Step 1:
Bake a 9x13-in box of cake mix (any flavor) according to the package directions. Wash your hands, then crumble the cake into a mixing bowl. The crumbles should be somewhat fine - smaller than a pea. Think "Grape Nuts."
**TIP** When mixing the ingredients, sift the dry cake mix so there are no lumps, and lightly beat the eggs before adding to the mix. You won't have to use the electric mixer in your batter for more than about 30 seconds (including scraping down the bowl). That will give you a fluffy batter that is free of those chewy little bits.
Step 2:
Add approximately 1/2 - 2/3 of a container of store-bought frosting (any flavor that compliments the cake; red velvet cake and cream cheese frosting are perfect for Valentine's Day). It's easier to add more frosting to the mix than it is to take away frosting if you added too much. The amount you used will be determined by the brand of cake mix you used and how you baked your cake. A moist cake will use less frosting and a cake that is dry will use more.
Step 3:
Combine the crumbled cake and frosting. Some people like to use their hands, but that really grosses me out. A spoon works just fine. You should have a play-doh-like consistency that is moist enough to hold together to form a ball, but not too moist where it won't stay hold its shape.
Step 4:
To get cake balls that are all the same size and shape, use a small cookie scoop. I got mine from Walmart for around $7. When scooping the dough, scrape the dough along the edge of the bowl to remove any excess.
Step 5:
Drop the scooped dough onto a plate. Work in groups of 10 cake balls per plate. In one cake mix, I can get almost exactly five dozen cake balls. That seems like a lot, but don't give in to the temptation to only scoop out the exact number you want to make. Some of the cake balls won't turn out, so you'll need those extras.
Step 6:
Wash your hands again. Roll the scooped cake ball between the palms of your hands until they form a smooth ball shape. This should only take a few seconds per piece. You'll notice your hands getting coated with dough. Working in groups of 10 also gives you a chance to wash your hands frequently.
Step 7:
Insert a lollipop stick just over half way through each cake ball. I like to use 4" sticks when making individual pops, and 4" and 6" sticks when making bouquets. Michael's has the best price on lollipop sticks, especially if you use a 40% off coupon. After all of the sticks are inserted, refrigerate the cake pops for about 30 minutes, or until cold and somewhat firm. You could also put them in the freezer for 10-15 minutes, but make sure they aren't getting frozen.
Step 8:
While the cake balls are refrigerating, you can prepare your coating. I prefer to use Wilton Candy Melts, but the brand that is pictured is all that was available at the time. I have use chocolate chips, but the chocolate burns easier in the microwave and white chocolate chips seem to seize and become a hard clump. Walmart has the best price on candy melts, especially if you buy them just at the end of a holiday. Red and pink candy melts usually go on clearance right after Valentine's Day.
Step 9:
Prepare your candy coating for melting by filling half of a mug with the wafers. I prefer to use a mug for dipping because it is tall and narrow. If you use a bowl, you'll have to use more candy melts to make the coating deep enough to dip the cake ball. Microwave the candy melts in the mug for 30 seconds at a time, stirring after each 30 seconds. After the first 30 seconds, the candy won't be melted, but stir anyway...you don't want it to burn. You'll probably only need to put the mug through three rounds of melting in the microwave. You'll notice that as the candy melted, there isn't as much in the mug. Stir in more wafers until the mug is half full. The newly added wafers will melt and help cool everything down. Stir a few times if it needs extra cooling. If the candy is too stiff, put it in the microwave for another 10 seconds or so.
Step 10:
Prepare your work space: use a piece of foam to hold the drying / finished cake pops. Use a lollipop stick to poke holes in the foam, being careful to space out the holes so the cake pops don't touch. Lay a piece of wax paper down to rest your stirring spoons. It's okay that the candy dries and hardens on the spoon. You'll need to reheat and add more candy wafers a few times, and what's on the spoon will melt when you stir.
Take one plate out of the refrigerator or freezer. Working with one piece at a time, remove the lollipop sticks and dip about 1/2" of one end into the melted candy. Immediately put the candy-coated end of the stick back in the cake pop - in the same hole you took it from. This will help "glue" the stick to the cake pop so it doesn't come off when dipping. By the time you get back to the first cake pop, the "glue" should be set enough to work with.
Step 11:
Time to dip! Working with one cake pop at a time, dip the cake end in the melted coating. Go slow! The coating tends to act like a vacuum to the submerged cake pop. If you pull too hard or fast, the cake ball will come off of the stick. Push the cake pop down far enough for the coating to completely cover it. You might need to tip the mug if the coating isn't deep enough. Be sure to have the coating touch the stick - there needs to be a candy "seal" all around the cake ball.
