Basic Cake Pops

By dette

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

Ingredients

• 18.25 oz box cake mix
• 16 oz ready-made frosting
• 48 oz (3 pounds) candy coating

Details

Servings 48

Preparation

Step 1

Bake the cake as directed on the box, using a 9x13"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. You should not see any large pieces of cake.
add 3/4 of the container of frosting. (Ypou will not need the remaining frosting) Mix it into the crumbles 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" 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 serveral hours in the refrigerator or place in the freezer for aobut 15 minutes. you want the balls to be firm but not frozen.
Place the candy coating in a deep,k microwave-safe plastic bwol. 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 oz of coating at a time).
Melt the candy coating, following the instructions on the package. Microwave on medium power for 30 second 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.
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, tranfer the rest of the balls to the refrigerator at this point, s they stay firm but do not freeze.
One at a time, dip aobut 1/2" of the tip of a lollipop stick into the melted candy coating, and then insert the lolliop stick straight into a cake vall, 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 covere, and remove it in one motion. Make sure the coating meets at the base of the lollipop stick. This helps secure the cake ball the stick when the coating sets. The object is to completely cover the cake balls 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 cnady 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 cystals 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 getnly 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 roatating 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 sitck, 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 anyexcess 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.
Repeat with the remaining cake balls and let dry completely.
Store the cake pops in and irtight 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.