Cake Pops (2 page)

Cake pops are based on the same idea as cake balls, with the addition of a lollipop stick and a different approach to dipping. The lollipop sticks increase the cuteness factor, making them perfect for party favors and gifts.

18.25-ounce box cake mix

9-by-13-inch cake pan

Large mixing bowl

16-ounce container ready-made frosting

Large metal spoon

Wax paper

2 baking sheets

Plastic wrap

48 ounces (3 pounds) candy coating

Deep, microwave-safe plastic bowl

48 paper lollipop sticks

Styrofoam block (see
Equipment
)

Bake the cake as directed on the box, using a 9-by-13-inch cake pan. Let cool completely.

Once the cake is cooled, get organized and set aside plenty of time (a couple of hours) to crumble, roll, and dip 4 dozen cake pops.

Crumble the cooled cake into a large mixing bowl. See
“Crumbling Your Cake.”
You should not see any large pieces of cake.

Add three-quarters of the container of frosting. (You will not need the remaining frosting.) Mix it into the crumbled cake, using the back of a large metal spoon, until thoroughly combined. If you use the entire container, the cake balls will be too moist.

The mixture should be moist enough to roll into 1½-inch balls and still hold a round shape. After rolling the cake balls by hand, place them on wax paper–covered baking sheets.

Cover with plastic wrap and chill for several hours in the refrigerator, or place in the freezer for about 15 minutes. You want the balls to be firm but not frozen.

Place the candy coating in a deep, microwave-safe plastic bowl. These bowls make it easier to cover the cake balls completely with candy coating while holding the bowl without burning your fingers. (I usually work with about 16 ounces of coating at a time.)

Melt the candy coating, following the instructions on the package. Microwave on medium power for 30 seconds at a time, stirring with a spoon in between. You can also use a double boiler. Either way, make sure you do not overheat the coating. See
“Candy Coating Basics,”
for more on working with candy coating.

Now you’re ready to dip. Take a few cake balls at a time out of the refrigerator or freezer to work with. If they’re in the freezer, transfer the rest of the balls to the refrigerator at this point, so they stay firm but do not freeze.

One at a time, dip about ½ inch of the tip of a lollipop stick into the melted candy coating, and then insert the lollipop stick straight into a cake ball, pushing it no more than halfway through.

Holding the lollipop stick with cake ball attached, dip the entire cake ball into the melted candy coating until it is completely covered, and remove it in one motion. Make sure the coating meets at the base of the lollipop stick. This helps secure the cake ball to the stick when the coating sets. The object is to completely cover the cake ball and remove it without submerging it in the coating more than once. A small, deep plastic bowl is very helpful during this step. If you do resubmerge the cake pop, the weight of the candy coating can pull on the cake ball and cause it to get stuck in the coating.

The thinner the consistency of your coating, the easier it will be to coat the cake pops. If you find that your coating is too thick, add some shortening or paramount crystals (see
Main Ingredients
) to help thin it and make the coating more fluid.

When you remove the cake pop from the candy coating, some excess coating may start to drip. Hold the cake pop in one hand and use the other hand to gently tap the first wrist. Rotate the lollipop stick if necessary to allow the excess coating to fall off evenly, so one side doesn’t get heavier than the other. If you didn’t completely dunk the cake pop, this method of tapping and rotating generally takes care of that. The coating will slowly slide down the surface of the cake ball until it reaches the lollipop stick.

If too much coating surrounds the base of the lollipop stick, you can wipe the excess off with your finger. Simply place your finger on the stick right under the cake ball and spin the lollipop stick, allowing any excess coating to fall off and back into the bowl of coating. When most of the excess coating has fallen off and it is no longer dripping, stick the cake pop into the prepared Styrofoam block (see Tips).

Repeat with the remaining cake balls and let dry completely.

Store the cake pops in an airtight container on the counter or in the refrigerator for several days. You can also cover them in small treat bags, tied with a ribbon, and leave them in the Styrofoam block on the counter.

• Make the cake the day before and let it cool overnight.
  

• Use a toothpick to encourage the coating to cover any small exposed areas or to make sure it surrounds the lollipop stick.
  

• Make sure the cake balls are chilled and firm when you dip them. If they are room temperature, they are likely to fall off the lollipop sticks into the melted candy coating. You can always place them back in the freezer for a few minutes to quickly firm them up again.
  

• Poke holes in the Styrofoam block before you start dipping the pops. Just use one of the lollipop sticks to make holes about 2 inches apart.
  

• For fun, experiment with different colors of candy coating.
  

• Cake pops need more attention and therefore a little more time to complete than the cake balls. Set aside a couple of hours.
  

• When using the cake pop method, you can also make the balls in different shapes. Just roll them into balls, place in the freezer or refrigerator to firm, and then mold into your desired shape.
  

Not only can you make cake balls and turn them into cake pops, but you can also mold them into other shapes using a small metal cookie cutter. For these cupcake pops, use a flower-shaped cookie cutter. Take them to the next level of cuteness by using more than one color of candy coating and adding sprinkles and candy for decoration.

18.25-ounce box cake mix

9-by-13-inch cake pan

Large mixing bowl

16-ounce container ready-made frosting

Large metal spoon

Wax paper

2 baking sheets

Plastic wrap

Flower-shaped cookie cutter (1¼ inches wide by ¾ inch deep)

32 ounces (2 pounds) chocolate candy coating

2 deep, microwave-safe plastic bowls

Dish towel

48 paper lollipop sticks

16 ounces pink candy coating

Toothpicks

M&M’s or similarly shaped candy

Sprinkles

Styrofoam block (see
Equipment
)

Bake the cake as directed on the box, using a 9-by-13-inch cake pan. Let cool completely.

