Starbucks cake pops are a popular treat offered at Starbucks locations. But where exactly does the world’s largest coffeehouse chain source the cake pops they sell by the millions each year? Let’s take a closer look at where Starbucks cake pops come from.
In the opening paragraphs, we’ll answer some quick questions upfront:
What are cake pops? Cake pops are bite-sized spherical cake truffles on a stick. They are made by combining crumbled cake with icing or frosting and shaping the mixture into a ball that is dipped in chocolate or other coatings.
When did Starbucks start selling cake pops? Starbucks launched cake pops on the menu in 2010 when they acquired the San Francisco bakery La Boulange, known for their desserts including cake pops. This allowed Starbucks to offer the trendy cake pops in their stores nationwide.
How many cake pops does Starbucks sell annually? Starbucks sells over 400 million cake pops every year. They have become one of the most popular food items at Starbucks.
Where Starbucks Sources Their Cake Pops
When Starbucks first added cake pops to their menu after acquiring La Boulange in 2010, all the cake pops sold at Starbucks were initially supplied by the La Boulange bakery. However, as demand grew over the years, Starbucks needed other sources to produce enough cake pops to supply their thousands of stores across the world.
Here are the main production sources for Starbucks cake pops today:
La Boulange Bakery
The La Boulange bakery in San Francisco still bakes cake pops daily and supplies them to Starbucks stores in the Bay Area. This is where the original Starbucks cake pop recipes were perfected before broader distribution.
Dawn Food Products Bakeries
In recent years, Starbucks has contracted much of their cake pop production to Dawn Food Products, a commercial bakery with locations across America. Dawn bakes high volumes of cake pops for Starbucks in centers such as Jackson, Michigan and Hillsboro, Oregon using the company’s recipes and standards.
In-Store Baking
Some cake pops sold at Starbucks are baked fresh daily within stores, especially for locations with on-site bakeries. But this represents a small portion of total cake pops – most come pre-made from Dawn or La Boulange.
The Supply Chain Process
So how does a Starbucks cake pop go from recipe conception to the display case in thousands of stores? Here is an overview of the typical cake pop supply chain process:
1. Recipes and Standards
Starbucks develops the cake pop flavors and recipes that Dawn and La Boulange use. They provide the proprietary ingredient lists and baking directions to align with Starbucks standards.
2. Mass Production
The cake pops are baked in large quantities at La Boulange and Dawn bakeries, up to tens of thousands per day. Industrial equipment allows efficient mass production.
3. Packaging and Distribution
After baking, the cake pops are packaged for shipment and distributed refrigerated to Starbucks retail locations. They are delivered 1-2 times per week to stores by food distributors.
4. In-Store Display
Employees stock the pre-packaged cake pops in refrigerated display cases. Most cake pops arrive pre-decorated but some additional decorating may happen in-store.
5. Serving to Customers
The cake pops remain refrigerated until selected by customers when they are retrieved and served. Payment is at the main Starbucks register.
So while some cake pops are made from scratch within cafes, most originate from dedicated commercial bakeries that Starbucks contracts for large-scale production and distribution.
Cake Pop Flavors Offered by Starbucks
Starbucks has developed dozens of unique cake pop flavors over the years. While availability varies by location and season, here are some of the most popular cake pop varieties Starbucks offers:
| Cake Pop Flavor | Description |
|---|---|
| Birthday Cake | Vanilla cake with rainbow sprinkles |
| Chocolate | Chocolate cake with chocolate coating |
| Red Velvet | Red velvet cake with cream cheese frosting |
| Coffee | Mocha-flavored chocolate cake |
| Lemon | Lemon cake with lemon frosting |
| Caramel | Caramel-infused cake with drizzled caramel |
Starbucks often introduces seasonal and limited edition cake pop flavors as well, such as pumpkin spice or peppermint around the holidays. The core flavors like chocolate and birthday cake remain available year-round.
Nutrition Information
While no doubt delicious, Starbucks cake pops are a high calorie indulgence. Here are the basic nutrition facts for a standard cake pop serving:
| Nutrition Facts | Amount |
|---|---|
| Calories | 230 calories |
| Fat | 11g |
| Carbohydrates | 30g |
| Sugar | 20g |
| Protein | 2g |
As you can see, a single cake pop contains significant amounts of fat, carbohydrates and sugar. So these sweet treats are best enjoyed occasionally in moderation.
Cake Pop Popularity and Sales
Ever since being introduced at Starbucks locations over a decade ago, cake pops have continued growing in popularity:
- Cake pops are purchased around 25-30 million times per month at Starbucks
- Around 2 million cake pops are sold during a typical week
- Chocolate and birthday cake flavors make up over 60% of sales
- Holiday flavors see temporary spikes in popularity during seasons
- Cake pops represent around 5% of Starbucks food sales annually
Clearly cake pops have become a consumer favorite. They appeal as a shareable and giftable treat as well as an individual snack.
Revenue Impact
With each cake pop retailing between $2-$3, they also contribute significantly to Starbucks revenue:
| Annual Cake Pops Sold | Average Price | Estimated Annual Revenue |
|---|---|---|
| 400 million | $2.50 | $1 billion |
Cake pops likely generate over $1 billion in sales each year for Starbucks from their popular place in stores.
How Cake Pops Are Made and Sold In-Store
While most cake pops are mass-produced at dedicated bakeries, a small portion are made fresh daily within Starbucks locations. Here is an overview of the in-house cake pop preparation process:
Baking the Cake
Each cake pop flavor starts with a moist cake base. For example, chocolate cake pops begin by baking a batch of decadent chocolate cake in-store. Starbucks uses mixers and pans to make cake batters from scratch.
