Graduation Cake Pops Gold (Printable)

Festive cake balls dipped in school colors and topped with sparkling gold sprinkles for a perfect celebration.

# What You Need:

→ Cake

01 - 1 box vanilla or chocolate cake mix with required ingredients (eggs, oil, water as per package)

→ Frosting

02 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
03 - 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
04 - 1 tablespoon milk
05 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
06 - Pinch of salt

→ Coating and Decoration

07 - 16 oz candy melts in two school colors
08 - 2 tablespoons vegetable shortening or coconut oil, optional for smoother dipping
09 - Gold sprinkles or edible gold glitter
10 - 24 lollipop sticks
11 - Styrofoam block for drying

# Directions:

01 - Prepare the cake mix according to package instructions. Allow to cool completely before proceeding.
02 - Beat softened butter until creamy. Gradually incorporate powdered sugar, then add milk, vanilla extract, and salt. Continue beating until smooth and fluffy.
03 - Crumble the cooled cake into a large bowl. Gradually mix in 1/2 to 3/4 cup frosting until the mixture holds together without becoming overly moist.
04 - Roll mixture into 24 uniformly sized balls, approximately 1 tablespoon each. Arrange on parchment-lined baking sheet and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or freeze for 30 minutes.
05 - Melt small amount of candy melts. Dip end of each lollipop stick into melted candy, then insert halfway into each cake ball to secure.
06 - Melt candy melts in separate bowls according to package instructions. Stir in shortening for smoother consistency if desired. Dip each cake pop into chosen school color, gently tapping to remove excess coating.
07 - While coating remains wet, apply gold sprinkles or edible gold glitter generously. Place upright in Styrofoam block to set completely.
08 - Allow candy coating to harden fully before serving or packaging. Store in airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for up to 1 week.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • They look like tiny edible confetti—colorful, glittery, and impossible to ignore on a dessert table.
  • The whole process is actually forgiving and fun, perfect for decorating with friends or family before the big day.
  • You can make them in literally any school colors, which means they work for any occasion from graduations to sports celebrations.
02 -
  • If your cake balls are falling off the sticks during dipping, they weren't chilled long enough—go back and refrigerate for the full hour next time.
  • Adding shortening to the candy melts sounds optional but it genuinely transforms the coating texture from waxy to silky, and that small step makes people think you spent a fortune on these.
03 -
  • Don't let your candy melts get too hot or they'll become thin and drippy—melting at medium power in thirty-second bursts keeps them at the perfect consistency.
  • If you mess up a pop's coating, let it harden and simply re-dip it; a second coat often looks even better than the first and covers any imperfections.
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