Healthy Vegan Cake Pops Recipe
Feb 10, 2020 • Updated Jun 20, 2023
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A cake pop as you’ve never seen it before: Healthy Vegan Cake Pops! This veganized version is gluten-free, oil-free, dairy-free, and refined sugar-free. An easy-to-make cake pops recipe that takes just 30 minutes!
What Makes This Recipe Great
A cake pop like you’ve never seen it before–healthy Vegan Yogurt Cake Pops! This veganized version of the ever-popular dessert is delicious and made with nourishing, whole-plant food ingredients. If you’re not familiar with cake pops, they’re what I’d describe as a cake truffle–cake mixed with frosting to create a wonderfully moist, truffle-like texture, usually coated in more frosting or chocolate.
By now, you’re probably aware that one of my favourite things to do is veganize things and make them with whole plant ingredients. Some of my greatest inspiration comes from things I used to eat or favourite childhood snacks, and the thing is, you can really veganize almost any recipe and make mindful ingredient swaps.
For example, I’ve made Vegan Cheez-Its, Tahini Teddy Grahams, and Cinnamon Toast Crunch-inspired granola. So that’s exactly what I did with these cake pops, and they’ve been taste tested by yours truly, but also my sister Chloe who is actually a big fan of junk food. In other words, they’re undetectably healthy and super duper yummy.
These healthy cake pops are completely vegan, gluten-free, oil-free, and refined sugar-free!
Ingredient Notes
- Cake: You can use any boxed cake mix (many can be made vegan, for example, I like to use this grain-free mix) or your favourite homemade cake recipe. The beauty is you can choose any flavour you’d like. I use chocolate in this recipe, but vanilla, red velvet, and everything else under the sun will work. I used this mix, substituting flax eggs for eggs and applesauce for oil.
- Vegan Yogurt: Stands in as a substitute for frosting. In this recipe, I really like to use coconut yogurt because it has the best texture and enough healthy fat to do what frosting does in traditional cake pops. Hear me out–even if you don’t like the taste of coconut (and personally, I don’t love it in recipes unless it is a coconut-flavoured recipe), you won’t taste it. Paired with the cake, chocolate specifically, it just adds moisture to the mix and really creates that cake pop texture.
- Dark Chocolate: I used these vegan dark chocolate chips. Melted down was my preferred coating of choice because it hardens and holds the pop together. Almost like a magic shell, anyone remember that? You can use vegan white chocolate if you prefer, but I recommend coating it with some kind of chocolate because it helps seal the deal and keep your pops pop-like!
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Prepare cake mix according to package directions. Let it set aside to cool completely.
- Once cool, crumble the cake into small pieces in a large bowl. Use your hands to break it down, then add vegan yogurt and vanilla extract. Start to mix using a spatula until evenly incorporated. The texture should be a moist, truffle-like cake, and you should be able to form balls that hold together.
- Pack firmly about a tablespoon or two of the mixture into balls. I found it easiest to pack it like a snowball versus rolling it between my palms. Depending on the type of cake you use, you might need to add more or less yogurt to achieve the perfect texture, and you can also place the mixture in the fridge to firm it up a bit.
- Meanwhile, vegan chocolate, and prepare your lollipop sticks. Place a stick into a cake ball, then dip the sticks into the melted chocolate completely, coating the entire cake ball. Let excess drip off and cool on a parchment paper lined baking sheet or stick lollipops in a piece of floral foam or other material to keep it upright until dry.
Secrets to Success
- I highly recommend crumbling the cake with your hands for an even texture. It’s therapeutic, although it feels almost wrong to crumble up a perfectly baked cake ???? Don’t be afraid to get your hands dirty when you’re incorporating the yogurt into the mix too!
- When preparing your cake pops, I recommend starting by rolling your balls before melting your chocolate to coat. This way, the chocolate won’t harden while you’re rolling. Alternatively, you can recruit a loved one to lend a helping hand and do it assembly-line style!
- If you want to sprinkle a topping on the coated cake ball, do so quickly before the chocolate dries. You can try sprinkles, nuts, candies, or whatever your heart desires!
- Make sure you prepare a drip rack or cooling rack of some sort to allow excess melted chocolate coating to drip off. This will allow for an even coat all around the cake pop.