Once the cake is cooled, get organized and set aside plenty of time (a few hours) to crumble, roll, shape, dip, and decorate 4 dozen cupcake pops.

Crumble the cooled cake into a large bowl. See
“Crumbling Your Cake.”
You should not see any large pieces of cake.

After I discovered that candy coatings came in so many colors, I was eager to experiment. The cake pops are cute, but I wanted to make them even cuter. Turning them into cupcakes was the obvious next step for me. One day an idea came in the form of a cookie cutter I had lying around the kitchen, and I developed this little technique for shaped cakes that I call cupcake pops. The response was overwhelming, from an invitation to appear on The Martha Stewart Show to the many messages from the wonderfully sweet readers of Bakerella.com who shared their excitement of learning to make these treats.

Add three-quarters of the container of frosting. (You will not need the remaining frosting.) Mix it into the crumbled cake, using the back of a large metal spoon, until thoroughly combined. If you use the entire container, the cake balls will be too moist.

The mixture should be moist enough to roll into 1½-inch balls and still hold a round shape. After rolling the cake balls by hand, place them on a wax paper–covered baking sheet.

Cover with plastic wrap and chill for several hours in the refrigerator, or place in the freezer for about 15 minutes. You want the balls to be firm but not frozen.

Remove the baking sheet from the refrigerator or freezer and begin shaping the cake balls into cupcakes. Take a chilled ball and roll it into a cylinder shape. Then slide it into the flower-shaped cookie cutter. The cake mixture should fill the entire cutter, with any excess forming a mounded cupcake top on one side. You can use your thumb to keep the shape flat on one side, allowing the rest to form a mound on the other. When you have the shape the way you like it, gently push the shaped cupcake out of the cutter from the bottom. If the mixture is still firm enough, you should also be able to gently pull it out by holding the top mounded side.

Place the cupcake-shaped cake ball, right-side up, back on the wax paper–covered baking sheet.

Continue with the remaining cake balls.

Once the balls are all shaped into cupcakes, return them to the freezer for 5 to 10 minutes to keep them firm.

Place the chocolate candy coating in a deep, microwave-safe plastic bowl. These bowls make it easier to dip the cupcake bottoms completely in candy coating while holding the bowl without burning your fingers. (I usually work with about 16 ounces of coating at a time.)

Melt the chocolate candy coating, following the instructions on the package. Microwave on medium power for 30 seconds at a time, stirring with a spoon in between. You can also use a double boiler. Either way, make sure you do not overheat the coating. See
“Candy Coating Basics,”
for more on working with candy coating.

Now you’re ready to dip. Take a few cupcake-shaped balls at a time out of the refrigerator or freezer to work with. Transfer the rest to the refrigerator at this point, so they stay firm but do not freeze.

One at a time, take a cupcake-shaped cake ball and, holding it by the mounded top, dip the bottom into the melted chocolate candy coating—just to the point where the mounded shape starts. Remove it from the chocolate, turn it upside down, and swirl your hand in a circular motion. This will cause any excess chocolate coating to slide down. When the coating reaches the bottom of the mounded cupcake top, you can stop. Have a dish towel handy to wipe off your fingertips, as it is highly likely that you’ll get some coating on them. Don’t use water to rinse your hands, because getting water in the coating can make it unusable.

Place the half-coated cupcake shape on the second wax paper– covered baking sheet, chocolate-candy-coating-side up, mounded-side down. Immediately dip about ½ inch of the tip of a lollipop stick into the melted candy coating, and insert the stick straight into the flat, chocolate-coated bottom of the cupcake while the chocolate is still wet. Push it no more than halfway through.

Continue with the rest of the cupcake-shaped cake balls.

Allow the chocolate to dry completely.

Melt the pink candy coating in the same way that you melted the chocolate. You will now decorate the tops. This all comes together quickly, resulting in a finished cupcake pop.

Holding its lollipop stick, dip the top of a cupcake in the melted pink candy coating. It should completely cover the rest of the exposed cupcake and meet the edge of the chocolate coating.

Remove the cupcake pop from the coating and turn it right-side up. If the coating is too hot, it will start to drip down the sides. If this happens, let the coating sit for a few minutes to cool and start to thicken. Then when you dip the tops, the coating will stay in place.

While the coating is still wet, use a toothpick to touch up any areas the coating may not have covered. Then place 1 M&M (M-side down) on the top and add sprinkles for decoration (see
Sprinkles
).

Place the cupcake pop in a prepared Styrofoam block to dry completely. Repeat with the remaining cupcake pops.

Store the cupcake pops in an airtight container on the counter or in the refrigerator for several days. You can also cover them in small treat bags, tied with a ribbon, and leave them in the Styrofoam block on the counter.

• Make the cake the day before and let it cool overnight. Then you can do the crumbling, rolling, shaping, dipping, and decorating on the second day.
  

• You can also leave uncoated cake balls, covered in plastic wrap, in the refrigerator overnight if you want to do the dipping on the following day.
  

• You can make these without lollipop sticks. They’re just as cute.
  

• Don’t get any water in the candy coating. Keep your hands completely dry. Water will mess up the coating and ruin all your hard work.
  

• Poke holes in the Styrofoam block before you start dipping, using a lollipop stick. Leave enough space between the holes so the cakes won’t touch.
  

• Experiment with different candy coating color combinations.
  

• You can also use this technique with other small cookie cutters, such as hearts or butterflies (see
  Sweet Hearts
  and
  Spring Fling
  ).
  

• You can place sprinkles in a small dish and pinch a few with your fingers to sprinkle over a larger bowl to reuse any that fall.
  

• To see a video demonstration of creating cupcake pops, go to www.marthastewart.com/recipe/cupcake-pops.