Looking for Halloween cake pop ideas? Learn how to make Ghost Cake Pops with this fun and easy tutorial!
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Halloween is just around the corner, and I can't believe that I haven't shared any spooky fun ... until now!
I love making cake pops (these Pecan Pumpkin Spice Cake Pops are a fall favorite), and I've been wanting to make Halloween cake pops for a while.
This past month has been a little crazy though, and with all the mayhem, my ghoulish treat making got put on the back burner.
My niece is visiting this weekend, so it seemed like the perfect time to finally make these Ghost Cake Pops. They turned out so cute ... a little goofy and not too spooky, but totally fun!
Ghost Cake Pops
When I spotted a pack of candy eyes at the grocery store, I couldn't wait to use them for a fun Halloween treat ... and what could be better than delicious Ghost Cake Pops?
This Halloween cake pop recipe makes a super fun and totally delicious holiday treat, and they're the perfect way to impress party guests, too.
If you've never made cake pops before, you might be surprised at how easy they are too make. All you need is a little time and patience.
This would be a fun project for kids, too ... just saying!
How to Make Halloween Cake Pops
These cake pops for Halloween are so fun to make and not hard at all if you follow my easy tutorial. If you've never make cake pops, read these tips for how to make Ghost Cake Pops first, then follow the recipe below for more pics and details.
Preparing the Cake
You'll need one already baked white cake (two layers) and some white frosting. To keep things simple, I prefer to use a box mix when I make cake pops (I used this Pillsbury white cake mix and white frosting). Homemade cake and frosting would be delicious though if you want to put in a little more effort.
Feel free to use any flavor cake and frosting, but keep in mind that if you choose a dark color (like chocolate), you may need to double dip your pops in the candy coating.
You'll start by crumbling the cake, then mixing in just enough frosting (about ¼ to ½ cup) to hold the mixture together when it's rolled into a ball. Use your hands to do this ... it's messy, but makes the process easier and faster.
Shaping the Cake Pops
To get the ghost shape for your pops, you'll start by rolling a heaping tablespoon of cake mixture into a ball, and from there, into an oval shape. Then, you'll shape the oval so the bottom is flat and the top (the ghost's head) is a little narrower.
At this point, you need to refrigerate the ghost shapes for two hours or freeze them for one hour. This helps the cake firm up. Don't skip this step, or your cake pops will fall apart when you try to coat them.
Adding the Sticks
After the cake has been refrigerated for two hours, melt a few candy melts in a small bowl. I used these Ghirardelli White Melting Wafers, but I've also had good luck with Wilton Candy Melts.
Dip the end of a lollipop stick into the candy and insert it into the cake. Once you've done this with all of the cake, refrigerate the cake pops for about 5 to 10 minutes or until the candy has hardened.
Coating the Ghost Cake Pops
Place about one and half bags of the candy melts into a small bowl, then melt them according to the package directions.
Dip a cake pop into the melted candy to coat. Then, gently tap it on the edge of the bowl to remove the excess candy.
Three ways to store the coated cake pops after they've been dipped: 1.) If you want your Ghost Cake Pops to look perfect from all angles, poke the sticks into a piece of styrofoam so the coated pops can dry upright. 2.) If you don't care how the backs of the pops look, rest them on a lined tray to harden (parchment paper works great for this and minimizes cleanup). 3.) If you want the cake pops to look good from all angles and don't have styrofoam, poke the stick in the head part of the cake (instead of the bottom of the ghost).
After you've dipped the pop, let the candy coating set for a minute or two, then press on the candy eyeballs. Aren't they cute?
You'll want to refrigerate the finished Halloween cake pops until you're ready to serve them, although I can never resist trying one right away!
I love making these Ghost Cake Pops for parties, because they can be done ahead of time and they look impressive.
For an event, feel free to dress up your pops with a little black bow on the lollipop stem, or you could even wrap the stems with Halloween washi tape.
This is also a fun (albeit messy!) project for kids.
Ghost Cake Pops
Ingredients
- 1 baked cake (two 8- or 9-inch layers), any flavor
- ¼ to ½ cup frosting
- 2 packages white candy melts
- lollipop sticks
- candy eyeballs
- large piece of styrofoam, optional
Instructions
- Place the cake layers in a large bowl and crumble them using your hands.
- Mix in just enough frosting, using your hands, so the cake holds together when you roll it into a ball.
- Take a heaping tablespoon of cake and form it into a ball. Gently roll the ball into an oval, then shape it so the top (the head) is narrower than the bottom, and the bottom is flat.
- Smooth any cracks, then place the cake ball, bottom side down, on a lined baking sheet. Repeat the process with the remaining cake.
- Refrigerate the cake balls for 2 hours or freeze for 1 hour. (Do not skip this step or your cake pops will fall apart when you try to coat them.)
- Melt a few of the candy melts in a small bowl.
- Dip a lollipop stick into the melted candy, then press it into the bottom of a cake ball. Wipe away excess candy, then return cake pop to the baking sheet. Repeat process with remaining cake balls, then refrigerate until candy is hard (about 5 to 10 minutes).
- Melt about one and a half bags of the candy melts in a small bowl, following package directions. Dip cake pops in melted candy to coat.
- Gently tap cake pop on edge of bowl to remove excess candy, then return cake pop to lined tray OR poke the stick into a pieces of foam so it remains upright.
- After candy coating sets for a minute or two, press eyes onto cake pop. Repeat process with remaining cake pops.
- Refrigerate cake pops until ready to serve. Enjoy!
Let me know if you try making these Ghost Cake Pops.
I'd love to see how they turn out!
What is your favorite ghoulish Halloween treat?
P.S. Looking for more spooky projects and recipes? Check out all of my Halloween posts here!
These are the cutest spooks ever!
Thank you so much, Lisa!
These are super cute, Ginnie!
Thanks, LeAndra! They're so fun to make,too 🙂