- Lollipop sticks are optional, but they do make things a little bit easier! If you prefer to make them cake balls (no sticks), just use a fork to coat your cake balls and let the excess melted chocolate run off.
- If you choose to use cake pop sticks, you can stick them in a piece of floral foam or other material to keep it upright until dry. Some use a block of styrofoam, but I find the floral foam works better as a cake pop stand.
Serving Tips
- These delicious treats can be served for an easy dessert, holidays, or as birthday cake pops!
- Vegan cake pops are best enjoyed immediately but can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature or eat frozen!
Storage Tips
- Store leftover vegan cake pops in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months! Defrost at room temperature, or eat frozen!
Recipe FAQs
If you have a cake ball with a good structure, you don’t have to. However, refrigerating them for 10 minutes or so does help them firm up so they don’t crumble.
Dip the stick in the chocolate coating first, then stick it into the cake ball. This will serve as a sort of “glue” for the stick.
They are similar in that they are cake balls on a stick. However, the Starbucks version is not vegan! So this vegan cake pops recipe is perfect for vegan or dairy-sensitive folks!
Of course! If you want to add a topping to them, do so before the chocolate shell hardens and dries. If you want to write or draw on them with some kind of frosting, wait for the shell to dry first.
If you like this recipe, try…
Flourless “Nutella” Choc Hazelnut Cookies
Chocolate Chip Chickpea Blondies
Double Chocolate Quinoa Granola
If you try this recipe out, tag me on Instagram @veggiekins so I can see your delicious re-creations and for a chance to be featured! As always, I love when you share your reviews in the comments below, and if you make any fun substitutions, let me know how it worked out below too!
This post may contain affiliate links.
Healthy Vegan Cake Pops Recipe
Ingredients
- 10 oz vegan gluten free cake mix of choice (I used this mix, substituting flax eggs for eggs and applesauce for oil), prepared according to box directions
- 180 g vegan yogurt of choice I used this brand of vanilla coconut yogurt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup vegan dark chocolate chips
Instructions
- Prepare cake mix according to package directions. Let set aside to cool completely.
- Once cool, crumble cake into small pieces in a large bowl. Use your hands to break down, then add vegan yogurt and vanilla extract. Start to mix using a spatula until evenly incorporated. The texture should be a moist, truffle-like cake and you should be able to form balls that hold together.
- Roll about a tablespoon or two of the mixture into balls, packing firmly. I found it easiest to pack it like a snowball, versus rolling it between my palms. Depending on the type of cake you use, you might need to add more or less yogurt to achieve the perfect texture and you can also place the mixture in the fridge to firm up a bit.
- Meanwhile, vegan chocolate, and prepare your lollipop sticks. Place a stick into a cake ball, then coat in melted chocolate completely. Let excess drip off and cool on a parchment paper lined baking sheet or stick lollipops in a piece of floral foam or other material to keep it upright until dry.
Notes
Secrets to Success
- I highly recommend crumbling the cake with your hands for an even texture. It's therapeutic, although it feels almost wrong to crumble up a perfectly baked cake ???? Don't be afraid to get your hands dirty when you're incorporating the yogurt into the mix too!
- When preparing your cake pops, I recommend starting by rolling your balls before melting your chocolate to coat. This way, the chocolate won't harden while you're rolling. Alternatively, you can recruit a loved one to lend a helping hand and do it assembly-line style!
- Make sure you prepare a drip rack or cooling rack of some sort to allow excess melted chocolate coating to drip off. This will allow for an even coat all around the cake pop.
- Lollipop sticks are optional, but they do make things a little bit easier! If you prefer to make them cake balls (no sticks), just use a fork to coat your cake balls and let the excess melted chocolate run off.
- If you choose to use cake pop sticks, you can stick them in a piece of floral foam or other material to keep it upright until dry. Some use a block of styrofoam, but I find the floral foam works better as a cake pop stand.
Serving Tips
- These delicious treats can be served for an easy dessert, holidays, or as birthday cake pops!
- They are best enjoyed immediately but can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature or eat frozen!
Storage Tips
- Store leftover vegan cake pops in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months! Defrost at room temperature, or eat frozen!
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
