Cake Pops! A perfect portion of cake that can turn any day into a mini celebration! You’ve probably seen cake pops – at a party or at your local Starbucks – and you may have even eaten one or two (or more). But, have you ever made cake pops?

I have been fascinated with cake pops since 2011 when a Team in Training teammate made some for a team party. She shared some of her tips on how to make them, but I couldn’t muster the courage to try my hand at making them – until recently. After seeing a video on Facebook a couple of weeks ago, I was reminded about my wish to try making cake pops and decided to finally give it a try.

After gathering the needed supplies and looking at some “how-to make cake pops” blogs found via Pinterest, I put my plan into action. The true test would be if my first try at making cake pops would earn the hashtag #PinterestWin or #PinterestFail.

As the saying goes: “Go big or go home.” For my first shot at cake pops I decided to make three different flavors – Funfetti, Vanilla & Chocolate, and Lemon. We tried different techniques with each of the cake flavors – some of them were more successful than others. My husband’s patience and perseverance in the kitchen made all the difference in how the cake pops turned out – without his help this would probably have been my one and only attempt at cake pops.

Here’s the recap of the techniques that worked from this novice’s first crack at making cake pops.

Before you get started, gather the necessary supplies. I found that Walmart & Joann Fabrics had the best selection and prices for most of the items.

Supplies –

Cake mix and necessary ingredients to add (i.e. oil, eggs)

Cake frosting

Cake pop sticks

Wilton Candy Melts (12 oz. bag)

Wilton EZ Thin Dipping Aid

Double Boiler or Wilton Candy Melting Pot

Parchment paper

Optional: clear plastic wrappers & ribbon

Optional: Pops Decorating Stand (cardboard support for holding finished cake pops)

 

 

 

Step 1: Bake the cake mix following the instructions on the box. I made 9” circle cakes – each cake mix made 2 cakes. Allow the cakes to cool completely.

Step 2: Put 1 round cake in a large mixing bowl and crumble it completely. Add ½ cup of frosting. Suggestion: Make sure the frosting is room temperature, or soft, so it will mix with the crumbled cake more easily. Mix the crumbled cake and frosting thoroughly. This can be done with a slotted spoon or a hand mixer.

Step 3: Take the blended cake and frosting mixture and form little balls (approximately 1-1/2” in size). Place the cake pop balls on a plate or cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Put the formed cake pop balls in the freezer for 30 to 45 minutes so they will solidify. One 9” round cake will make approximately 15 to 20 cake pops.

Step 4: While the cake pops are in the freezer, prepare the candy melts for dipping the cake pops. I found it helpful to add about 4 Tbsp. of EZ Thin to 1 package of 12 oz. candy melts. Even though the candy melts package says it’s okay to use the microwave, for best results use a double boiler or a candy melting pot. The desired consistency of the candy melt mixture should be smooth and creamy.

Step 5: Remove the cake pops from the freezer in small batches. One at a time, dip a stick in the melted candy coating and poke the dipped stick into the center of the cake pop ball, all the way through until nearly the far edge. Repeat this process with each cake pop for the current small batch before proceeding.

Step 6: Dip the cake pops into the melted candy coating – rotating the cake pop as you cover the sides and ends with the candy coating. Add any sprinkles, colored sugar, etc. straight away before the candy coating hardens. ** The sprinkles/colored sugar are helpful to distinguish which type of cake pop is inside (yellow sugar = lemon, chocolate sprinkles = vanilla/chocolate, Funfetti sprinkles = Funfetti).

Step 7: Set the cake pop either in the cardboard upright support or down on a parchment lined cookie sheet. Repeat Steps 5 – 7 until all cake pops have been dipped and decorated.

Step 8: Allow decorated cake pops to set completely. The candy coating will become hard. Wrap the cake pops in individual plastic wrappers (if desired). For best results, store cake pops in refrigerator until right before they are to be served and eaten. Serving suggestion: Display cake pops in little metal buckets.

End result? Overall = #PinterestWin. Most of the cake pops turned out like I had hoped and all of them, even the ones that weren’t “picture perfect”, were delicious. I shared the cake pops with some friends and family and everyone said they looked professional and tasted great.

Mastering cake pops will take some more practice, but I will definitely be making more in the near future! If you would like to experiment with making cake pops I suggest you plan sufficient time to make them and consider a “dress rehearsal” batch before you share your cake pops with your family and friends.

Is there a Pinterest recipe you’ve tried for the first time? How did it go? Was it a #PinterestWin or a #PinterestFail? Share your story in the comments section below.

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