Cake Pops

 by scoochmaroo
Featured
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How to make cake pops!
Made famous by Bakerella and ubiquitous by Starbucks, cake pops are the latest trend in dessert culture.  Here I walk you through the steps to make your own cake pops at home!  Whether you use homemade or store-bought cakes and icing, you can still customize these adorable treats to your heart's content.  Decorate them for any occasion!  The process may be time consuming (be patient!) but the rewards are well worth the effort.


Step 1: Materials

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Just to make it a bit easier, I've provided links to everything I used in this recipe - or something similar!

Tools:

Ingredients:


Scoochmaroo provides product links as a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.

Step 2: Bake a Cake and Mash it Up

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Either make your favorite from-scratch recipe or follow the instructions on the box.
I chose strawberry. I thought pink would be cute. Next time I'm sticking with chocolate.

Once your cake is cooled - really cooled - crumble it up into a bowl.
Stir in your jar (or homemade) frosting, a little at a time. Once it reaches a nice consistency that will cling together when you roll it in a ball, you're there.

Stick it in the fridge.

Step 3: Ball it Up

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Once it's nice and cool, you'll want to start rolling it into balls.

This is really baker's choice - how big, what shape and how to make them.

I don't have one of those little melon-baller gadgets, but I might get one for the next round - my hands seems incapable of rolling a sphere - they all come out like footballs. It took some work to make the beautiful spheres you see here.

Nonetheless! Roll your cake mash into ball-like pieces. Mine were about 1 1/4" in diameter.

Next?

Stick em in the fridge.

Step 4: Melt the Candy Coating

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These candy melts are super easy to use.

Following the instructions on the package, I put them in a bowl in the microwave, on 50% power for 11/2 minutes.

Then I stirred them and zapped them again at 50% for 30 sec.

Repeat until nice and melty, then repeat once more for superior dipping quality.

I melted up some pink, yellow and white.

Step 5: Dip your Pops

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Get those cake balls outta the fridge!

Get your lollipop sticks ready, and dip them slightly in the melted candy before inserting them half-to-three-quarters way in to each cake ball.

This is where I would say "Stick it in the fridge!" but when I did so at this step, I think it worked against me. So don't. Or, try it without sticking them in the fridge at this point, and if it turns out to be a hot mess, then, well. . .. stick 'em in the fridge.

Dip your newly-sticked cake pops into the candy coating and rotate to ensure even coverage.

Stand the dipped pops into cake pop stand or styrofoam to let drip-dry.

Step 6: Decorate your Pops

Now it's time to get creative.
If you had any pops that didn't turn out so hot, practice on those.

I don't have any pictures of my decorating process, but I just used what I had in terms of glitter and confetti and such. The ducks' noses and wings were more melted candy coating, and the feet were little orange stars that came in the confetti mixture. The eyes were dotted on with the tube decorator icing.

The eggs were made by using the decorator icing and glitter/confetti.

So what should my next ones look like??

Step 7: Share!

Trust me, these babies are not to be eaten on one's own. They are potent sugar-bombs!

Bring them into work or to the next party you have. Share them with your friends! Bet someone a dollar they can't eat a whole one in one bite!

Then go call your dentist.

Thanks to everyone who has found the source of this inspiration!  Since finding her blog, I've become a huge fan of Bakerella.  Rock on!

