The cake pop became an incredibly popular snack thanks to its lovely taste and cute appearance. However, its unique texture and flavor had many people wondering: “Is this cake pop actually raw?”
Cake pops are not raw at all. They are made from crumbled cake that is mixed with frosting, condensed milk, or melted chocolate, which adds moisture to the cake mix, giving the cake pop its wet and raw-like texture.
This article explains what exactly cake pops are made of and why they are not raw (even if they may seem like it).
Are Cake Pops Made From Raw Cookie Dough?
Cake pops are not made from raw dough and are completely safe to eat.
When cake pops first became popular, many consumers complained that the sweet treat was undercooked.
This misconception likely stems from cake pops’ fudgy texture. It feels more like raw cookie dough than cake!
However, raw dough is not baked into a ball shape to make a cake pop.
There may be tools out there that say they make “cake pops,” but that is not exactly how they work.
They are made by mixing crumbled baked cake with frosting. The frosting adds a lot of moisture to the cake, which gives it that “wet” and raw texture.
After combining the ingredients, the dough is rolled into a small ball. Mashing the cake down and rolling it takes out a lot of the air from the cake.
So instead of being fluffy and crumbly like a typical cake, it takes on a completely different texture. Namely, one that is closer to raw cookie dough than cake.
With all these factors, it is no wonder that people think they are eating raw dough!
But don’t worry, they really aren’t raw at all! Some people find that cake pops don’t taste undercooked, and that is because of the number of ingredients used in this dessert.
It can be challenging to get the perfect amount of cake and frosting. If too much frosting or condensed milk is mixed into the cake, then the cake pops feel a lot more “wet.”
Regardless of how much frosting is used in the cake pops, you will never have to worry about undercooked cake pops!
They are made from fully baked cakes, not raw dough.
Are Cake Pops Undercooked?
No, cake pops are made from fully-cooked cake. There are ads and products out there for cake pop bakers, but that is not how cake pops are made. These tools will likely cause you to have an undercooked cake!
Bakers have to first bake a cake, crumble it, and then either add in a liquid-like frosting, condensed milk, or melted chocolate.
The cake pops are then dipped into chocolate or icing and decorated.
Sometimes, too much liquid is added to the baked cake, giving the cake pops an undercooked texture.
Their fudgy texture has nothing to do with underbaking the cake pops.
They could certainly be undercooked if the baker underbaked the cake before turning it into pops. But they are definitely not meant to be that way!
Since the cake pops are not undercooked, there is no need to worry about getting food poisoning or salmonella when eating cake pops.
They are safe to eat, despite their unique texture.
Can You Make Raw Cake Pops?
Yes and no. You can make no-bake cake pops, but there are a few rules you have to follow.
No-bake cake pops are usually made by combining boxed cake mix with frosting and other ingredients. But, they skip using eggs in the recipe. This is super important!
If you decide to make a no-bake or raw cake pop, make sure the recipe being used is free of eggs.
Uncooked eggs are not safe to eat and cause major issues like salmonella or food poisoning. According to the FDA, raw flour can also be dangerous to consume.
It is best to make cake pops the traditional way by using baked cake to avoid any illnesses. Before making a raw cake pop, make sure you use a recipe that does not use eggs.
This recipe by Her Modern Kitchen is a great no-bake recipe in case you don’t want to go through all the work of baking a cake.
Are Starbucks Cake Pops Raw?
Starbucks cake pops are not raw. When cake pops started becoming popular, Starbucks was one of the biggest chains to hop on the trend.
With their fun holiday-themed cake pops, they became even more popular with consumers.
However, many customers would start to call the company to complain about eating raw cake pops. Starbucks cake pops, unfortunately, fell into the common misconception that we previously mentioned.
Due to their fudgy texture and moist taste, many consumers thought Starbucks cake pops were raw or undercooked. But, their cake pops are made like any other cake pops – from baked cakes.
The baked cake is mixed with icing, then rolled into balls, dipped into the icing, and decorated with sprinkles or more icing.
No matter which Starbucks you go to, the cake pops will be fully cooked and safe to eat.
Don’t worry, and enjoy this sweet treat on a stick whenever you like! All flavors of cake pops are made the same way, so all are safe to eat!
What Flavors Do Starbucks Cake Pops Have?
There are a variety of cake pop flavors at Starbucks, and they may vary by location and season.
Some places do not even sell cake pops! The list below shows the cake pop flavors at Starbucks, but keep in mind that flavors may change over time.
Most commonly available Starbucks cake pops flavors:
- Birthday cake
- Chocolate
- Cookie dough
Seasonal or location-based Starbucks cake pops flavors:
- Unicorn pop cake
- Peppermint Brownie
- Frosted Donut
- Rocky Road
- Strawberry Cake
As cake pops have declined in popularity, the amount of Starbucks selling this treat has dwindled over time.
You will likely still find cake pops at a larger Starbucks store, but do not be surprised if you don’t find them in some stores.
The variety of flavors a store might sell has lessened as well. As the list above shows, most stores only sell three types of cake pops.
Larger stores may sell a wider variety, but don’t go into Starbucks expecting every flavor on this list.
How Much Are Starbucks Cake Pops?
Prices for Starbucks cake pops range from around $1.95 to $3.50 for one cake pop. The price varies depending on whether it is a specialty cake pop or a regular one.
Chocolate or Birthday Cake is usually cheaper as they are sold year-round.
In the Fall, when it becomes Pumpkin Spice season, those “seasonal” cake pops will cost a little more. Since prices can vary for this sweet snack, checking the price before buying it is always recommended.
The average cost of a non-Starbucks cake pop is between $1 to $4 per cake pop.
In other words, Starbucks prices are in the normal range.
This may seem a bit overpriced to some for the small amount of cake pop you get, but you can always easily make it at home if you like!
A box of cake mix costs around $1.30 and can make up to 48 cake pops! It is much cheaper to make them at home, but you may not want 48 cake pops.
Of course, it’s totally okay to treat yourself to a delicious (not raw) Starbucks cake pop though and then as well!