Keto Cake Pops Recipe (Healthy, Vegan & Gluten-Free)

If you have kids, you probably know Starbucks Cake Pops are $5 each, which can make a simple trip to get coffee extremely expensive. I’ve had moms say they can’t get out of Starbucks for less than $50. These detoxed cake pops will fool the kids, nourish their bodies, prevent the hyperactive sugar rush…and save some serious dough, pun intended! Plus, making the cake pops together is a delicious way to spend quality time with the kiddos.

Traditional cake pop recipes use boxed vanilla cake mix, store bought frosting and are coated in candy melts. I’ll convince you to never use candy melts later in a few paragraphs. Although cake pops look beautiful, they are basically junk food, which is why I'm so excited to post this recipe! This healthy cake pop recipe uses a simple homemade vanilla cake crumbled into a vanilla frosting and then dipped in sugar-free, dairy-free dark chocolate. These pops have a tender vanilla cake interior, the ‘snap’ of a good quality dark chocolate coating, AND you can taste the “homemade”. This easy, healthy, keto cake pop recipe contains half the calories, 8x the fiber, double the protein and only 2g net carbs when made Grain-Free. You’ll get 100% flavor without the prerequisite guilt you’d get from a regular cake pop.

Cake pops are fun and fairly easy to make, but you’ll need a few pieces of equipment to make this go smoothly. A cake pop stand (only $6 on Amazon) or a piece of styrofoam is needed to secure your pops while the chocolate coating hardens. Lollipop sticks are easy to find online or at your local craft store. I’ve also used wooden skewers (used for appetizers) which worked great.

The healthy cake pop recipe in this article is for a traditional yellow cake with vanilla frosting inside a dark chocolate candy coating. But, you can easily alter the flavor of the cake and frosting using extracts such as coconut, almond or strawberry. Plus, there are many options for sugar-free candy coating using Lily’s brand baking chips. I included a chocolate peanut butter variation which substitutes creamy peanut butter for the Butter Swap in the cake and frosting. If you love the combination of chocolate and peanut butter, this easy cake pop recipe variation will become a staple in your house.

I’ve made this keto cake pop recipe for the adults AND children in my life. No matter the age, gender or sophistication level, they are a win! Cake pops are fun to make, easy to transport, last for weeks and are the perfect petite dessert for any special occasion. I always keep a few of these healthy cake pops tucked away in my freezer for a rainy day treat or an impromptu dinner party.

The Detox Desserts* Flour Swap promotes healthy digestion and makes it easy to turn these cake pops gluten-free. The psyllium husk contained in the Flour Swap and inulin contained in the Egg and Sugar Swaps both feed and increase the number of healthy gut bacteria. Plenty of good flora in your intestines can promote a strong immune system along with the added digestive benefits we all love with a hefty dose of fiber. Don’t forget the whole psyllium husk binds waste and toxins in the intestines and helps clear them from the body. This easy recipe for keto cake pops is not only free from all the unhealthy ingredients found in traditional desserts but it’s actually gently detoxifying to the body…double win!

The plant soluble fiber from the psyllium husk and the digestive resistant fiber in the inulin work together to slow down digestion of this healthy cake pop. The slowed digestion helps provide more blood sugar stability throughout your day which can keep you feeling full and satisfied. This also keeps energy levels constant without the normal sugar crash one would experience with a traditional, carb-loaded cake pop.

I’ve tested this sugar free cake pop recipe with Whole-Grain and Grain-Free Flour Swap a few times. They both allow you to make your cake pop recipe gluten free and healthy, but the Grain-Free Cake Pop is my texture preference. The Whole-Grain Swap pops will have a few extra slowly digesting healthy carbs, a more hearty flavor and more of a rubbery texture. My office manager (who is a Starbuck cake pop connoisseur) says the Whole-Grain pops closely resemble the Starbucks version. I did enjoy the Whole-Grain version more after a few days in the fridge. The Grain-Free Flour will provide the lowest carb (keto/paleo) version of this cake pop, has a more tender texture and slightly sweeter, nutty flavor. I recommend making these either 100% Grain-Free or a combination of both Flour Swaps. I tested this recipe using both flours in equal parts (1 cup Whole-Grain plus 1 cup Grain-Free Flour to equal the full 2 cups of Flour Swap the recipe calls for), which turned out fantastic. Plus, mixing the flours is a great way to create a lower carb version of a gluten-free cake pop and still allows for a small dose of healthy grains.

For most of my patients, I’m a big advocate for balanced macronutrient meals breakfast, lunch and dinner. Here is an easy way to know what type of Flour Swap to choose to create a balanced macro meal. We’ll use dinner as an example. If your dinner consists of just protein and veggies, I recommend eating a Whole-Grain Swap cake pop for dessert to serve as your healthy carb for that meal. Conversely, if you already had a healthy carb with dinner (quinoa, sweet potato, beans, etc), I would recommend the Grain-Free Swap cake pop for dessert so you don’t overeat carbs at that meal. Easy, right?! Balanced macro meals are the best thing you can do to keep your metabolism firing optimally, create blood sugar stability and keep you feeling full and satisfied throughout your day (or night). If you’re a diabetic or need to stay in ketosis, always bake using the Grain-Free Flour Swap.

4. Bake Whole-Grain cakes for about 25 minutes (about 32 minutes for Grain-Free) until the edges turn golden and a toothpick comes out mostly clean. Remove from the oven and cool completely on a rack.

5. Once cooled, lift the cakes out of the pans (trim off any dark areas around the edges or bottom of the cakes if desired). Crumble the cooled cakes into a large bowl. 

6. Make the frosting by mixing all ingredients together until smooth. Add hot water a little at a time until desired consistency. The frosting should be somewhat thick and smooth, not runny. 

7. Fold the frosting into the crumbled cake until it’s well incorporated and the cake holds together when pressed. Stir in about ½ cup naturally dyed sprinkles if desired. 

8. Make golf-ball sized cake balls and spread them out on a baking tray to prepare for final assembly. 

9. Melt the chocolate chips in a double boiler until smooth and drippy (a microwave also works, but not my preferred method). Remember not to let the water touch the bottom of your double boiler pan, the steam is what melts the chocolate. Add a little coconut oil if you want to thin down your chocolate.