Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Cake Pops for St. Patrick's Day

I got the idea to make cake pops from Bakerella.  I've been wanting to give the recipe a try ever since I discovered her blog.  What took me so long well... not to sound snobbish, but she used store bought frosting and I abhor store bought frosting.  Yeah I could have made frosting, but recently on her website she used homemade frosting and preferred the store bought.  So, I figured why mess with something that works for the first time trying it.  I bought store bought frosting.  *looking both ways making sure no one I know saw me do it*  As I peeled back the aluminum seal on the frosting an awful smell met my nose and upon a closer sniff.... yep it is the frosting.  Then I took my finger and swiped the edge deciding if it tasted like it smelled it was going right into the trash.  Well, it actually didn't taste half bad.  In fact it tasted a lot better than it smelled.  I was hoping the smell would be covered up with cake and chocolate before I got done.

Dear daughter came home from track practice and volunteered to crumble the cake and mix in the frosting.  After she was done I used a cookie scoop to portion out 60 fairly large balls of cake goo.  I'd say more like a half dollar than the quarter Bakerella suggested.  I then rolled each one of the balls by hand and stuck in a lollipop stick, which I later found out was a mistake.  You'll read below what I missed.  I stuck the tray of 60 cake pops in freezer to firm up.

I proceeded to melt the chocolates.  The white chocolate I did over a hot water on the stove and the green I put into a plastic bag and microwaved it.  I wanted to use the green to drizzle green over the white chocolate.  With it in a bag I can cut the corner and squeeze just a drizzle when I need it.

Cake Pops

1 box yellow cake mix (cook as directed on box for 13 X 9 cake)
liquid green food coloring (enough to get your desired green color for the cake)
1 can Cream Cheese frosting (16 oz.)
Wax paper
White and Green candy melts (2 lbs. white 1 lb. green)
Lollipop sticks (at least 60 in my case)
After cake is cooked and cooled completely, crumble into large bowl.


Mix thoroughly with 1 can frosting. (I use the back of a large spoon, but it may be easier to use fingers to mix together. But, be warned, it will get messy. Also, you may not need the entire can of frosting, so start out by using almost the entire can and add more if you need to.)


Roll mixture into quarter size balls and place on wax paper covered cookie sheet. (Should make 45-50)


Melt chocolate in the microwave per directions on package. (30 sec intervals, stirring in between.)


Dip the tip of your lollipop stick in a little of the melted candy coating and insert into the cake balls. (Insert a little less than halfway.)


Place them in the freezer for a little while to firm up.


Once firm, carefully insert the cake ball into the candy coating by holding the lollipop stick and rotating until covered. Once covered remove and softly tap and rotate until the excess chocolate falls off. Don’t tap too hard or the cake ball will fall off, too.


Place in a styrofoam block to dry.

Lynne's note:  I got 60 fairly large balls out of my cake mix and frosting.  I used all 16 ounces of cream cheese frosting and probably should have started with about 12 ounces.  Mine are really gooey though I don't think anyone will complain.  I didn't read the directions about dipping lollipop stick in candy melts THEN in cake ball and THEN into freezer.  This will probably prevent the problem I had with the cake balls not staying on the sticks.  With some wrangling all are on sticks and glued with candy melts.... now!  I didn't have any styrofoam and chose to stand them up on wax paper.  Again I really think everyone is going to be tickled to get a treat and won't complain.  When all was done and candy coating firmed up I took an ugly one to my daughter for a taste test.  She said, "If this is an ugly one the others must be adorable!  This is really good!"  Ahhh just what I needed to hear.

I'll send about 30 to school with daughter.  A few to college with son and probably the rest to work with hubby.
Cake pops were a success.  I heard from my hubby that the adults had some minor trouble in biting them and having the cake fall to the floor.  I asked my daughter if there was any trouble.  She said, "No why you ask."  I said, "Your father said a few of his coworkers lost theirs to the floor."  She said, "Well duh mom you're supposed to hold your hand under it when you bite it."

1 comment:

Shelby said...

Hi there! I know your post is last year's but I'm hoping you still will see this!

I too am a cake/frosting snob. I just don't like the texture of a cake mix and like you, I don't care for canned frosting - but I still made Bakerella's pops back when they first were big. I have to say I truly didn't care for them. Then, when I see Starbucks is actually making and selling cake pops - and saw they were making tiramisu, I decided I had to try them again and go with Irish Cream. I made my own cake and own frosting - and this time I really like them! I think it might make a difference in how you make the frosting. I never saw the post that Bakerella did with homemade frosting so I'm not sure how she did it. I haven't dipped my pops yet - so I don't know how they will "look" ;) However, I do plan to blog my own cake and frosting recipe for the pops soon. Now I'm off to see if you have current posts!