Weekend Dish: Cake pops

By Catherine Toth Fox • October 16, 2011 • Food, Weekend Dish

It seems like everyone’s making cake pops, those decadent balls of moist cake conveniently propped on a stick.

They’re everywhere — baby showers, weddings, birthday luaus. Even Starbucks is selling them.

So I figured, “How hard could it be?”

Uh, hard.

The thing is, everywhere you look online, cake pops seem like the easiest thing to make. It’s simple! You can use a box cake mix! My kids are making them!

But these sites don’t tell you how tedious the process is — and how much can go wrong along the way.

So here’s my real take on making cake pops. You may want to spring the $2 to buy one already made.

Box cake mix

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Most recipes call for the use of a box cake mix — and I'd go with that. (Easier and cheaper.) Follow the instructions on the box. Don't undercook it, as some people have suggested. That really doesn't work.

Great video by Angie Dudley of Bakerella that shows you step-by-step how to make basic cake pops

Basic cake balls
Used to make cake pops

Ingredients:

1 18 1/4-ounce box cake mix
1 16-ounce container prepared frosting
2 12-ounce bags of candy melts (I used Guittard’s Melt ‘N Mold)
Lollipop sticks
Candy sprinkles or edible glitter

Directions:

Bake cake as directed on the box, using a 13x9x2-inch cake pan. Let cool completely.

Once cake is cooled, cut it into four large pieces. Rub two pieces together so it crumbles into a bowl. Make sure there are no large pieces; the entire cake should be crumbled into a fine texture. You can use a fork to break apart any larger pieces. (If large pieces are mixed in, the cake balls make turn out lumpy and bumpy.)

Add 3/4 of the container of frosting into cake crumbles, using the back of a metal spoon. DO NOT USE THE ENTIRE CONTAINER; your cake balls will be too moist.

Roll 1 1/2-inch balls and place onto a baking sheet lined with waxed or parchment paper. Cover with plastic wrap (optional) and chill for several hours in the refrigerator. You can also place them in the freezer for no longer than 15 minutes. You want the balls to be firm but not frozen.

Melt your chocolate melt, as directed.

Dip the tip of the lollipop stick into the melted chocolate and insert into cake ball not more than halfway in; this will serve as the “glue.” Then dip the cake ball into melted chocolate. DO NOT TWIRL as the cake ball may fall apart.

Once fully coated, remove the cake ball and allow for excess chocolate to drip off. Decorate with candy sprinkles or edible glitter. Place into Styrofoam and chill in refrigerator.

Makes 48