These pumpkin cake pops taste just like Fall and look like it too!! They’re made with moist pumpkin cake and dipped in white chocolate to look just like little pumpkins.

How to Make These Pumpkin Cake Pops

To make sure these cake pops turn out as amazing as possible, let’s walk through each step together! Below is a video along with step-by-step pictures.

Step 1: Make the Pumpkin Cake Batter

Start by preheating the oven to 350°F/175°C. Then line an 8-inch round pan with a parchment round and grease with non-stick cooking spray or homemade cake release.

Make the pumpkin cake batter following the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs. Rotate the pan halfway through to help it bake evenly.

Remove the cake from the oven and place the pan on a wire rack to cool for 15 minutes, then run a small offset spatula around the perimeter of the pan to separate the cake from the pan.

Step 2: Make the Buttercream & Cake Pop Dough

Next, we make the buttercream. While the cake itself is quite moist, it needs a bit of buttercream to give it the right texture and shape it into a little pumpkin.

Add the softened butter, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and milk or cream into a small bowl. Stir together with a spatula or spoon until the ingredients are combined and the frosting is smooth.

If the butter isn’t soft enough, it can make the frosting hard to mix. If you run into this, pop the bowl into the microwave and heat in 5-second increments until you’re able to stir the ingredients together. Set aside.

Flip the cake layer (it’s ok if it’s still warm) into a large bowl. Use a fork to break the cake layer up into crumbs, then mix in the buttercream. Mix until it reaches a dough-like consistency.

Step 3: Scoop and Shape the Pumpkin Cake Pops

Use a 3-tbsp cookie scoop or a Tablespoon measure to make dough balls that use roughly 2.5 Tbsp of dough.

You should end up with about 13 balls. Use your hands to roll them into spheres, then place them on a parchment-lined pan.

Use a cake pop stick to make 6 vertical indentations around the dough balls to look like the panels of a pumpkin.

Then melt 1/4 cup of milk or dark chocolate in a small bowl. Cover about 1 1/2 inches of a cake pop stick with the melted chocolate, then press it into one of the dough balls.

I found that rolling the stick against the bottom of a spatula was the easiest way to coat each stick.

About 1 cm of the chocolate-covered portion of the stick should remain visible above the cake pop to look like a pumpkin’s stem.

Repeat with the remaining cake pops, then place them in the freezer for 5-10 minutes to firm up.

Step 4: Decorate the Pumpkin Cake Pops

Then it’s finally time for the fun part, decorating the cake pops!

You can coat these cake pops in one of the following:

• 2 1/2 cups white chocolate wafers + oil-based food coloring
• 2 1/2 cups orange candy melts
• or 2 1/2 cups good-quality white chocolate + 2 tsp flavorless oil (like vegetable, canola, or coconut) + gel food coloring. I prefer the finished look of white melting wafers + oil-based food coloring.

Whatever coating you choose, melt it in a short, heat-proof glass. A short glass makes them way easier to dip!

I like to use a heavy, thick glass because it retains heat well and keeps it fluid throughout the dipping process (it takes a while to dip 13 cake pops!). Heat them at half power in 15-second intervals, stirring between, until smooth.

Mix the coloring in once the coating is melted, and be sure to use the right type of coloring outlined above, or else the coating can seize.

Remove the cake pops from the freezer and carefully dunk them one at a time. You want to fully cover the cake pop, but not cover up the stem.

This takes a bit of practice, but I promise it gets easier as you go.

Gently shake off any excess, then use the back of a butter knife or a small spatula to gently remove some of the coating from the indents around the pumpkin.

It tends to pool there but will flow off with a little encouragement.

Then carefully scrape the bottom of each cake pop on the edge of the glass to prevent the coating from pooling at the base. Place them back on the parchment paper to firm up.

If the cake pops start to soften or fall off the stick as you try to dunk them, you may need to either pop them back in the freezer to firm up or heat the melting wafers or white chocolate a bit more (at half-power) to make it more fluid.

If desired, brush a bit more chocolate around the stem with another cake pop stick to give it a bit of texture.

You can also brush a bit of cocoa powder around the pumpkins to give them more dimension.

