Cake pops: My how-to with pictures!

I learned how to make gifs in photoshop today! I used to use animation shop, but of course this is much more accessible. So be prepared for this to be waaay abused.

This is how I created the cake pops seen in my last post.


I used a box cake mix, I have never even attempted to make a cake from scratch, and figured that can wait til I have a less time consuming form of cake to create. The icing is not for the outer hard shell of the pops, but to mix with the cake after it is baked, well, you'll see. I bought the sprinkles from a local baking supply store (so happy I could actually find one) and the candy melts (pretty much chocolate and white chocolate) from Hobby Lobby. Along with the styrofoam blocks to stick the pops in to dry.



Bakin' a cake, there's some kind of song comparing the likeness to a piece of cake. Yeah this is pretty much the easiest part of cake pops. Red velvet is my favorite to make, all the red!








After the cake is done, and is no longer steaming hot to the touch, you break it up. Either with your hands or a processor. I used the former. I was so impatient waiting for it to cool that I stuck it in the fridge and took it out while it was still warm and starting breaking. Still turned out great.
Then you mix the cake crumbs with the icing, to make it more dough-like. I only needed 1/4 of the can because it was a "moist" cake mix. (as seen in the repeated gif!)



The mix was already holding together very well so I just set it in the freezer for a few minutes and then started rolling it into balls in my palms. I kept grabbing more than necessary, or tangible to hold on top of the sticks, and kept having to tear down the balls and make them smaller. They should be about an inch and a half wide, or so I've read. Next place them in the freezer, for no longer than 15 minutes. Then move them to the fridge, or if they seem maybe too frozen take them out completely.




Next melt your chocolate and stick your sticks in to make preformed holes, while waiting. I suggest using a less shallow bowl for this. Maybe even a cup. This definitely was not a deep enough bowl and I had to spoon the mixture up on top of the ball, and this created uneven not quite perfectly round pops. And I had to add vegetable oil to get the melts runny enough. Before sticking the stick in the cake ball, I coated the top inch with the candy melts and then stuck it in the cake. This molds the two together and makes it a more sturdy pop. Insert sticks, dip cakes, and place back in the styrofoam to harden.


But before they completely harden decorate as desired.


I don't think I missed a step, but if so other cake pop resources can be found all over the internet, all with their own tricks and are much more descriptive than mine. But might I suggest Bakerella again? I mean she has a book on the subject.