Cake Pops!

The perfect, poppable, two-biter cake experience for those that love, well, cake! These cake pops are easy to make and fun for any occasion. With unlimited candy-coating colors and decoration options, you can make these for family functions, birthday parties, holidays etc. The pics in this post are from my Valentine's Day-themed pops (which I served at our Super Bowl party too!)

There are a few ways you can go about making cake pops and I prefer the semi-homemade method. I use boxed cake mixes for the cake and opt to make my own buttercream frosting. I just think homemade buttercream tastes better than the store-bought stuff but you do you, boo! I stopped making the cakes from scratch because it is a heartbreaking when you have to crumble it up to make the cake pops. So save your sanity and your soul by making boxed cakes that are quick to come together.

I like using Betty Crocker Super Moist cake mixes. I also like to have options when it comes to cake pops so I did a box of vanilla and box of chocolate cake mix. Just follow the directions on the box to bake the cakes.

Once the cakes are baked and cooled, comes the first step of the fun and stress-relieving process of making cake pops. Cake destruction! Take each cake and crumble it up into fine pieces in a mixing bowl.

Next, make your buttercream frosting or use the storebought kind, whatever tickles your fancy! See my recipe for buttercream frosting below.

Now here is the tricky part about making cake pops, it's all about the consistency of the buttercream and cake. You don't want the mixture to be too wet or the cake pops won't hold their shape and be too sticky but you also don't want it to be too dry so they crumble apart. The key is to start with a small amount of buttercream, I start with about 1/4 cup and combine it with my hands to get a moldable consistency. Keep adding a few tablespoons at a time until you reach the right consistency. It should feel like playdough and easily roll into a ball in the palm of your hand.

Pinch off about a palmful of dough and roll it into a ball in your hands. When I made two cakes' worth it made 50 balls of dough. A little tedious, but worth it. Once you have rolled all of the balls pop them in the fridge for at least an hour.

Now it's time to decorate! I use Candy Melts which you can find at any craft store or on Amazon and baking specialty stores. I have been buying mine at Michaels when they go on sale. Score! Decorating cake pops is a messy business. I'm sure there are professionals out there that can handle this part seamlessly but each time I make these my kitchen becomes a candy melt crime scene. So go nuts and don't judge the process.

I like to use different colors, use one color to drizzle and sprinkles to add some fun. The options are endless!

Now go out there and make yourself some cake pops!!!

xo

Katie

Makes 50 cake pops

Ingredients: Cake

1 box Betty Crocker Vanilla cake mix

1 box Betty Crocker Chocolate cake mix

- follow instructions on box for cake

Buttercream Frosting

1/2 cup softened unsalted butter

3 cups powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

3 tablespoons heavy cream or milk

Decorating:

4 bags Candy Melt (- I like the brand Sweet Tooth Fairy Meltables, found at Michaels I used vanilla flavor for both the vanilla and chocolate cake pops)

Cake pop sticks (you can find these at any craft store, like Michaels, or on Amazon)

Assorted sprinkles

Cake pop stand (like the handy-dandy 2x4 one my husband made me (above), or styrofoam)

Instructions:

1. Follow cake mix instructions from the box, bake cakes.

2. Once cakes cool, crumble into fine pieces in a mixing bowl. Set aside.

3. To make the buttercream: Combine the butter, cream/milk, vanilla, and powdered sugar in a stand mixer using the whisk attachment or use a hand mixer. Mix together until you have smooth stiff peaks.

4. Starting with 1/2 cup buttercream frosting, add to the cake mix. Use your hands to gently start forming dough. You want a smooth texture and the dough should not crumble when you roll it into a ball. Add a tablespoon of frosting at a time until you get the right consistency.

5. Pinch off about a palmful of dough and roll into a ball. It will be about 1 - 1 1/2 inches. You will make about 50 of these balls if you are making two cakes' worth.

6. Once you have the balls rolled, place them on a baking sheet and place in the fridge for at least 1 hour.

7. Take 10 cake pops out of the fridge at a time. You don't want them to warm up to much when you are decorating them.

8. Melt the candy melts in a deep microwave-safe bowl, in the microwave according to the instructions on the bag. Once melted, take a cake pop stick and stick it in to the center of the ball, careful not to poke through the top. (It's officially now a cake pop!)

9. Dip the cake pop into the candy melt, using a spoon to cover the bottom in case your dish isn't deep enough to cover the whole pop.

10. Place the cake pop upright in your cake pop holder/wooden holder/styrofoam etc. just something strong enough to hold them upright while they harden. Add your sprinkles right after you place them upright as they do harden quickly.

11. Repeat and let harden, then you can store them in a container or freezer bag or wrap up as gifts, enjoy!