Cake Pop Recipes | Sweets Table at Wedding

The basic cake pop recipe calls for a cake of any flavor, frosting, lollipop sticks, candy melts in your choosen color/flavor, your decorations like sprinkles, white chocolate, mini candies, nuts, etc..., a foam block or wreath, plastic wrap, a baking sheet pan and wax paper.

More specifically, you need:

• 1 -- Baked 9" x 13" cake of any flavor completely cooled
• 1 -- 16 oz can of ready made frosting in your flavor choice
• 1 -- package of lollipop sticks
• 1 -- candy melts in your choice of colors
• Whatever Decorating items you wish to use
• 1 -- foam block or wreath covered in plastic wrap
• Baking sheet pan covered with wax paper

1. Crumble the cake into a large mixing bowl.
2. Add about 3/4ths of the frosting to the cake and mix well. The mixture should be moist but not saturated. Add more frosting a tablespoon at a time until it will hold a round shape.
3. Now, just like making meatballs, patty up and roll the mixture in your hands to create 1 1/2" or so balls. Place ball on baking sheet with wax paper. Continue until you use all the mixture. 
4. Melt a small amount of your candy melts in the microwave according to package directions. Use a small cereal or storage bowl size, you won't need a lot... yet.
5. Dip a lollipop stick into the candy melts about a 1/2" and then immediately push it 1/3rd to 1/2 of the way into a cake ball. Place on wax paper with stick pointing to the ceiling. Do this for all the cake balls.  
6. Place balls in the refrigerator for 45 mins or so or in the freezer for 15 minutes. They should not be frozen. The cake mixture will be warm from you handling it and will be more likely to fall apart if it is not cooled. 
7. After alloted time, pull cake balls from the refrigerator or freezer. Melt the remaining candy melts in a deep but narrow bowl. This works best for dipping. 
8. Pick up a cake ball and ensure it has a round shape. (They may be a bit flat on top from the baking tray.) Quickly dip the entire ball into the candy melts. Make sure the whole thing is covered, especailly around the stick. Tap very gently on the side of the bowl or by holding it in one hand and tapping your wrist with the other hand. 
9. Once it has finished dripping, place lollipop stick in the foam block to dry. 
10. If you want to decorate with sprinkles, nuts or candies, sprinkle these on while the candy melt is still wet. I usually dip about a half dozen and then stop to decorate before continuing to dip the rest. 
11. Allow the candy melts to dry completely. That's it! 

Tip: To keep your candy melts from hardening, set the bowl inside a bowl of hot water. If it becomes too hard to dip, reheat in the microwave.

As with all things new, we, as a society, are always trying to make things easier. There are a few products on the market that can speed up the cake pop making process.  

Nostalgia Electronics has found that their Donut Hole Maker works very well for making cake pops. The price is very affordable and you skip the cake crumbling and adding of frosting to the mixture. (Item info below.)

Baby Cakes has also come out with a cake pop maker. It is quite a bit more expensive but does a great job! (Item info below.)

The best part about cake pops is they are so versatile. You don't have to be a professional cake baker to decorate these bite-sized beauties! Decorate them to match whatever event you are serving them for. 

for weddings -- elegant white, decorating with your accent color or with edible rhinestones for some bling, make them look like tuxedos and wedding gowns, etc...

for baby showers -- dip them in pink or blue and add decor that matches your theme like ducks, Noah's ark, jungle, lace, etc...

for kid's birthday parties -- make them in the shape of super heros, use bright primary colors, draw Olympic rings, purses, or whatever matches the decor you have chosen.

Holidays -- Make Easter Bunnies, Santas, Turkeys, flags, shamrocks, hearts and any other insignia that goes with the upcoming holiday. 

Aren't you just itching to give them a try?