Prepare your vanilla cake mix according to the directions on the box. Divide the batter into three bowls and color one red and one blue leaving the third one white. Bake in 8" round pans as directed. Cool completely.

Mix 1 tablespoon of vanilla frosting into each cooled cake. Add 1 teaspoon of frosting only if the dough won't form a ball when pressed.

Using a 2 Tablespoon cookie scoop, make 10 cake balls of each color. Now, cut each cake ball into three slices. Press together a red, white, and blue slice together and gently roll into a ball. You don't want to swirl the dough, just make it all stick together. You'll end up with 30 cake balls. Cover them with wax paper and place them in the fridge while you get your candy melts ready. 

Pour a bag of candy melts into a glass or ceramic mug and microwave them for 1 minute. Give them a stir and then heat again at 70% power for 45 seconds. Stir until completely smooth.

You should have three containers of melted candy - Red, White and Blue. Remove the chilled cake balls from the fridge. Dip one of the decorative starts or sticks into the melts and then insert them into the cake ball. Complete adding all the sticks first. I suggest, dipping 10 into the red, 10 into the blue and 10 into the white.

When ready, dunk the cake pop into the melts, tap off the excess and add any sprinkles to decorate.

To make the swirled ones, you need to work quickly. Dip into the white, then drizzle some red and some blue over the white and then shake off the excess candy off over some wax paper.

Stand up the decorated cake like a candy apple or allow them to dry in a cake pop stand.

Serve at your next 4th of July Party!