Cake Pops

One day I came across a video on YouTube of food blogger Bakerella (her real name is Angie Dudley), making something called cake pops. They were so cute, I couldn't resist making some for my daughter's birthday party. Cake pops are just cake mixed with frosting and dipped in candy coating (actually, I used chocolate thinned with some coconut oil instead).

They weren't hard to make, but it did take a really long time. Mostly because I had to wait for the excess coating to drip off each one before I could move on to the next one. So what I'm saying here is, don't make these if you're not known for your patience. And do bake the cake the day before (otherwise you will be in the kitchen all day).

Bakerella uses store-bought cake mix and frosting (one box cake mix to one can of frosting). But because I wasn't using a mix, I didn't know the exact ratio of cake to frosting I would need. So I just kept adding the frosting until it felt right (don't you just hate it when someone doesn't give you exact amounts)? Oh well, life is hard. Even when it comes to cake pops (who would have guessed).

Here's what I used:

-1 recipe baked double chocolate layer cake (yields about 70 cake pops)

-approx. 2 cups whipped chocolate ganache 

-white or dark chocolate, finely chopped and melted

-coconut oil as needed (to thin chocolate)

1. Crumble the cake into fine crumbs (do not leave any chunks)

2. Mix in the frosting (cake balls should be moist enough
to hold together, but not too moist to hold their shape)

mixed

3. Roll into balls (about 1 1/2 inches each). Chill until firm.

4. Melt the coating

I used both white chocolate and dark chocolate. I melted
each in a bowl over simmering water with just a few
tablespoons of coconut oil, so they would be
thin enough for dipping.  I chose coconut oil because it
becomes solid at room temperature (like shortening),
so I knew the coating would still harden.

[Bakerella uses candy coating you can purchase at a baking supply store.]

5. Dip your stick in the coating

Notice the little hand in the background reaching
for the sprinkles (it's a miracle any of them made
it to the cake pops).

6. Insert the stick into a cake ball (about halfway through).
The coating on the stick will help keep the cake ball on.

7. Dip the cake ball in the coating, making sure to completely cover.
Let all the excess drip off before decorating or sticking in styrofoam to dry.

8. Sprinkle with decorations, if desired.

I was happy to find some organic decorations
(but not all the decorations I used were organic)
I also used some colored sugar and sprinkles.

9. Place the cake pops in styrofoam to dry.

I got a little bored with the sprinkles after a while
and started having fun drizzling the chocolates
(each one is unique, like a snowflake).

When I was almost done and wrapping things up,
I started drizzling some dark chocolate directly into my
bowl of white chocolate and then swirling the cake pops in that.

I wrapped the styrofoam in wrapping paper for the
party (I do wish I had something a little less busy).

cake pop forest
I wish I could shrink myself down and go for a walk (it would smell great).

UPDATE: Check out the cute little angry birds cake pops I made for my daughter's birthday.

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