Crumbling the Cake
Once baked and cooled, the cake is hand-crumbled into a large bowl. It needs to become fine, evenly sized crumbs that will bind together. Cakes may be crumbled by squeezing through fingers or using a utensil.
Mixing the Batter
The crumbled cake is mixed with frosting, usually a cream cheese or buttercream style. This binds the cake crumbs together into a thick, moldable cake pop batter, with a dough-like consistency.
Rolling Into Balls
Employees use ice cream scoops or spoons to portion out cake pop batter, rolling it into even balls between their palms. The balls should remain compact and round without cracking.
Dipping in Coating
Cake pop balls are dipped into a thin coating such as melted chocolate or yogurt. Some coatings are sprinkled with decorations like crushed peppermint. The coating hardens around the ball.
Inserting the Sticks
Wooden sticks are inserted about halfway through each cake ball while the coating is still soft. This creates a cake pop on a stick handle for holding and eating.
Decorating
Additional decorations like drizzled caramel or colorful sprinkles can be added on top of the coating in a final garnish for visual appeal.
Chilling and Displaying
Finished cake pops are chilled in a refrigerator or freezer to set. Then they are displayed in refrigerated cases until purchase.
The entire cake pop making process from raw ingredients to completed treats takes 2-3 hours in-store. It is labor intensive but results in fresh, homemade cake pops for that location.
Nutritional Benefits and Drawbacks of Cake Pops
Are cake pops healthy? As tasty as they may be, cake pops are more of an indulgent snack or dessert. Here is a look at their nutritional pros and cons:
Benefits
- Provide quick energy from sugar and carbs
- Contain some dietary fiber from cake ingredients
- Often use real butter, eggs, milk for richer flavor
- Can satisfy a sweet craving
- Are a “portion controlled” snack when eating just one
Drawbacks
- High in calories, fat, processed sugar
- Low in protein, vitamins, minerals
- Refined grains like white flour offer minimal nutrients
- Often contain hydrogenated oils, artificial colors, flavors
- Eating multiple can lead to sugar crash, weight gain
Overall, cake pops should be enjoyed in moderation as part of a balanced diet, not daily. The occasional cake pop as a snack or treat is fine, but it should not replace more nutritious whole foods.
Cake Pop Trends and Innovations
Since cake pops became mainstream in the 2010s, bakers have continued innovating with new styles and flavors:
Flavor Trends
- Unique fillings like cheesecake, caramel, peanut butter
- Creative coatings like white chocolate, candy melts, yogurt
- Seasonal and limited flavors for holidays
- Savory flavors like bacon, cheddar, jalapeno
- Natural and organic ingredients
Size and Shape Innovations
- Mini cake pops with lower calories
- Large cake pops triple the normal size
- Cake pop donuts with a hole in the center
- “Cake pop cakes” stacked into a cake shape
- Cake pop balls skewered into kebabs
Presentation Ideas
- Cake pops as cake or table decorations
- Custom designs like animals, flowers, or words
- Themed assortments for holidays or parties
- Creative packaging other than bags
- Serving them in beverages like hot chocolate
As cake pops increase in popularity, both professional bakeries and home bakers are finding new ways to innovate with flavors, shapes, and presentation styles.
How to Make Cake Pops at Home
Want to recreate Starbucks famous cake pops at home? Here is a simple step-by-step recipe and directions:
Ingredients
- 1 box cake mix (any flavor)
- 1 can frosting (16 oz, any flavor)
- 1 package chocolate melts or almond bark (for coating)
- Lollipop sticks
- Sprinkles for decorating (optional)
Directions
- Bake cake according to box instructions. Cool completely.
- Crumble cake into a large bowl by squeezing it through your fingers until fine crumbs form.
- Add frosting and mix together until a thick batter forms that sticks together.
- Roll batter into 1-inch balls and place on a baking sheet.
- Melt chocolate melts in a bowl according to package directions.
- Dip each ball into melted chocolate, covering completely. Tap off any excess.
- Top with sprinkles if desired while chocolate is still wet.
- Insert lollipop sticks halfway into each ball. Let cake pops dry on the sheet.
- Store cake pops in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Enjoy!
Be creative and make different cake pop flavors by using other cake mixes and frostings. Their small size makes them perfect for parties or gift giving!
The Future of Starbucks Cake Pops
Cake pops have become a signature Starbucks treat and remain very popular with customers. What does the future hold for these bite-sized indulgences?
- More specialty and seasonal flavors for holidays
- Expanded distribution to grocery store freezer aisles
- New shapes and packaging formats
- Greater emphasis on organic, non-GMO ingredients
- Recipes tailored to different global markets
- Possible meal combinations pairing cake pops with coffee drinks
Starbucks is likely to keep cake pops a central part of their food offerings. These tiny cake creations satisfy customer cravings for a sweet treat with their coffee in a fun, shareable way that drives profits. While new flavors and forms will emerge, the familiar cake pop on a stick is poised to remain a Starbucks staple.
Conclusion
Starbucks cake pops have become an iconic sweet treat for the coffee giant. Though originally baked by the La Boulange bakery, large-scale production is now handled by commercial baker Dawn Foods to supply Starbucks’ thousands of retail locations. While the basic chocolate and birthday cake flavors remain customer favorites, Starbucks continually innovates with new cake pop options to drive sales of these addictive little bites of indulgence. With over 400 million sold annually, cake pops are a profitable and crave-worthy addition to the Starbucks menu.