Has anyone made cake pops?

[supergolden88]

Trying to think of something cute for my daughter's party bags/school giveaway. Really fancy trying my hand at cake pops but they seem a little fiddly. Has anyone made these? Let me know your thoughts and any recipes, tips etc.

this is what I mean

http://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-cake-balls-78637

[melbourne groover]

Lakeland sell a cake pop maker for ?20 which I have been debating (obviously totally unnecessary but I know a small girl who would be over the moon...). Thought it would be good for cake sales/birthdays etc.

[supergolden88]

I know I have been looking at the same thing. Not same as making cake pops but if it works could offer interesting options. Supposedly there's a 12 cake pop maker but seems to not be available in the UK at least not that I can find.

[melbourne groover]

Keep me posted if you do go for it!

[JBoylen]

I've made them, I cant find the recipe. however, and this is likely useless but, it was something like make the cake, crumble, mix with frosting into balls, chill, dip in chocolate...

[supergolden88]

were they worth the hassle?

[JBoylen]

Yeah, why not? It's kind of fun, not too hard, a bit messy, people like them. If it fails then oh well, you have a mash of frosting and cake to eat!\

[ryedalema]

Yes I have - I went on a day's course at Cakes 4 Fun in Putney and have made quite a few lots since. Are great fun and dead easy once you get the hang of it. They require quite a few 'sticking them in the fridge to set' sessions tho - so not to be done after a big shop!

Also a great way of using up old cake (not much of a problem in our house tho).

In brief... (you'll need a big bit of polystyrene, sticks, old cake and buttercream,chocolate for melting, empty fridge, decorating stuff, accurate scales)

1. Get old cake and buttercream (Victoria sponge and vanilla buttercream or Choc cake and choc ganache) - mix it together so it 'sticks', and roll into small balls. Magic number here is 30 grams! Each ball should be thirty grams for optimum 'not falling apart-ability'

2. Stick your stick into each ball until 2/3s of the way down - then take it out. Put all balls with holes in the fridge to set (stops them splitting when you put the sticks in for real).

3. Melt chocolate (can also buy all sorts of coloured fake-choc buttons that work really well and melt easier)

4. Take balls from fridge, dip stick into melted choc. When all done, put balls with sticks back in fridge to set.

5. After 10 mins or so - take balls out and dip into more choc (all over) and decorate with sprinkles/sugarpaste etc (there's loads of books on this)

6. Stick them back into the fridge - the other way up - so ideally a big bit of polystyrene or oasis that will hold the sticks upright.

7. You're done - clear up sticky messes :)

Hope that helps xx

[supergolden88]

thanks for that! Does sound like a bit of work. Will keep you posted if I try it...

when you put the sticks in do you dip the sticks in chocolate then put in the cake pops and then dip the whole thing in chocolate again?

[ryedalema]

First time you put the stick in it's dry and you are just making the hole

Second time you put the stick in and leave it there - yes it's coated with choc (just the top bit that's inside the cake pop)

Then leave these in the fridge to set otherwise the cake can slip off the stick and you have cake pop in your bowl of choc.

Then yes - dip the whole thing in chocolate...

[Curmudgeon]

Yes

Any cake crumbled plus fudge topping like the Betty Crocker tubs ...for some reason shop bouught is best

Lollipop sticks and as above

Hundreds and thousands or similar stick to melted chic

You need a florists sponge to let them dry

They are fiddly but fun... And a bit of a faff. I did fifty of them last year ."took a few hours but looked good

[pincushionqueen]

I made some snowmen and reindeer shaped ones at Christmas and they came out beautifully. Used the Lakeland cake pop maker along with Betty crocker chocolate mix, also bought a pack of lolly sticks and wrappers from Hobbycraft and they looked really professional! Good luck.

[LoopyMum]

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Life's too short!