National Cake Pop Day Date in the current year: February 1, 2024

A cake pop is a bite-sized cake styled as a lollipop, hence the name. Cake pops are a variation of cake balls; they are sometimes referred to as cupcake pops, cakesicles, or cake-on-a-stick. Cake pops are traditionally spherical in shape, but they can have other shapes too. For example, heart-shaped cake pops are a great Valentine’s Day treat.

In the early 21st century, cupcakes became a hit dessert in the United States. Large chains, small bakeries and food bloggers all tried to outdo one another in inventing new cupcake designs and flavors. It became harder and harder to stand out from the crowd, but Angie Dudley, a baker and blogger from Atlanta, managed to do this.

On January 28, 2008, she posted the first photo of a cake pop on her website Bakerella. It was a simple red velvet cake ball covered with pink icing on a stick. Several days later, on February 1, she posted more elaborately decorated cake pops that became a hit among her followers. Just a couple of months later, Dudley appeared on The Martha Stewart Show, showing how to make cake pops.

After that Dudley continued to experiment with cake pop designs and published her first book, entitled Cake Pops: Tips, Tricks, and Recipes for More Than 40 Irresistible Mini Treats, in September 2010. Amazingly, it became a New York Times bestseller. Inspired by the success, Dudley released two more books (Cake Pops Holidays and Cake Pops Halloween) and a number of cake pop-related gift items.

In 2011, cake pops were considered the hottest confectionery food trend. They have become a ubiquitous dessert in Starbucks coffee shops, as well as a popular party dessert because they’re cute, bite-sized and easy to serve.

Cake pops are made by blending cake crumbs with icing or melted chocolate and shaping them to form a ball or another shape. After that, the cake pops are attached to lollipop sticks and put in the fridge to solidify. Once the cake pops are properly chilled, they are dipped into chocolate or frosting and decorated with sprinkles, decorative sugars, chocolate shavings, nuts or other toppings.

Angie Dudley came up with the idea of celebrating National Cake Pop Day, also known as National Cake Pops Day and even International Cake Pops Day, in 2012. She choose February 1 as the date to commemorate the anniversary of her post that first drew attention to cake pops.

The best way to celebrate National Cake Pop Day is, of course, treating yourself to this delicious dessert. You can make cake pops yourself or buy them from the nearest bakery; it doesn’t matter as long you’re enjoying yourself. If you’re feeling creative, buy some confectionery supplies, invite your friends over and offer them to participate in a cake pop decorating contest. And don’t forget to share the pictures of your cake pops on social media with the hashtag #NationalCakePopDay to spread the word!