warm chocolate to prevent cracking.

How do I decorate cake pops?

Use sprinkles, colored drizzle, or edible glitter. Just make sure to decorate before the coating fully sets.

PIN TO SAVE FOR LATER

Chocolate cake pops with a white icing drizzle on sticks, one chocolate cake pop cut open to reveal the moist center, arranged on printed paper. — Make adorable chocolate cake pops without turning on the oven thanks to a box of prepackaged cupcakes. Get full tutorial at kitchenserf.com.

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Recipe

Yield: 12 cake pops