These Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake Pops are the perfect party treat for any PB lover! Dipped in dark chocolate with a vegan chocolate sponge and peanut butter interior, these delicious cake pops are egg free, dairy free and vegan. Read on to discover our pro tips for making perfect cake pops, including how to make them in advance.
Learn how to make Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake Pops at home, with a simple vegan chocolate sponge cake and peanut butter interior, a silky smooth dark chocolate coating and a sprinkling of chopped peanuts.
We’re sharing our tips and answering all of your questions; helping you to make perfect cake pops every time. From how to create a smooth chocolate coating, to making cake balls that actually stick together; we’re guiding you from start to finish. You can even make these Peanut Butter Cake Pops in advance and freeze them – pretty handy if you’ve got a party coming up!
Quick links:
- The written recipe
- Why you’ll love this recipe
- Success tips
- Step by step instructions with photos
- FAQs
- Other ‘must try’ vegan recipes!
What are cake pops?
Traditional cake pops are truffle-like balls made out of cake crumbs mixed into frosting. Cake pops are usually coated in chocolate, decorated with sprinkles and toppings and served on a stick as a single-serve dessert.
Cake Pops are a fantastic party treat that can be made in a variety of flavours and decorated to suit any special occasion, such as baby showers and birthday parties. They also make great gifts and wedding favours!
Why these Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake Pops are special
Cake Pops are a novel and special treat to serve at parties such as showers, wedding anniversaries and birthdays. They’re also great for Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day gifts for peanut butter lovers!
These chocolate peanut butter cake pops are a moreish treat, perfect for those who love peanut butter and dark chocolate. These cake pops feature a moist vegan chocolate sponge and smooth peanut butter interior; rich flavours that pair beautifully with the dark chocolate coating.
We are going to walk you through how to make a simple vegan chocolate sponge cake and we have swapped the traditional buttercream for smooth peanut butter to simplify the process of making cake pops.
This recipe is egg free, milk free and 100% vegan.
Making homemade cake pops isn’t complicated but it does take time, so we recommend making the cake the day before (although this is not essential). Here is an overview of the steps involved in making these delicious Peanut Butter Cake Pops:
- Make a homemade vegan chocolate sponge cake
- Crumble the cake into fine crumbs
- Mix the cake crumbs with smooth peanut butter
- Roll the mixture into balls
- Coat the peanut butter cake balls in melted dark chocolate
- Decorate with chopped peanuts
- Enjoy!
Steps 1 to 4 can all be completed the day before if you prefer. Head to the recipe card for the full instructions and ingredients list.
Success Tips
- Bake the cake in advance. The cake needs to have cooled fully before you can use it, therefore we recommend baking the cake the day before so that it is ready to use.
- You can use shop-bought sponge cake. If your local supermarket sells a vegan chocolate sponge cake that you enjoy, you can use that for this recipe if you prefer (just remove any buttercream). You could even use a shop-bought vegan vanilla cake if you like. Skip straight to the ‘To make the chocolate peanut butter cake pops’ section on the recipe card.
- Add coconut oil to create a smooth chocolate coating. We add coconut oil to the melted chocolate before coating the cake pops. Coconut oil thins the melted chocolate which helps the chocolate to coat the cake pops more evenly and smoothly.
- Let the melted chocolate cool before dipping. We recommend letting the melted chocolate cool for 10 minutes and chilling the cake balls in the fridge or freezer before dipping them. Using this technique will help the chocolate to dry more quickly (preventing smudges). Don’t dip cold cake balls into hot melted chocolate as this can cause the chocolate to crack.
- Refrigerate your cake pops. To make your Chocolate Peanut Butter cake pops last longer we recommend storing them in the fridge. Once the chocolate coating has dried fully, the cake pops can be laid on their side in an airtight container and refrigerated for up to 3 days until you are ready to serve them.
- Serve at room temperature. These Peanut Butter Cake Pops taste best at room temperature so bring them out of the fridge an hour before serving.
