How to Make Heart-Shaped Valentine's Cake Pops

7 Valentine's cake pops on a white plate and topped with heart shaped sprinkles and a bite taken out of one to show the middle

How to Make Heart-Shaped Valentine's Cake Pops

A cute, tasty, and festive treat, these Valentine’s Cake Pops are the perfect dessert for kids and adults! This step-by-step guide yields 28 cake pops made with homemade vanilla cake and a naturally dyed white chocolate shell!

Prep Time30

Cook Time32

Chilling Time1

Total Time2 2

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: gluten-free, valentine cake pops, valentine's cake pops

Servings: cake pops

Calories: 129kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

1/4 cup butter melted and cooled
1/4 cup avocado oil or any neutral oil
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs at room temperature
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup milk of your choice at room temperature (I used almond milk)
1½ cups gluten free all-purpose flour I used Bob's Red Mill
2½ tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/3 cup cream cheese at room temperature, plus more if needed
1/2 cup powdered sugar

Coating

1½ cup white chocolate chips
Optional: 3/4 tsp beetroot powder or more, for color - or a few drops for red food dye
Optional: festive sprinkles I got mine from Trader Joe's

Instructions

Before you begin, keep in mind that you'll need room temperature eggs, milk, and cream cheese for best results. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, and line an 8x8 baking pan with parchment paper.
In a large mixing bowl, combine butter, avocado oil, sugar, eggs, vanilla, and milk. Beat together until smooth.
Add flour, baking powder, and sea salt, and beat until just combined.
Pour into the prepared baking pan. Bake for 28-32 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Cool for at least 30 minutes, then crumble the cake in a large bowl using a wooden spoon or a stand mixer.
Add cream cheese and powdered sugar, and mix until it becomes a smooth workable consistency that can be rolled up into balls. You can add more cream cheese if the mixture is too dry.
Line a large plate or a baking sheet with parchment paper. Roll into 1½ inch cake balls and place them on the parchment. If you want to make hearts, first roll into a ball then make a point at the bottom. Use a lollipop stick or a toothpick to make a dent at the top and shape with your hands into heart.
Freeze for 1 hour.
In a double boiler or a microwave, melt the white chocolate until smooth in consistency. If you want to make a pink coating, add beetroot powder or red dye and stir, adding a little more at a time until you like the color.
It's best to place the white chocolate mixture in a narrow, tall container while you do this. Stick a lollipop stick into each cake pop, and then dip into the white chocolate to coat. Immediately add sprinkles, if using.
Stick the cake pops into a styrofoam block or a cake pop stand. You can also lay them down on parchment paper. They should set in a few minutes since the cake pops are so cold. Enjoy! Store in the fridge in an airtight container for up to a week.

Video

Notes

Expert Tips

Your Valentine's cake pops can be made into a heart or a circle - both look great!
If desired, you can use 1/2 of a box of cake mix instead of making a homemade cake. Prepare and bake according to package directions and start at step 5. If you do decide to use a boxed cake mix, feel free to make a chocolate cake, strawberry, or red velvet cake mix. My homemade version yields a vanilla cake.
If melting the chocolate in a microwave, do so in 15-20 second intervals to make sure it doesn’t burn. Make sure to use a microwave-safe bowl.
I used white chocolate and added beetroot powder to make it pink. You can also use red food dye. If desired, you can use pink candy melts instead of white chocolate.

Storage Tips

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Nutrition