How To Make Smooth And Seamless Cake Pops Without Using Any Frosting

If you've ever had to deal with crumbly cake pops or are simply not a fan of the sometimes overly sugary frosting binders, there's good news: your cake's warmth can do all the heavy lifting. When you remove an extra-moist cake straight from the oven, it is full of steam. Now all you have to do is transfer that piping hot cake straight into your stand mixer and simply watch the magic happen. While you can make cake pops with leftover cake or transform store-bought cookies into cake pops, this method only works with freshly baked, piping-hot cakes that are straight out of the oven.

As the paddle breaks down the cake, steam distributes evenly between the crumbs, resulting in a soft dough that holds together nicely even without frosting. This works because the heat and steam force the starches in the cake to bond together from the inside. This process is called starch gelatinization. For optimal results, you can add half a cup of vegetable oil, mashed bananas, or applesauce to your cake batter for moisture. However, the most important tip is to crumble the cake within a few seconds or minutes of removing it from the oven. That way, you get to both preserve and distribute the steam.

For perfect, uncomplicated, and most of all, seamless cake pops, begin by breaking up your freshly baked cake directly in the stand mixer bowl and mixing on low speed for around a minute — just until the broken crumbs hold together and slightly clump when pinched. In case you do not have a stand mixer, feel free to pulse the warm cake in a food processor quickly. And if it seems like your cake is too dry to clump up (which is unlikely if it's hot), throw in some warm milk or fruit puree for added moisture.

You'll want to roll tablespoon-sized portions into smooth balls immediately while the cake mixture is still warm, then freeze the balls for about 15 minutes to firm up. From there, all you need to do is place sticks in well-chilled cake balls and dip them in some melted chocolate, making sure to gently tap off any excess coating before allowing them to set.

If your cake pops develop cracks (also unlikely, if your cake is not dry), simply make the mix softer by adding some warmed honey to the crumbs and re-roll. You can store the undipped balls in your freezer for up to three months, and dip as needed. And if you ever want to go a step further, a fudgy brownie cake pop is also packed with moisture and extra flavor.