Cake pops are a quick and delicious treat to create, thanks to an essential cake mix and fresh frosting ingredients from scratch.
As part of your supplies for making cake balls, you will also require candy melts from the baking aisle as well as some block styrofoam or flower foam for drying the hops.
Wrapping
If you have already created cake pops, but they have yet to be coated in chocolate, loosely cover them with wax paper to protect the cakes from condensation and make storage simpler. Ripping rather than cutting can provide plenty of strips as you may need to pull again multiple times during the coating process.
Once your cake pops are formed and coated, they must remain upright while their candy coating sets. A cake pop stand can make this task easier; alternatively, you could poke holes into Styrofoam blocks or use edible filling such as rice to hold your pops upright while they dry.
Dipping may take some time and practice, but once you get into it, it’s relaxing and fun! I like turning on music or watching a movie while dipping cake pops in chocolate for maximum satisfaction!
Begin with a bowl of melted chocolate. There are various varieties available; I prefer Wilton candy melts as they melt quickly and evenly. Plus, you can purchase them easily at the supermarket in multiple colors if your ideal one cannot be found; add a drop of food coloring if necessary!
Once your melted chocolate has reached the ideal consistency, carefully dip a cake pop in it, taking care to cover its entire stick with a chocolate coating. Use a toothpick to pop any air bubbles that might form.
If desired, decorate the cake pops at this stage with sprinkles or nonpareils, or paint them using nontoxic gold luster dust mixed with vodka or Everclear for an instant shimmery shimmer that will dry within hours and add an elegant sparkle.
Filling
Cake pops can be customized to any event with various fillings that meet its theme, from chocolate-dipped cake pops for birthday parties with decorative sprinkles or white chocolate to matching the color theme, all the way to candy, frosting, fruit, or cookie fillings to create unique treats each time! Specialty shapes like skulls or snowmen add flair.
An easy and time-tested way to add cherries to cake pops is slipping them in at their center. Although this task may sound simple, it does require some work: first, you must create a ball of cake dough using either your hands or food processor; when finished mixing cake pieces with butter and vanilla until they form a crumbly mixture, add one tablespoon of water, continue stirring, until a moist and smooth consistency has been reached before rolling it out into balls, flattening in your hand then placing your cherry at the center and compacting around it tightly before putting on cookie sheet then covering with plastic wrap to prevent drying out of these lovely treats! Once completed, cake pops are formed on cookie sheets covered by plastic wrap to protect them from drying out their cookie creation process.
Melted chocolate coating can also be an effective method for filling cake pops, as it’s straightforward and straightforward. Melting the chocolate requires either using a double boiler or microwave in 30-second intervals while stirring between. Once it has set, transfer it to a plastic pastry bag and cut a small corner off before using it to drizzle carefully onto each cake pop.
Cake pops can be decorated in various ways, but one simple and cost-effective method to give them an impressive appearance is to paint them with gold luster dust. You can make the paint by mixing nontoxic gold luster dust with vodka or another alcohol until it forms a liquid consistency; then, apply it with either a small brush or simply by licking it off.
Decorating
A cake pop requires finishing touches in order to be thoroughly enjoyed, such as frosting and chocolate coating. While cake crumbs and store-bought icing can make things easy, making your buttercream from scratch adds a special personal touch that no one else can match.
When you’re ready to finish off a cake pop, take your time and enjoy the process – whether that be while listening to music or watching television!
Step one of decorating involves giving your frosting some added color by mixing some food-grade dye into the melted white chocolate. This will give the icing a vibrant appearance that contrasts nicely with light-colored candy coating.
Use a cookie or ice cream scoop to work the frosting into the cake crumbs until they form an even, uniform texture. A few tablespoons of frosting should suffice for creating soft and moist cake balls; if crumbles begin when rolling them up, add a tablespoon.
Once your cake balls have been rolled, please place them in the fridge while you prepare your candy coating. When the icing has set up, it’s time to begin dipping – using candy melts is ideal as they’re budget-friendly, easy to work with and come in various colors; otherwise, use a microwave-safe bowl of melted chocolate chips mixed with some vegetable shortening to thin it out for easier dipping.
For an extra special effect, add a splash of color by dropping several drops of food coloring in white chocolate and swirling with a toothpick.
Once dipping and decorating are complete, it’s time to display your cake pops! Many opt for acrylic cake pop stands, which feature tiny holes to accommodate sticks. They come in various sizes and shapes and can even be personalized by dressing them up with pretty papers and fancy ribbons for added charm. Other popular methods for doing this include placing each pop upright on a Styrofoam block or setting them in containers like jars or vases.
Storage
No matter if you just made cake pops for a celebration or have leftovers from one, proper storage is critical to their flavor and texture. Ensuring they stay delectable while also visually appealing is essential, while avoiding condensation prevents soggy cake pops from becoming wet over time. There are various methods of cake pop storage, such as refrigeration for short-term storage and freezing for long-term.
Individually Wrapping Cake Pops
It is always best to store cake pops individually wrapped, especially if they contain perishable ingredients such as frosting that may cause bacteria growth over time if left exposed to air for too long. Wrapping also prevents moisture from reaching the cake inside, which could dry it out and alter its flavor or texture, potentially diminishing its quality and taste.
Refrigerating Cake Pops
After creating cake pops, they should be stored immediately in the fridge to reduce bacteria growth and keep your dessert fresh longer. Storing your fathers in an airtight container or specialized cake pop holder may also help keep moisture out.
Avoid Condensation
Moisture can be one of the biggest threats to cake pops, leading to soggy textures that detract from their overall quality. Proper storage methods help minimize moisture by using wrap tightly and absorbent materials, additionally limiting rapid temperature changes and opening your container as frequently. All this combined will help prevent condensation.
If you plan on dipping cake pops, freezing them before can help preserve their texture and appearance for weeks at a time, making them suitable for parties or weddings. When storing naked cake, pop it in an airtight container to prevent freezer burn, and be sure to mark each container with the date for optimal storage conditions, or store it at room temperature until placed into the fridge overnight before dipping them!