How to make these Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake Pops
Ingredients
To make this peanut butter cake pops recipe, you’ll need the following ingredients:
Pantry ingredients
Coconut oil
Vanilla extract
Self-raising flour – the recipe calls for 190g self-raising flour plus 3/4 tsp baking powder. If you only have plain flour (all purpose flour) then you can use 190g plain flour plus 2.75 tsp baking powder instead.
Cocoa powder
Baking powder
Caster sugar
Instant coffee powder – or you can use coffee granules ground into a powder
Smooth peanut butter – this needs to be easily spreadable, rather than a variety that is thick and hard
Vegan dark chocolate – you can use vegan milk chocolate or white chocolate if you prefer!
Peanuts
Chilled ingredients
Dairy-free milk – we use almond milk but soya milk also works well
Equipment
In addition to basic bowls, saucepans and utensils, you’ll need the following equipment to make this recipe:
- Cake pop sticks (or lollipop sticks). We used 15cm (6”) tall paper sticks.
- A 20cm (8”) round sandwich cake tin
- A cake pop stand*
*A cake pop stand will make your life easier when decorating your peanut butter cake balls. You can create a makeshift stand by pressing the cake pop sticks into a cardboard box or piece of polystyrene.
Note: if you’re making a stand out of a cardboard box, opt for a shallow box – you want the cake pop sticks to be taller than the box so that the cake pops don’t slip all the way in.
Steps for making Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake Pops
Make sure to head to the recipe card below for the full recipe and instructions!
Gather together your ingredients.
First, make the chocolate sponge cake. Stir together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, coffee and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Add the melted coconut oil, dairy-free milk and vanilla. Stir together gently until just combined and then pour the cake batter into a 20cm round cake tin lined with parchment.
Bake in a preheated oven and then set aside to cool fully on a wire rack.
Once the cake is cool, use a sharp knife to lightly trim off any firm or caramelised edges from the cake.
Crumble the cooled cake into fine crumbs into a large bowl and then add the peanut butter to the bowl. Stir to combine – the cake mixture should be the consistency of wet sand once combined.
Scoop approximately 1 tablespoon of mixture per cake pop, roll it into a ball and place it onto a baking tray lined with non-stick paper (you should get approx 35 4cm / 1.6 inch balls). Place the tray in the fridge or freezer until the cake pop balls are firm and then re-roll them between your palms for a few seconds to smooth out the surface.
Melt the dark chocolate using a double boiler (a medium bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water), stirring in a tablespoon of coconut oil. Press a hole into the center of the cake ball using the cake pop stick (or lollipop stick). Dip the cake pop stick in the melted chocolate and then place it into the hole. As it sets, the chocolate will help to keep the stick in place.
Dip each cake pop into the melted dark chocolate, swirling it around to coat it fully. Allow any excess coating to drip off and then place the cake pops in a cake pop stand/holder. Immediately sprinkle chopped peanuts on top of the wet chocolate and then place the cake pops somewhere cool to set.
FAQs
Help! How do I get my cake pops to stick together?
Cake pop filling mixture (the frosting + cake crumbs) should be the consistency of wet sand once mixed. If it is too dry it will not come together into a ball, so you will need to add more frosting (or in this case peanut butter), which should solve the issue.
The consistency of peanut butter can vary quite a lot, so if you find that your cake pop filling mixture is too dry to come together into balls, mix in a tablespoon more peanut butter and then try again. You’ll need to use a smooth, spreadable peanut butter for this recipe (not a variety that sets hard under a layer of oil).
What is the secret to dipping cake pops?
Adding coconut oil to the melted chocolate (around 1 tbsp per 400g chocolate) will loosen the mixture. This slightly thinner chocolate makes it easier to coat the cake pops because the thinner, glossy chocolate glides more easily over the cake ball, coating it more smoothly.
How long should I chill my cake pops before dipping?
Once you’ve rolled your cake pop mixture into balls, chill the balls for around 30 minutes in the freezer or 3 hours in the fridge until they’re really cold. This will help to set the chocolate coating much more quickly.
