Pot of Gold Cake Pops (Printable)

Golden-decorated chocolate cake balls coated in candy melts for a whimsical festive touch.

# What You'll Need:

→ Cake

01 - 1 box (14 oz) chocolate cake mix with required eggs, oil, and water per package instructions

→ Frosting

02 - ½ cup chocolate frosting

→ Decoration

03 - 14 oz black candy melts
04 - 2 oz gold sprinkles or edible gold pearls
05 - 24 lollipop sticks
06 - 1.75 oz white candy melts for accents
07 - Green fondant or sprinkles for shamrock details

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven and prepare chocolate cake according to package instructions. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, then cool completely at room temperature.
02 - Crumble the cooled cake into fine crumbs in a large mixing bowl. Add chocolate frosting and mix thoroughly until a dough-like consistency forms.
03 - Scoop and roll the mixture into 24 balls approximately 1.5 inches in diameter. Flatten the tops slightly to resemble pot shapes.
04 - Place balls on a parchment-lined tray and refrigerate for 30 minutes until firm.
05 - Melt black candy melts according to package instructions in a microwave-safe bowl.
06 - Dip the tip of each lollipop stick into melted candy, then insert it halfway into each cake ball. Chill for 10 minutes to set.
07 - Dip each cake pop fully into melted black candy melts, allowing excess to drip off. Stand upright in a styrofoam block or cake pop stand to set.
08 - Before the coating sets, immediately sprinkle gold sprinkles or edible gold pearls on top of each pop to resemble coins.
09 - Using melted black or white candy melts, pipe a decorative rim around the top edge of each pot.
10 - Apply green fondant or sprinkles for shamrock embellishments as desired.
11 - Allow all cake pops to set completely at room temperature before serving or storing.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • They're impressive enough to impress guests but forgiving enough that even a decorating mess looks intentional and rustic.
  • Chocolate cake and frosting means you're basically eating the best parts of a layer cake without any of the fuss.
  • You can make them a day or two ahead, which takes the stress out of holiday entertaining.
02 -
  • Don't skip the chilling step for the cake balls themselves—if they're even slightly warm when you dip them, they'll crack or slide right off the stick.
  • The gold sprinkles must go on while the black coating is still slightly wet, or they'll just bounce off and sit on your work surface looking sad.
03 -
  • Buy your candy melts from a baking supply store rather than a grocery store—the quality is noticeably better and they're easier to work with.
  • If your black coating starts to thicken as you work, microwave it for just 10 seconds to loosen it up again, which keeps the coating smooth and prevents thick, uneven layers.
Return