Velvet Like Pumpkin Pops……..
Bring the cozy, spiced comfort of pumpkin pie to a bite-size treat: pumpkin pie cake pops with a velvety center and a glossy natural chocolate shell. These are perfect for autumn parties, seasonal markets, or a cozy afternoon treat. I kept every ingredient as natural as possible and added options for dairy-free swaps.
Yield & time
Makes about 24 cake pops
Active time: 40–60 minutes (plus chilling)
Total time: 2–4 hours (chill time included)
Ingredients
Pumpkin Cake
1⅓ cups all-purpose flour (or 1:1 gluten-free blend)
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
1½ tsp pumpkin pie spice (or 1 tsp cinnamon + ½ tsp ginger + ¼ tsp nutmeg + pinch cloves)
¼ tsp fine sea salt
1 cup pureed pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix — just pumpkin puree)
½ cup pure maple syrup (or honey if you prefer)
⅓ cup neutral oil (grapeseed, light olive, or melted coconut oil)
2 large eggs (or 2 flax eggs for vegan: 2 tbsp ground flax + 6 tbsp warm water, sit 5 min)
1 tsp vanilla extract
Velvety Binder / Filling (creaminess = velvety texture)
Choose one:
Dairy version (velvetiest):
6 oz full-fat cream cheese, room temp
2–3 tbsp pure maple syrup (to taste)
1 tsp vanilla
Dairy-free version:
3/4 cup soaked cashews (soak 2–4 hours), blended until ultra-smooth with 2–3 tbsp maple syrup + 1 tsp vanilla + 2 tbsp coconut cream
Coating & sticks
12–16 oz dark chocolate (70% cacao or lower) or compound baking chocolate if you need easier tempering — choose single-ingredient chocolate (cacao + cane sugar + cocoa butter).
2–3 tbsp coconut oil (to thin the chocolate)
24 lollipop sticks or short wooden skewers
Optional: finely chopped toasted pecans or crushed cinnamon graham crumbs for decoration
Pro tips for velvety texture
Use a moist, fine-crumb cake: avoid overmixing the batter.
Cool cake fully before crumbling — warm crumbs make mushy pops.
Use full-fat cream cheese or ultra-smooth cashew cream as the binder; this gives a soft, velvety mouthfeel.
Chill the formed balls until firm but not rock solid — that helps the center stay creamy under the shell.
Add a pinch of fine sea salt to the binder to enhance sweetness and round the flavor.
Step-by-step
1. Make the pumpkin cake
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line an 8×8 or 9×9 pan with parchment.
In a bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, and salt.
In another bowl, whisk pumpkin puree, maple syrup, oil, eggs (or flax eggs), and vanilla until smooth.
Fold the dry ingredients into the wet just until combined — stop as soon as you no longer see streaks.
Pour into the pan and bake 20–25 minutes, or until a toothpick in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs (you want it moist but fully baked).
Let cool completely in the pan, then refrigerate for 30–60 minutes so it firms and is easier to crumble.
2. Make the velvety binder
For cream cheese: beat room-temp cream cheese with maple syrup and vanilla until silky and smooth. Add a tiny splash of milk or cream (or plant milk) if you need to loosen it slightly — only a teaspoon or two at a time.
For cashew version: drain soaked cashews and blend with maple syrup, vanilla, and coconut cream until perfectly smooth and pipeable. Chill if it’s too loose.
3. Crumble & bind
Using your hands or a pastry cutter, crumble the chilled cake into a large bowl until fine crumbs form.
Add 2–3 tablespoons of the binder and mix gently. You want a sticky but soft dough that holds together when pinched. Add more binder 1 tsp at a time if needed. Stop when the mixture is cohesive and velvety — don’t over-wet it.
Taste a tiny bit — adjust with a pinch of salt or a drop more maple syrup if desired.
4. Form the pops
Scoop about 1–1¼ tablespoon of mixture and roll gently into a smooth ball (about 1 inch–1¼ inch). Smooth the surface with your palms for that perfect velvety finish.
Place balls on a parchment-lined tray. Once all are rolled, chill in the fridge 30–45 minutes (or 15–20 minutes in the freezer — don’t freeze solid).
5. Prepare chocolate coating
Chop the chocolate finely. Place in a heatproof bowl with coconut oil.
Melt gently over a double boiler (or in 20-second microwave bursts, stirring each time) until smooth. If using dark chocolate, stir until glossy and runny but not hot.
6. Insert sticks & dip
Dip the tip of each stick about ⅓ inch into chocolate, then push into a chilled cake ball about halfway. This “glue” helps keep the pop secure. Return to the fridge 5–10 min to set the chocolate anchor.
Working one at a time, hold a pop by the stick and dip into the chocolate so it’s fully coated. Tap off excess. If you want a swirl look, drizzle extra chocolate or sprinkle your topping immediately.
Stand pops in a foam block or rest on parchment to set. Chill briefly to firm the shell (10–15 min).
7. Finish & serve
If desired, finish with a light dusting of cinnamon, a sprinkle of crushed pecans, or a tiny drizzle of extra melted chocolate. Serve chilled or at cool room temperature.
Storage
Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
For longer storage, freeze on a tray until solid, then transfer to a sealed container for up to 1 month. Thaw in the fridge before serving.
Variations & ideas
Ginger-maple glaze: Stir 1 tbsp maple syrup into 2 tbsp melted chocolate before dipping for extra flavor.
Spiced crumb coating: Roll chilled balls in crushed ginger snaps or graham crackers (use natural ingredients) before dipping.
Mini pies on a stick: Press a dab of pumpkin pie filling into the center before binding for an extra punch of pumpkin.
Final notes — making them bakery-level
The secret to bakery-level cake pops is texture contrast: a pillowy, velvety interior (use the cream cheese/cashew binder) inside a thin, glossy shell (thin chocolate + coconut oil).
Don’t overchill to the point the interior is rock hard — you want a gentle give under the shell.
Practice makes perfect: the first batch helps you dial the right binder ratio for your cake crumbs.
