The Cake Pop Drink Hack You Should Never Ask A Starbucks Barista To Make

Not every idea is worth copying. TikTok user who_is_jackie went viral for her Starbucks order — and it's not something you should request. The enthusiastic customer ordered an extravagant drink incorporating 10 blended cake pops. While the results were eye-catching, the recipe does raise some major issues. For instance, Starbucks actually forbids blending food to prevent equipment damage and avoid allergen cross-contamination. Add that to the list of rules you didn't know Starbucks employees had to follow. Commenters rushed to stress how the hack broke store policy and to speculate over the (undisclosed) extortionate cost. Others condoned the indulgence of the order, with one stating how the woman encouraging her followers to overwhelm baristas earning just above minimum wage was simply cruel. There's no denying the complexity of the request; blending 10 cake pops into a single drink is no mean feat.

In the video, the barista actually questions "Did Jackie put you up to this" to which the user laughs, "I'm Jackie." All jokes aside, while Jackie, by all reports, has a strong rapport with her local baristas, it's typically not great news when a store starts to associate difficult requests with your name. The drink itself is also a non-starter. Jackie rated the beverage a 7.2/10, stating she wouldn't order it again. Why replicate something that's not even worthwhile? Avoid ordering the cake pop drink, and stay in your barista's good graces. Some bridges are just too good to burn.

If you're really desperate to try the hack, learn how to make Starbucks-style cake pops with a store-bought shortcut and replicate the drink at home. The specific recipe in the video incorporates mocha drizzle, frappe chips, and strawberry caramel frappe — the exact cake pops used remain a mystery. However, at an average rate of $3.95 per pop, it's safe to assume that the TikTok user spent approximately $40 on them alone. Home baking is one way to drastically reduce the cost of this drink. Maybe brush up on the best Starbucks cake pop flavors to ensure a match made in heaven.

The drizzle is simply mocha sauce that's used as a topping and the frappuccino chips are small fragments easily replaced with (albeit chewier) chocolate chips. Either ask your local barista extremely nicely to see if they'll sell you these ingredients over the counter. Alternatively, head online for a dupe:  Fontana's semi-sweet chocolate mocha sauce. With those two ingredients secured, move onto the base. Strawberry Frappuccino is a popular Starbucks order and a straightforward beverage to replicate at home. Blend in your chosen cake pops and you're done.

The best part is that cake shakes are nothing new. In fact, blending leftover dessert servings into drinks is a popular life hack. Why not try it with other recipes? There's no need to stick to just one Starbs dupe.