Cakesicles

Cakesicles are one of my favorite ways to use leftover cake layers and frosting. They look like old-school popsicles but are really chocolate-covered little cakes on sticks!

While they might seem difficult to make at first glance, I promise they’re a lot easier than you might think.

What are Cakesicles?

Cakesicles are kind of like a larger cousin of cake pops, except they’re way easier to make. I also think they’re a lot more satisfying to eat.

They’re made by tempering chocolate in a microwave, painting it into a silicone mold, and filling it with a mixture of cake and frosting.

Because you’re using a silicone mold, there’s no need to shape or roll the filling like when you make cake pops. The silicone mold and chocolate coating guarantee your cakesicles will have a perfect shape.

Can I Use Candy Melts to Make Cakesicles?

While I highly recommend using good-quality chocolate, you can use candy melts to make these cakesicles.

The biggest difference when using candy melts instead of chocolate is that you don’t need to worry about heating your candy melts a certain way or to a certain temperature.

They’re made with palm oil instead of cocoa butter, so they don’t need to be tempered and will set firmly as they cool, no matter what.

All you have to do is melt them at a medium-high heat (power level 7 out of 10) in 15-second intervals, stirring between each trip to the microwave. Repeat until they’re fully melted and you’re good to go!

Another positive about using candy melts is that they’re super white in color. If you want to make bright white cakesicles, white candy melts work great.

The Best Way to Make Cakesicles

Learn everything you need to know about how to make cakesicles / cake popsicles like a pro below!

I’ve tried a lot of different methods, and making them this way is definitely the easiest and best way, in my opinion.

This step-by-step recipe and video tutorial show exactly how to make gorgeous & delicious cakesicles.

Step 1: Melt Your Chocolate or Candy Melts

Place your finely chopped chocolate (white, milk, semi-sweet, or dark) or candy melts in a large heatproof bowl.

Heat for 30 seconds at a medium-high heat (I do a power level 7 out of 10), then remove from the microwave and stir the chocolate.

If you don’t have a microwave, you can also use a double boiler.

It won’t be melted much yet, but this helps make sure the chocolate is evenly heated and that certain areas don’t overheat/overcook.

Heat for an additional 15 seconds on medium-high power and stir again.

If you’re using chocolate, check the temperature of the chocolate with your food thermometer between intervals and make sure it doesn’t go above 90 F / 32 C.

Repeat until the chocolate is mostly (but not fully) melted. Let it sit for a minute, then give the chocolate one more stir to make sure it’s nice and smooth.

Step #2: Paint Your Silicone Mold with Melted Chocolate

Use a clean / food-safe paint brush to brush an even layer of chocolate all around the mold.

Quickly insert a popsicle stick in and out of the mold to keep the opening free of chocolate.

Chill the mold in the fridge (or freezer if you’re using candy melts) for about 3 minutes or until the chocolate is firm to the touch.

Paint on a second layer of melted chocolate, being sure to add a little extra around the rim of each mold. Reinsert the popsicle stick again and remove.

The extra layer of chocolate will make the cakesicles easier to remove from the silicone mold and help prevent them from breaking or cracking.

Chill in the fridge or freezer again until the chocolate has set.

Step #3: Fill and Seal Your Cakesicles

Fill each cavity with about 1 Tbsp of cake mixture. Press it down to make sure there are no air bubbles.

Insert the popsicle sticks into the molds, then top each mold with about 1 Tbsp of additional chocolate.

Smooth using an offset spatula, then refrigerate until firm to the touch. Carefully unmold the cakesicles, then decorate as desired.

Tips for Making The Best Cakesicles

To make sure your cakesicles turn out as wonderful as possible, I recommend following these tips.

Tip #1: Use Good Quality Chocolate

Be sure to use good-quality chocolate. You can use semi-sweet, milk, dark, or white chocolate. Candy melts will work too, but I just don’t think they taste as good!

While you can use any type of chocolate, be sure it’s either couverture chocolate or comes in a bar. If you don’t have time to order some good-quality couverture chocolate online, don’t worry!

Most grocery stores carry chocolate bars that are 65% cocoa or more, which can be used to make these cakesicles too. Just be sure to double-check the package to make sure it contains cocoa butter. 

I strongly advise against using chocolate chips because they contain stabilizers that make them harder to melt down and difficult to temper.

Tip #2: Use Whatever Silicone Cakesicle Mold You Have

The silicone mold I used makes small cakesicles that are about 2.5″ long. However, you can use a larger mold or a differently shaped mold if you want!

I like making smaller cakesicles because they’re about the size of 2 cake pops. Larger cake pops seem like too big of a treat to me!

If you use a larger mold, the steps will all be the same, but you might need to adjust the amount of filling you use.

Tip #3: Melt Your Chocolate Slowly to Temper It

Tempering chocolate might sound intimidating, but I promise it’s not! Tempering chocolate just means we’re slowly heating and melting it to help it be as strong and shiny as possible.

Tempering your chocolate will allow you to easily pop your cakesicles out of the mold, and it gives them a beautifully shiny, finished look.

How Should I Decorate My Cakesicles?

Once your cakesicles are made, it’s finally time for the best part, the decoration!

I am a big fan of drizzling extra melted chocolate or colorful candy melts over my cakesicles. Another fun way to decorate your cakesicles is to add some pretty sprinkles or a dusting of edible glitter.

The sky is really the limit, so feel free to get creative and have fun with it!

Recipe Yield

While you might think all cakesicle molds are similar in size, you’d be surprised! They range from a couple of inches in length to up to 4 inches.

With that in mind, the yield this recipe makes will vary based on the size of the mold you use.

Making These Cakesicles in Advance

If stored in an airtight container or in individual plastic wrap, these cakesicles last:

• up to 3 days at room temperature
• 1 week in the fridge
• up to 1 month in the freezer

My one word of caution about refrigerating or freezing the cakesicles is that they can experience condensation as they thaw to room temperature.

This can cause certain decorations to run or bleed, so be mindful of this and wrap each cakesicle individually if possible.

If you do freeze your cakesicles, move them to the fridge the day before you plan to bring them to room temperature.

This minimizes the temperature shock and can help prevent the chocolate from cracking.

Let Me Know What You Think!

If you make this recipe for cakesicles, I’d love to hear what you think! Please leave a rating and comment below.

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

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