Once you know how to make a basic cake pop, it’s easy to start creating your own designs.
- Bake the cake as
directed on the box, using the 9-by-13-in (23-by-33-cm) cake pan. Let cool
completely. - Once the cake has
cooled, get organized and set aside plenty of time (a couple of hours) to
crumble, roll, and dip 4 dozen cake pops. Line the baking sheets with wax
paper. - Crumble the cooled
cake into the large bowl. You should not see any big pieces of cake. - Add up to
three-quarters of the container of frosting to the bowl. (You will not need the
remaining frosting. Save it in the refrigerator for a later use.) 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 1 1⁄2-in
(4-cm) balls and still hold a round shape. After rolling the cake balls by
hand, place them on the prepared baking sheets and let them rest for about 20
minutes before chilling. - Cover with plastic
wrap and chill for several hours in the refrigerator, or place them in the
freezer for about 15 minutes. You want the balls to be firm but not frozen. - Place the candy
coating in the deep microwave-safe bowl. These bowls make it easier to cover
the cake balls completely with candy coating while holding the bowl and without
burning your fingers. The coating should be about 3 in (7.5 cm) deep for easier
dipping. I usually work with about 16 oz (455 g) 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 between each interval. You can
also use a double boiler. Either way, make sure you do not overheat the
coating. - Now you’re ready to
dip. Take a few cake balls out of the refrigerator or freezer to work with,
keeping the rest chilled. 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 1⁄2 in (12 mm) 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 re-submerge 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 vegetable oil or
paramount crystals 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 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
rotate the pop, 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 Styrofoam block. - Repeat with the remaining cake balls and let the pops dry completely in the Styrofoam block. Enjoy!Tips:
- 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 return them to the freezer for a
few minutes to quickly firm up again. - Experiment with different colors of candy coating and sprinkles.
- You can also make cake pops into different shapes. Just roll them
into balls, place in the freezer or refrigerator to firm and mold into your
desired shape. - Poke holes in the Styrofoam block
before you start dipping. Just use one of the lollipop sticks to make holes
about 2 in (5 cm) apart.
Ingredients
- 18.25-oz (520-g) XX box cake mix
- 9-by-13-in (23-by- 33-cm) XX cake pan
- Two XX baking sheets
- Wax paper
- Large mixing bowl
- 16-oz (455-g) XX container ready-made frosting
- Large metal spoon
- Plastic wrap
- 48 oz (1.4 kg) XX candy coating
- Deep, microwave-safe plastic bowl
- 48 XX lollipop sticks
- Styrofoam block