How to Make Cake Pops

Pretty cake pops are perfect party favors or class treats. Here is how to make cake pops using a box cake mix and frosting. Add icing and sprinkles if you desire and wrap in clear cello gift bag and ribbon or colorful tie. Cake pops are delicate and need a gentle hand working with them. Best results will be for adults to make, and kids to enjoy!

Ingredients

• 1 box Cake Mix any flavor for 13 x 9 cake
• 3/4 can Cream Cheese Frosting (16 oz) NOT Whipped
• Chocolate (White or Regular)
• For Colored Cake Pops you need white chocolate and food coloring of choice. We like using Wilton's Icing Colors that come in little tubs. They make vibrant colors with very little gel. You can find this at craft stores or on Amazon.

Materials

• Parchment paper to line a cookie tray and cover your styrofoam cake pop holder for easier cleanup.
• 9 x 12 baking pan
• Small scoop with release (optional but easier for making even sized balls)
• Small kitchen scale if you want to have all pops equal in size. This may be more pleasing to look at if you are adding it to a cake as decor or making a cake pop arrangement.
• Small Microwave Safe Bowl or
• Styrofoam block to let pops dry without flattening.
• Lollipop Sticks (WalMart or Crafts Stores carry these)
• Clear treat bags show off your pops the best and ribbon or colored ties to close the bags. (WalMart or craft stores like Michael's carry these)

Steps

• Bake cake as directed on the box. Cool completely.
• Cut into fourths and remove two quarters. Gently rub cake quarters over bowl to create crumbs. Large pieces simply break up with your hand. Repeat with the other half of the cake.
• Add 3/4 can of the frosting to your cake crumbs. Add more only if needed. Mix well with spoon or hand.
• Use scoop to measure and roll into a ball or if you don't have a scoop, roll with hands into quarter sized balls. Place on waxed paper. weigh if you want precise equal sized cake pops.
• Chill for a couple hours in the refrigerator or place in freezer for a short while to get firm.
• Melt chocolate in microwave safe bowl or the bowl shown above over a stove. Since microwaves vary, times will vary. Heat until just melted. Chocolate should be warm not hot. Chocolate scorches very easily and will taste burnt if heated too long. Microwave 60 seconds on 50% power, stir well, and repeat 30 seconds at 50% power until melted. Individual microwaves may vary according to wattage power so you may have to test.
• Add a few drops of food coloring of your choice until you have the desired color. Mix well for an even color.
• Dip lollipop stick into the melted chocolate and insert into cake ball a little less than half way.
• When the stick is firm and set, dip into chocolate and remove promptly. You can use a small spoon to cover areas missed but do NOT swirl pop in the chocolate or you will lose your cake pop...lesson we learned.
• Very gently tap the stick or your hand holding it and let cake pop drip the excess chocolate off. If you tap the stick too hard or too much, your cake will fall off. Rotating the stick gently as you tap the stick will help make a smoother coating all around.
• Add sprinkles if desired and candy on top. We found by doing it with a small bowl (2 inch diameter) inside, it was easy to pinch and sprinkle and catch it in the second.
• Then while holding the lollipop stick, poke it into Styrofoam block to set.
• If pops are starting to drip, place block in refrigerator to set.

How To Make Cake Pops in Other Flavors

Ingredients

• 1 box Red Velvet Cake Mix for 13 x 9 cake
• 3/4 can Cream Cheese Frosting (16 oz) NOT Whipped
• White Chocolate bark or Bakers Chocolate
• For Pink Cake Pops, red or pink food coloring

Follow the steps above to make your Red Velvet Cake Pops.

Tips and Suggestions

• Do not get any water in your melted chocolate, this will ruin it.
• Do not use WHIPPED frosting. Add 3/4 of the can first. Too much will make it too hard to work with.
• You can find supplies at Walmart, Michaels, Hobby Lobby and the Dollar Tree.
• Leave plastic covering on styrofoam or cover with parchment paper and poke holes before you stick a pop in with a skewer, it is easier to clean if you have any drips and you can reuse.
• This takes a little practice and if you lose a few off the stick...make truffles! They taste just as good!
• Change the sprinkle colors or if it's a holiday party you can find small egg shaped sprinkles for Easter, hearts for Valentines and so forth like
• Add a flag or cut out circles in cardstock, punch a hole and add a theme sticker on each, tie with ribbon to the stick of the lollipop.

Tips for How to Make Cake Pops

Here are a couple hints to help keep the cake balls on the stick. The best way to prevent the cake balls from falling off the stick is by making sure you added enough frosting to the cake balls. Also, be sure the chocolate is not too heavy and will and make the cake pop too heavy. You can thin out the candy coating with a little Crisco to get an even and lighter coating on the cake.