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elg1973 says: Apr 28, 2009. 6:21 PM
Hey, we tried this at home and found that donut holes (the round donuts, plain or glazed) worked just as well as making your own cake into balls. :) It was great! We made ducks/chicks because that's my boy's favorite animal... but then branched out into tigers, hedgehogs, and sunshines! Very fun craft/snack - I will be making more.
scoochmaroo (author) in reply to elg1973Apr 28, 2009. 10:00 PM
Oh Oh!! Please do post pictures if you have any! (if not, a good reason to make more!) I recommended donut holes to Cyan.sidy as well. I'm so glad it worked!
elg1973 in reply to scoochmarooApr 29, 2009. 6:37 PM
It worked great - so well, our son almost wouldn't eat these! He enjoyed cuddling the first ones for a while, then picked all the frosting off before biting it. :)
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alucci212 says: May 25, 2009. 7:07 AM
my friend and i made these just for fun the other day but instead of cute chicks we made cute zombies, aliens and robots! we got the inspiration from the chick with its head cut off!! thanks for the great idea!!!
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scoochmaroo (author) in reply to alucci212May 25, 2009. 6:52 PM
These are fantastic!!!! I would totally want to eat them.
starmanz says: Jul 5, 2009. 12:29 AM
Fantastic Instructable! Thanks so very much. I made a batch of 'pops' for my son's 6th birthday party tomorrow. I did half with a vanilla cake mix and the other half with a double choc cake mix. The candy coating has a 'mind of its own' (!) and I gave up trying to make it pretty, instead going for the maximum sugar content and any kind of sprinkles I could attach! The kids will love 'em anyway and it makes such a welcome change to the boring old cake served up at all the other kid parties! Thanks again :)
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scoochmaroo (author) in reply to starmanzJul 5, 2009. 4:06 PM
Oh my gosh!!! Those look so great! I love that you covered the block with aluminum foil. I bet they loved them!!
bdblock94 in reply to alucci212Jul 26, 2009. 5:01 PM
ha, cool
komecake says: Mar 10, 2010. 11:26 AM
  ALL DONE! :)
 
 I had a bit of trouble getting the candy coating on, so it's really lumpy, but they taste good and I had fun making them. I can't wait to do them again with a homemade cake and some real decorating! Thanks! :)



 
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kcls in reply to scoochmarooMar 20, 2010. 12:11 PM
How did you get your chocolate perfectly even? I am typing this as we are putting the chocolate on them, and one just fell off the stick! I think we are going to put them back into the freezer for a little (or lot) longer. It seems like the two that we did (out of three so far) that didn't fall off are drying a little smoother, but they are still a bit lumpy. here are the two good ones and the one that fell off. I bet you can guess where that one went real quick! (the second one is sideways, sorry!)
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scoochmaroo (author) in reply to kclsMar 20, 2010. 2:46 PM
Oh no!
This happened to me too at first.

Try keeping them in the freezer right up until you're about to dip them maybe?
And you can double coat them to make them prettier too.  But then you get a pretty high chocolate :cake ratio. 
frenzy in reply to kclsJul 22, 2010. 8:52 AM
This posting has won today's "I Made It" Challenge. For winning you will receive a 3 month pro membership!

Thanks for using instructables!