Step 12:
Slowly pull the cake pop out and gently tap the stick on the side of the mug while turning the pop. Tap GENTLY. I've had several cake tops fall off during this process. The tops will also fall off easier if you pushed your lollipop stick too far (or all the way through) or not far enough. It's a delicious mistake, but not one you want to repeat too many times. The purpose of tapping off the excess coating is to give the pop a nice, round look. It will also dry faster, allowing you to work quickly through the batch. (Speaking of drying, chilling the cake balls before dipping quickens the drying process.) Keep tapping and turning until you are satisfied with the thickness of the shell. If you didn't remove enough of the excess, the coating will drip when it's set up in the foam holder. Mine haven't ever dripped all the way, just enough to look like stalactites. Maybe a cool look for a cave-themed event??
**TIP** The pink, red, and white candy melts tend to be thicker when melted, whereas the chocolate melts are thinner. Candy melts aren't real chocolate - they are candy and the chocolate varieties are candy flavored like chocolate.
**TIP** Look all around the pop while you are tapping off the excess. If you see any little bubbles, pop them before they grow into problems. You can dip the tip of your finger or a toothpick in the melted coating to reseal the popped bubble. If you let the coating harden, the bubble will pop on its own. As the candy coating dries, it contracts, and at the same time, as the cake pop warms up, it expands. The contracting coating will squeeze the cake ball, and if there are any holes (check around the stick, too), oil from the cake will start to seep out. Trying to cover a seeping hole won't work because the coating won't stick to the oil. This is gross looking, but they still taste great. The only way to avoid this problem is to reach perfect temperatures for the chilled cake ball and melted chocolate. Since this is almost impossible to do for the entire batch, you'll be glad you make extra cake balls. This is by far the most frustrating part in the entire process.
Step 13:
In this picture, you can see the side swoosh from tapping and turning the cake pop to remove the excess coating. I think it looks artsy-fartsy. Set your cake pops in the foam to complete drying - they don't take more than a minute or two to dry.
Step 14:
You can get fancy and use a piping bag and tip (Wilton Round Tip # 1 would work best), or you can just use a sandwich baggie. A little candy coating goes a long way when it comes to decorating. Put a few spoonfuls of melted candy coating in the corner of the bag, then snip off a tiny part of the corner. Just like when adding frosting to the crumbled cake, it's easier to snip off more than it is to put it back. Hold the piping bag in one hand and the cake pop in the other. Turn the cake pop as you go. As you can see in the picture below, I snipped too much of the corner of the pink decorating bag, so the pink line is way too thick. I could have avoided that by reheating the pink coating for a few seconds. I also could have avoided the child-like decorating by being a better artist, of which I am not. They taste good. Period.
Step 15:
If you plan to make these to eat at home, there really isn't a need to package them. They seem to grow legs and walk away at my house. If my kids know that I made cake pops, they cry for them for every snack and meal. I guess it's a compliment. :) It's probably best to store them in the refrigerator (line a sealable container with paper towel - do not stack them together or they might crack), but it doesn't hurt anything if they are out, either.
If you're making these as a gift, packaging is key. Dress them up by individually wrapping in treat bags (got mine from Michael's with a 40% off coupon) and wrapping with a colored twist tie or ribbon. Cut the ribbon 8" long so you have enough to make a bow. Below are two ways I've packaged my cake pops.
The first way is individual and upside down. I used silver mini muffin liners (keep the white paper lining with it) and a silver twist tie. The muffin liner will keep the cake pop upright. The only problem I have with this approach is that it looks like you took the easy way out and let the pop dry in the muffin liner. It'll be a nice surprise for the recipient when they unwrap it to find a smooth cake pop instead of one with jagged edges.
The second way is to assemble a bouquet. Wrap each pop in a treat bag and tie with a twist tie or ribbon. After selecting your container, hot glue a piece of foam to the bottom. The foam should almost completely fill the container. Make sure your container is big enough that it won't tip over - the cake pops will make it top-heavy. Using a bare lollipop stick, poke holes in the foam where the cake pops will be placed. Don't try to do this with a finished pop. Sometimes the foam is difficult to poke through, and the stress could crack the cake top. Use the 8" lollipop sticks for the middle cake pops, and fill the outside with the 4" pops. Done!
I hope this post was helpful. Good luck! :)
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