Introduction: Cake Pops
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
Tools:
- Mixer
- Baking Pan
- Silpat or Parchment
- Cake Pop Sticks
- Cake Scoop
- Chocolate Melter (opt)
- Cake Pop Baker (opt)
- Cake Pop Stand or Styrofoam
Ingredients:
- Cake mix (or homemade)
- Frosting (or homemade)
- Candy melts - I prefer Merckens and am thrilled by the color selection you can get!
- Colored Sprinkles
- Colored icing tubes
- Other neat stuff for decorating
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Step 2: Bake a Cake and Mash It Up
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
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
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
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!
254 Comments
14 years ago on Introduction
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.
Reply 14 years ago on Introduction
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!
Reply 8 years ago on Introduction
really looking very yummy
Reply 14 years ago on Introduction
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. :)
11 years ago on Introduction
My chick pops for Easter turned out soo cute and delicious! I molded the wings out of the cake, Everyone loved them!
12 years ago on Introduction
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.
12 years ago on Introduction
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!
Reply 12 years ago on Introduction
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!
Reply 12 years ago on Introduction
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!
Reply 12 years ago on Introduction
Thank you very much for the information - it is very helpful! Now I just hope I can do it myself!
Reply 12 years ago on Introduction
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.
Reply 12 years ago on Introduction
I tried your link for facebook and it told me there was no such page. Is there another way I can find you there?
Reply 12 years ago on Introduction
http://kaylahkreations.blogspot.com/
Reply 12 years ago on Introduction
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
Reply 12 years ago on Introduction
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/
13 years ago on Introduction
I was inspired too! Check out my chickies!
cakepopsicles.com
13 years ago on Introduction
Thanks - here's our Thanksgiving turkey :)
13 years ago on Introduction
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.
13 years ago on Introduction
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! :)
14 years ago on Introduction
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!!!