http://www.instructables.com/community/I-Made-It-Challenge-Is-Back-Win-A-Pro-Membership/
S189 says: Sep 5, 2010. 10:25 AM
I couldn't get my coating smooth no matter what I tried (melts or regular chocolate chips), even added a little bit of oil to try make it more loose but it didnt work, so I gave up trying to make the faces or cute chicks (so wanted to make the smiley faces! :( couldn't tho). So i settled for just dipped and decorated. Made these for last Christmas, everyone loved them.
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makendo says: Oct 10, 2010. 1:15 PM
Thanks - here's our Thanksgiving turkey :)
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halley says: Oct 14, 2010. 9:24 PM
I was inspired too! Check out my chickies!
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foxcxlaydee says: Jul 31, 2011. 4:16 PM
I just started in June and having so much fun giving it as gifts and baby shower. Hope you like some of my creations! And they called it Puppy Love!
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mla2069 in reply to foxcxlaydeeAug 9, 2011. 1:01 PM
I'm wondering what you are using to make your decorations? (the ears, eyes, etc.) Is this just melted almond bark? and do you need to do this when you are putting on the initial coat of chocolate. I would love to try making some of these for my son's birthday party.
Thank you!
foxcxlaydee in reply to mla2069Aug 9, 2011. 1:23 PM
I use confetti for cakes that I find in stores. Some stores like Michaels have specialty confettis just for cake pops. I use that confetti for the cat ears. As for the drawn on eyes and whiskers, I used black candy writer and hand drawn it in with the tube it comes in. Gotta have steady hand. You can also use toothpicks for define marks like the puppy muzzle. You can buy the candy writer on amazon.com or you can go to Michaels and Chef Duff brand sales it. Another way is to get white candy melts and use wilton frosting color on it (feels like paint). Do not use regular coloring!
mla2069 in reply to foxcxlaydeeAug 9, 2011. 1:46 PM
Thank you very much for the information - it is very helpful! Now I just hope I can do it myself!
foxcxlaydee in reply to mla2069Aug 9, 2011. 2:17 PM
No problem. If you have facebook, you can follow me and what I make on www.facebook.com/kaylahkreations and message me there for tips. Webpage is work in progress so I haven't post all my photos there yet hahaha. I don't always check this site.
mla2069 in reply to foxcxlaydeeAug 10, 2011. 6:22 AM
I tried your link for facebook and it told me there was no such page. Is there another way I can find you there?
smcdonough1 in reply to foxcxlaydeeOct 11, 2011. 11:26 PM
These are fantastic! How do you get your cake pops so perfectly round? mine always look a bit lumpy or off shape. Your's look amazing
foxcxlaydee in reply to smcdonough1Oct 12, 2011. 12:19 AM
I use cookie scooper or tablespoon so shape is the same. It takes practice to roll it with your palms. Try not to apply so much pressure and make sure your cake ball is moist with the frosting so it is easy to roll. Making the ball cold in the freezer or fridge before dipping to help maintain the shape. You can also check out my site if you want more tips. http://kaylahkreations.blogspot.com/
foxcxlaydee in reply to mla2069Oct 12, 2011. 12:22 AM
http://kaylahkreations.blogspot.com/
cupcakemaker says: Oct 23, 2011. 6:08 PM
Once you have rolled all the cake mix into balls, place in refrigerator and chill for about 30 minutes. When the cake balls have been chilled, melt a small amount of the candy melts in a microwave safe bowl according to package directions. Take one of the sticks, dip about 1/2 inch of the end into the melted candy and stick it about half to three-quarters of the way through the cake ball. Don’t go too far into the cake ball, or it will fall apart. The candy melts will help adhere the stick to the cake.
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myluv4julz says: Apr 9, 2012. 4:59 PM
My chick pops for Easter turned out soo cute and delicious! I molded the wings out of the cake, Everyone loved them!
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Dusk Shadows says: Sep 16, 2012. 12:54 AM
I Love these!
Koryu says: May 7, 2009. 11:32 AM
Lol, I had to do it.
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Dusk Shadows in reply to KoryuSep 16, 2012. 12:53 AM
Haha that's great
Dusk Shadows in reply to KoryuSep 16, 2012. 12:53 AM
Haha that's great!
kwong10 in reply to KoryuSep 5, 2011. 6:11 PM
Haha Awesome!
Shany120 in reply to KoryuApr 5, 2011. 3:36 PM
Lmao!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Almost peed my pants there!!!!!
mary candy in reply to KoryuSep 19, 2010. 5:32 PM
hahahahhahhahhhaa
skelly7447 in reply to KoryuAug 7, 2010. 5:32 PM
how dare you. you made me laugh so hard i blacked out! UUUGGHHH!!!!!!
komecake in reply to KoryuMar 9, 2010. 8:49 PM
  So saved to my funny picture section. Haha.
red-king in reply to KoryuOct 19, 2009. 7:52 PM
 hehehehe.....
Hero Under The Pine in reply to KoryuAug 12, 2009. 9:11 AM
LMAO Thats awsome!!
happiness1 in reply to KoryuAug 8, 2009. 5:32 PM
ROFLMAO!!!
Nikki213 in reply to KoryuMay 30, 2009. 3:02 PM
LOL!!
cpoh says: Aug 11, 2012. 6:14 AM
Hi,

Does ur chocolate coating melt easily? I want to wrap it and give it to someone but I found my white chocolate melt.

Is it bcos I use e wrong type of chocolate?
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