CAKE POPS

​HOW TO MAKE IRRESISTIBLE CAKE POPS

​Here's a "how to" guide on making cake pops so delicious that you'll wish you never made them at all after you're bombarded with endless requests to make more. I'll admit, it's a bit time consuming, but well worth it! I guarantee, they're irresistible to say the least. ​

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cake mix or brownie mix + necessary ingredients for baking
• Frosting (16 oz)
• 2 candy melts bags (each 12 oz)

​ADDITIONAL MATERIALS

• 50 lollipop sticks (4-6 inches)
• 50 clear treat bags 
• 50 twist ties
• Parchment paper
• 2 floral foam blocks
• 2 pairs powder-free vinyl gloves

​DIRECTIONS

1. Prepare cake/brownie mix as directed by package. 
2. ​After baking, let cake cool completely.
3. Put gloves on and crumble the cake in a medium-sized bowl. If you use brownie mix, exclude the brownie edges (see picture #1 above).
4. *Add half of the 16 oz frosting to crumbled cake mixture. Combine cake and frosting until they are fully and evenly mixed together. You'll know that you've added enough frosting when you can form the cake into a loaf without it falling apart (see picture #2 above).
5. Refrigerate overnight, which I highly recommend, or until cold (1-2 hours).
6. Place parchment paper at the bottom of a 9 x 13 inch pan (you may have to line the bottom of another small dish in order to accommodate all of the pops). 
7. Remove cake pop batter from refrigerator. Put gloves on and begin rolling the batter into 1 ¼ inch size balls. Place balls into 9 x 13 pan. Set aside.**
8. ​Place 25 candy melts into a coffee mug or deep microwaveable bowl. Heat the chocolate for 1 minute, removing from microwave every 10-15 seconds to stir. 
9. Dip lollipop stick into chocolate and place lollipop into the center of the cake pop ensuring that you push it in until you reach just past the pop's center without piercing through the other side of the pop. 
10. Set chocolate to the side and place cake pops into freezer for 20 minutes.
11. Grab 2 foam blocks and place aside. This is where your pops will stand to dry. 
12. Melt additional chocolate in preparation of dipping the pops using the same chocolate melting technique from step 8.
13. Remove 1 pop from the freezer and dip into chocolate, carefully coating all sides. Gently tap lollipop stick against  rim of cup/bowl to remove excess chocolate. Push lollipop stick into foam block. As you dip the pops, make sure you balance the placement of your pops on the foam so that it won't fall.
14. Let pops fully dry. If you notice that the pops are remaining moist or not hardening because of the warm room temperature, place them in the fridge to set.
15. Cover pops with treat bags and close with twist ties.
16. Serve and enjoy!​

*It's best to add the frosting gradually. Typically, you'll end up using half of the container, but by mixing in a little at a time, you prevent making the cake too mushy. You want your cake pops to have a cake-like texture. For brownie mix, you may have to use less or more frosting depending on the fudge-like texture of the brownies. 
**The use of gloves and the cool temperature of the batter should prevent it from sticking to your hands as you roll it into balls. Using your bare hands wastes a lot of the batter. ​

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

Share your experience with using this how to guide on irresistible cake pops in the comments section below. Additional tips and tricks for others to use are always helpful. Until next time, beYOUtiful, keep life sweet, and never stop feeding your soul! -xo