Then use a small circle cutter (about 1/2 inch) to cut out 13 circles from a green fruit roll-up. Pinch the ends with your fingertips to make them look like little leaves.

Dab a tiny bit of leftover chocolate onto the bottom of each leaf, then gently press a leaf on top of each pumpkin cake pop.

I like to serve these on a little tray filled with crushed-up Oreos so it looks like a little pumpkin patch and twist the leftover fruit roll-up scraps into vines.

Substitutions and Swaps – Pumpkin Cake

This recipe uses quite a few ingredients and I know you might not have them all on hand.

Below are some swaps and substitutions that can be made in this cake recipe.

• All-Purpose Flour – This recipe turns out best with AP flour, but you can use a gluten-free flour blend or cake flour if that’s what you have on hand.
• Granulated Sugar – I do not recommend changing the type or reducing the amount of sugar because it will change the texture of the cake layers.
• Unsalted Butter – If you only have salted butter on hand, you can use it in place of the unsalted butter in this recipe. Just be sure to omit the salt that this cake recipe calls for. You can also use vegan butter in its place (and also omit the salt)!
• Pumpkin Puree – While the ground spices give this cake most of its flavors, the pumpkin puree gives these layers a tender texture and a bit of color. If you don’t have any pumpkin on hand, you can use 1 large egg + 1 large egg white in its place.
• Buttermilk – You can also use full-fat yogurt, whole milk, sour cream, or an alternative yogurt or milk (almond, soy, oat) if you’re dairy-free.
• Vegetable Oil – Any flavorless oil will work in this recipe. Canola or even sunflower oil would work great!

Substitutions and Swaps – Buttercream Frosting & Cake Pop Coating

• Unsalted Butter – If you only have salted butter on hand, you can use it in place of the unsalted butter. You can also use vegan butter in its place.
• Heavy Cream – Whole milk or alternative milk (soy, almond, oat) will work fine in this frosting recipe if that’s what you have on hand.
• White Candy Melts – I like to coat these cake pops in Ghirardelli white melting wafers because it sets in a nice, even way. However, you can also use orange candy melts (following the heating instructions on the package) or 2 1/2 cups of chopped-up, good-quality white chocolate plus 2 tsp of vegetable, coconut, or canola oil to thin it (add the oil once the chocolate is fully melted).
• Orange food coloring – If you are adding coloring to melting wafers or candy melts, you need to use oil-based food coloring to prevent it from seizing. If you’re adding coloring to regular white chocolate, you can orange gel food coloring or oil-based food coloring. Just be sure not to use liquid food coloring!
• Green Fruit Roll-Ups – Green fruit by the foot or green fondant can also be used to make the leaves for the pumpkins.

Can This Recipe Be Doubled?

This recipe can be doubled (bake 2, 8-inch cake layers) or tripled (baked 3, 8-inch cake layers) if you want to increase the yield. Bake time will remain the same.

It can also be halved and baked in a 6-inch cake pan, and bake time will remain the same.

Tips for Making the Best Pumpkin Cake Pops

• Ingredients at room temp mix together better! Set out any cold ingredients ahead of time.
• Properly measure your flour (spoon into the cup measure, then level). Or better yet, use a kitchen scale to measure your dry ingredients.
• If the cake pops start to soften or fall off the stick as you try to dunk them, you may need to either pop them back in the freezer to firm up or heat the melting wafers or white chocolate a bit more (at half-power) to make it more fluid.
• Use oil-based food coloring to color melting wafers or candy melts! Or if you end up using regular white chocolate, you can orange gel food coloring. Just be sure not to use liquid food coloring!
• Don’t let your cake pops chill for too long in the freezer before dipping them. If you do, they can crack once they’re dipped in the white chocolate due to temperature shock.

Making These Pumpkin Cake Pops in Advance & Storage Tips

These cake pops can be made in advance and keep super well! Store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or in the fridge for up to a week.

Let Me Know What You Think!

If you make these pumpkin cake pops, I’d love to hear what you think! Let me know by leaving a rating and comment below.

And don’t forget to tag me @chelsweets use #chelsweets if you share on social media so that I can see your amazing creations.

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