Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-by-13-inch baking pan, prepare the vanilla cake mix with the eggs, milk, and melted butter, then bake according to the package directions until the center springs back when lightly pressed.

Cool the cake completely in the pan, then crumble it into fine pieces in a large bowl. Add the vanilla frosting a little at a time and mix until the crumbs hold together like soft dough.

Scoop about 1 tablespoon of the mixture for each cake pop and roll it into a smooth ball. Place the balls on a parchment-lined tray and chill for 20 to 30 minutes.

Melt a small amount of pink candy coating, dip the end of each stick into the coating, and insert it halfway into a chilled cake ball. Return the pops to the tray and chill for 10 minutes so the sticks set firmly.

Melt the remaining pink candy coating in a microwave-safe bowl in 20-second intervals, stirring after each interval. Stir in the shortening or coconut oil if the coating seems thick.

Dip each cake pop straight down into the melted coating until the cake is covered. Lift it straight up, gently tap the stick against the bowl, and rotate the pop slowly to let extra coating drip away.

Add sprinkles while the pink coating is still wet. Stand each finished cake pop upright in a cake pop stand, tall glass, or block of wrapped foam until the shell is firm.

Melt the white candy melts, transfer them to a small piping bag or zip-top bag, and snip a tiny corner. Drizzle the finished pops with white lines, then let them set completely before serving.