Cake pops are all the rage, and these yummy little treats are surprisingly simple to make. Have fun experimenting with different types of cake, icing and toppings.
TO MAKE CAKE POPS, YOU WILL NEED:
* Your favorite prepared cake (1 box of prepared cake mix or the equivalent of (3) 8” layers of your favorite recipe)
* Your favorite prepared icing (1 container of prepared icing or your favorite icing recipe for your cake recipe)
* Lollipop sticks
* Chocolate candy melts (available at craft stores)
* Toppings of your choice (sprinkles, coconut, chopped nuts, candy pieces, etc.)
* Cardboard stand or styrofoam (both available at craft stores)
STEP 1:
Crumble the prepared cake into pieces and place in a large bowl.
STEP 2:
Mix the icing into the crumbled cake pieces until well incorporated. The texture will be similar to cookie dough.
STEP 3:
Roll the prepared dough into balls. These should no smaller than the size of a quarter and no larger than the size of a half-dollar. If they are too big, they will be too heavy for the lollipop sticks.
STEP 4: 
Melt approximately 1/3 of the package of candy melts. You can use either the microwave method or a double boiler – the package of chocolate candy melts gives you directions for both methods. I personally like the double boiler because the chocolate stayed at the correct dipping consistency longer than with the microwave method. Dip the top of the lollipop sticks into the chocolate and insert the lollipop sticks into the dough balls. Then, chill in the refrigerator for an hour. I found that dipping the lollipop sticks into the chocolate first helps the dough balls stay on the stick, which is very important in the next step.
STEP 5:
Remove the cake pops from the refrigerator. Melt the remaining package of chocolate and any chocolate left over from Step 4. Carefully dip each cake pop into the melted chocolate. Dip or sprinkle the cake pop into your topping of choice and place in the stand until the coating is set.
You will find many different accessories and decorations for cake pops in the cake decorating section of your favorite craft store.
These cute flower cups are a simple way to decorate your cake pops. A huge plus in my book, since I’m not the best cake decorator.
You can also group together several cake pops into a container for a party favor. Whichever way you chose to display your creative treat, it’s sure to be a delicious accent to any event.
Do you have a favorite recipe to share with Wilson Living readers? Send your original, unpublished recipes to Stacey@wilsonlivingmagazine.com.