Note: Make sure that the melted chocolate is not hot when you dip your cold cake balls otherwise the chocolate coating could end up cracking. Set the melted chocolate aside at room temperature for 10 minutes to allow it to cool before dipping the cake balls.
Can you leave cake pops in the fridge overnight before dipping?
Yes, uncoated cake pops can be stored in the fridge overnight in an airtight container before they are dipped in melted chocolate. This is a good way to get ahead and one of the great things about cake pops – they can be prepared in advance!
How do you dip cake pops without sticks?
If you do not have cake pop sticks you could use a skewer, toothpick or fork to hold the cake ball and dip it into melted chocolate. Once coated in chocolate, place the cake pops on a baking sheet or cookie sheet that has been lined with parchment paper. Put the tray somewhere cool to allow the chocolate to set and you’ll have yourself some delicious cake pop truffles instead!
It’s easy to turn these peanut butter chocolate cake pops into delicious chocolate peanut butter truffles by following this method.
Can you make cake pops the day before?
Cake pops can be prepped 1-2 days in advance or frozen for up to 6 weeks, making them a great party treat to make ahead.
To prepare the cake pops 1-2 days in advance. The chocolate sponge cake can be baked up to two days in advance and you can put together and decorate the cake pops the day before you plan to serve them. Once the chocolate coating has fully dried you can store the cake pops lying down in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
To make the cake pops up to 6 weeks ahead. Cake pops can be stored for up to 6 weeks in the freezer (ready to serve as a last minute treat!). To freeze them, allow the chocolate coating and decoration to dry fully and then store them in an airtight container (you can lie them down) in the freezer. Allow the cake pops to defrost in the refrigerator overnight before serving them.
How do you display cake pops without a stand?
If you don’t have a cake pop stand you could choose to make cake pop truffles (or cakesickles!) instead without the sticks. Serve them on a pretty plate in petit four cases.
Alternatively, you could create a homemade cake pop stand by covering a cardboard box with wrapping paper and piercing holes in the box using your cake pop sticks.
How should you store cake pops?
Once the chocolate coating is dry, cake pops can be stored in an air-tight container (lying down) in the fridge for up to 3 days, or in the freezer for up to 6 weeks.
Loved these Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake Pops? Here are some more cake pop recipes to try
I hope you LOVE this recipe for peanut butter chocolate cake pops! Please share this recipe with someone you think will love it because it’s our goal to encourage as many people as possible to try plant-based eating.
Also, don’t forget to tag @aveganvisit on social media when you make this recipe. I absolutely love seeing your re-creations! Enjoy 🙂 x
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The Written Recipe:
Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake Pops (Vegan Recipe!)
Ingredients
For the chocolate sponge:
- 100 g coconut oil
- 240 g dairy free milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract (5g)
- 190 g self raising flour
- 45 g cocoa powder
- ¾ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp instant coffee powder (or coffee granules ground to a powder)
- 175 g caster sugar
For the filling:
- 400 g smooth peanut butter
Toppings:
- 400 g vegan dark chocolate (broken into small pieces)
- 1 tbsp coconut oil (or vegetable oil)
- 30 g peanuts (roughly chopped)
Instructions
To make the chocolate sponge:
- Add the coconut oil, dairy free milk and vanilla extract to a saucepan and warm gently until the coconut oil has melted. Leave to cool to room temperature (don’t refrigerate).100 g coconut oil, 240 g dairy free milk, 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Preheat the oven to 160°C fan (180°C conventional / 350°F / gas mark 4) and line one 20cm (8”) round sandwich cake tin.
- Sift the flour, cocoa powder and baking powder into a large bowl.190 g self raising flour, 45 g cocoa powder, 3/4 tsp baking powder
- Add the sugar and coffee to the bowl and mix the dry ingredients together.1/2 tsp instant coffee powder, 175 g caster sugar
- Once cooled to room temperature, add the oil, milk and vanilla to the bowl with the dry ingredients.
- Use a large whisk to mix gently for a few seconds until the cake batter is smooth and combined, don’t beat the mixture.
