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Apple Cake Pops

Apple Cake Pops with red sugar coating, candy leaves, and white sticks displayed on green grass-like base.
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Apple Cake Pops are adorable, bite-sized treats shaped like apples, perfect for back-to-school gifts, teacher appreciation, or themed parties. This fun and festive recipe combines chocolate cake, buttercream, and red candy melts with creative edible decorations.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 round 8- or 9-inch chocolate layer cake (boxed or homemade)
  • 1/4–1/2 cup chocolate buttercream
  • 1 bag red candy melts
  • Red sanding sugar
  • White fondant or gum paste
  • Green food coloring gel
  • 24 pretzel sticks (for stems)
  • Cake pop sticks or reusable plastic sticks

Instructions

  1. Prepare the white fondant or gum paste by tinting it with green food coloring gel and shaping into small leaves. Let dry uncovered for 1–7 days.
  2. Crumble the chocolate cake using a stand mixer or by hand. Mix in buttercream a little at a time until the mixture holds together.
  3. Scoop dough and shape into apple forms, slightly narrower at the base with a small indent on top. Chill for at least 4 hours or freeze for 30 minutes.
  4. Melt a small amount of chocolate and dip the tip of each cake pop stick. Insert into the base of each cake ball and refrigerate again until set.
  5. Melt red candy melts in a tall cup using the microwave at 50% power in 30-second intervals until smooth.
  6. Take out a few chilled cake pops at a time. Dip in melted candy, gently shake off excess, sprinkle with red sanding sugar, insert a pretzel stick as a stem, and attach a fondant leaf beside it.
  7. Stand the cake pops upright in a styrofoam block to harden. Refrigerate until ready to serve or wrap.

Notes

  • Fondant leaves need to dry at least 1 day for best results.
  • Work in small batches when dipping to avoid candy melts setting too fast.
  • Use vegetable shortening to thin candy melts if needed.
  • For a gluten-free version, use gluten-free cake mix and buttercream.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://recipeeasily.com/apple-cake-pops-recipe-2025/