- Pour the cake batter into the lined cake tin.
- Place the cake tin in the preheated oven and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a knife or skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.
- Leave the cake in the tin for 10 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack to cool fully (around 1 hour).
To make the chocolate peanut butter cake pops:
- Place your cooled cake on a chopping board and lightly trim off any firm or caramelised edges. You can enjoy the offcuts to fuel your cake pop decorating!
- Crumble the soft cake interior into fine crumbs by breaking off chunks and rubbing them between your hands into a large mixing bowl.
- Add the peanut butter to the bowl of cake crumbs and stir well to combine. The consistency should be similar to wet sand.400 g smooth peanut butter
- Use a spring-loaded small ice cream scoop (4cm / 1.6“) (or a tablespoon) to scoop out a ball of chocolate cake-peanut butter mixture. Squeeze the ball of mixture between your hands to really bring it together and then roll the ball gently between your hands to smooth it out, it won’t be perfect but you will be able to smooth it out again later.Note: If you find that the cake mixture is crumbling and not sticking together, add another tbsp of peanut butter to the mixture, stir through and try again. The consistency of peanut butter can vary quite a lot so add more peanut butter as necessary to get it to stick.
- Place the balls of cake mixture on a tray lined with parchment paper and place the tray in the fridge for 3 hours or the freezer for 30 minutes for the cake balls to firm up. Don’t skip this step - you need them to be firm.
- Once the cake pops have chilled and are firm, remove them from the fridge/freezer and roll them between your hands again to smooth out some of the lumps and bumps. Pop them back in the fridge whilst you prepare your toppings.
To decorate the peanut butter chocolate cake pops:
- Set aside a cake pop stand and 35 cake pop sticks. If you don’t have a cake pop stand then use the cake pop sticks to press holes in a small cardboard box or piece of polystyrene.Note: if you’re making a stand out of a cardboard box, opt for a shallow box - you want the cake pop sticks to be taller than the box so that the cake pops don’t slip all the way in.
- First up, melt the dark chocolate. Place a small saucepan of water on the hob and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat so that it is very gently simmering and place a bowl over the top of the saucepan. Make sure that the bottom of the bowl is not touching the water underneath.400 g vegan dark chocolate
- Add the dark chocolate to the bowl and allow it to melt gently, stirring occasionally. Once it has melted, add 1 tbsp coconut oil (or vegetable oil), let it melt and then stir it in.1 tbsp coconut oil
- Carefully take the bowl of melted chocolate off the top of the saucepan and set it aside to cool for 10 minutes so that the chocolate is still liquid but cool to the touch.
- Take 5 cake pops out of the fridge. Press the cake pop stick into the centre of each cake ball to make a hole. Remove the stick, dip the end in the melted chocolate and then place it back in the hole you just made. The melted chocolate will set, helping to keep the stick in place. Set the cake pop down with the stick facing up, to allow the chocolate a few minutes to set.
- Pick up the cake pop by the stick and dip it in the melted dark chocolate, using a spoon to pour extra chocolate over the ball as necessary to fully coat it. Hold the cake pop over the bowl for a few seconds to allow any excess chocolate to drip off.
- Place the chocolate-coated cake pop in the cake pop holder and immediately sprinkle it with chopped peanuts. The peanuts should then stick to the melted chocolate and stay in place once it has dried.30 g peanuts
- Repeat the process with the remaining cake pops.Note: Decorate a few cake pops at a time and leave the rest in the fridge because dipping a cold cake pop into melted chocolate has the benefit of setting the chocolate quickly - less chance of smudging the chocolate!
- Set the cake pops aside somewhere cool in the cake pop stand to allow the chocolate to set fully (ideally in the fridge if you’ve got space).
- Once the cake pops are fully dry, remove them from the stand and store them on their sides in an airtight container for easier storage.
- Store in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Notes
Nutrition
Hi, I’m Tara! I’m taking you on a trip around the world in vegan cuisine and bringing the world’s most delicious dishes to your kitchen.
