**Update 5/12/11: If you are here looking for answers to cake pop questions, please check my Cake Pops FAQ and Troubleshooting Guide before leaving a comment. I also have a recipe for making cake pops or balls with leftover or broken cake here, a recipe for Vegan Dark Chocolate Cake Pops, and a recipe for Cupcake Bites (cake balls that look like little cupcakes–the easier version of cake balls). For my full pops index, click here.**
These pops are essentially cake truffles on a stick and are very simple to prepare: Bake a cake, mush it up with frosting, roll it into balls, insert a stick, and dip it in chocolate! These things really are a hit with kids because they are so fun, but adults seem to enjoy the delicious truffle-like confections equally well.
Want to make some? Here are step-by-step instructions, complete with videos.
Cake Pops
Makes 40-50 pops
Printable Recipe
What you will need:
1 (14.25 oz) box cake mix, any flavor
1 (16 oz) tub frosting, any flavor (you will not need all of it)
or 1/3-3/4 cup homemade frosting (I use my Cream Cheese Wedding Frosting)
1 (24 oz) package of almond bark/candy coating (white or chocolate)
Sprinkles
Lollipop sticks
3″x4″ cello bags
Curling ribbon
Bake the cake mix according to package directions. Once it’s cool, crumble the cake into a large bowl. I prefer to process mine in the food processor to fine crumbs. Place in a large bowl and stir in half of the frosting container or 1/3 cup of your homemade frosting. Mix with your hands until thoroughly combined and thick like a truffle center. Mix in additional frosting if necessary. You just want enough to get the crumbs to stick together when you roll them into balls. Do not add so much that the mixture becomes soft and mushy!
Roll mixture into 1″ balls and place on a cookie sheet. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for an hour or overnight. I usually do this step the day before and then dip them the following day. Do not freeze them before dipping or it may cause the chocolate to crack after they are dipped.
Melt chocolate in the microwave per directions on package. Dip the tip of your lollipop stick in a little of the melted candy coating and insert into the flat end of the cake balls. (Bakerella says to insert a little less than halfway, but I go more than halfway b/c I imagine they stay put a little better when dipping.)
The cake balls will have a flat bottom from resting on the cookie sheet. Insert the stick into this end so the top will be round.
Carefully insert the cake ball into the candy coating by holding the lollipop stick and rotating until covered. Once covered, remove and softly tap and rotate until the excess chocolate falls off. Don’t tap too hard or the cake ball will fall off, too. Immediately cover with sprinkles before the chocolate has a chance to set, then insert in a styrofoam block to harden.
You want the chocolate to come over the platform you created when inserting the chocolate-dipped stick, but you don’t have to cover it all the way to the stick.
Tap off the excess chocolate.
Add sprinkles before the chocolate has a chance to set.
I wrap my styrofoam board in plastic wrap to keep it clean so I can reuse it.
See the two hiding in the corner?
I ran out of sticks so I just made these two into cake truffles. To do this, drop one ball at a time into the chocolate and lift out with a fork, tapping off the excess chocolate. Place on wax paper to set.
This video illustrates the dipping process. Forgive my PJ’s–I made these first thing in the morning. OK, it was afternoon. I’m lazy on Saturdays. And every other day. Once the chocolate has set, put a cello bag over the top and tie the neck with some curling string and tie into a bow or curl.
I found these at Wal-Mart in the cake decorating section near the wedding supplies
Recipe Source: based on Bakerella’s recipe & instructions
*Update 1/19/12: I have disabled comments on this post, since there are over 400 and many of them are the same questions asked and answered over and over again. If you have a question, please refer to the FAQ. Thank you!*
Veronica's Cornucopia 
These are so cute! Whats the difference between chocolate bark and chips or whatknot?
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Almond Bark has cocoa in it but is not really chocolate (although it tastes like it). The ingredients are sugar, partially hydrogenated palm kernel oil, cocoa, nonfat milk, soy lecithin, artificial flavoring. Yeah, really super healthy. It’s really handy in candy making b/c of the fat in it makes it dry fast and hard–good for coating chocolates or cake pops or drizzling over caramel popcorn. You could use chocolate chips or chocolate instead, but would have to add parafin or shortening to it to get the same effect. I prefer to use the almond bark b/c it’s easy–all I have to do is melt and dip!
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How much shortening do i have 2 add 2 the chocolate to resemble the almond bark?
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I’m not positive but I’d say a tablespoon of shortening or coconut oil per pound of chocolate. I’d google chocolate coated candy recipes, like truffles, etc, to see how they do it.
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Thanx :))
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It’s a TBSP. I make chocolate covered peanut butter balls with real chocolate and use a generous tbsp for a bag of chips :)
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So there is no almond in Almond Bark? I read the list of ingredients you provided but I feel the need to double check because I’m allergic.
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Well, almond bark is just what we call chocolate candy coating around here b/c you use it to make almond bark. Almond bark is actually candy coating mixed with almonds and spread out into a sheet and then broken up. Somehow we started just calling the coating itself almond bark, but there is no actual almonds in it. I don’t even know if there is a product actually called “almond bark” any more, though I think there used to be. Just look for any kind of candy coating, or even chocolate will work.
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Walmart sells Almond Bark and it is a wonderfull product. I use it for all my dipping. It tastes great and is actually cheaper than any other I have found.
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Yes, there is such a thing as Almond Bark. It is white chocolate with almonds in it, sold by the pound (or portions thereof) broken into pieces at a candy counter. Very yummy, I might add. I can’t wait to make my cake pops.
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Walmart does carry the candy melting that is the actual Almond Bark brand. I think it was less than 3.00 they have the white and milk. Making these to sell for Relay for life and for my 4th grade students that have been working hard!
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If I don’t have one of those melting pots will I have a hard time melting the chocolate or making a batch of like 25 pops? I assume yes ….
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I didn’t have a melting pot on my first batch and it was a little slower b/c I had to keep stopping to reheat the chocolate when it got too cold, but it was a minor inconvenience. The pot isn’t essential, in fact, I don’t even use it to actually melt the chocolate since it takes so long–I follow the package directions to melt it in the microwave, then pour the chocolate in the pot and set it to “warm” to keep it liquid while I dip all the pops. It’s a good investment if you will be making candies in the future, but if not, you don’t really need it.
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Wilton also makes microwaveable chocolate melts (in all kinds of colors) that come in a tub you can just stick in the microwave. I found them at Michael’s.
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can i use the wilton chocolate melts without having to add any shortening, etc?!
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Yes. Any sort of candy coating, such as Wilton chocolate melts, should be used without adding anything else. Just follow the package directions.
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I found that an electric skillet filled with a little simmering water works great for keeping your chocolate melted at your work station. I fill a narrow cylindrical container with my chocolate and put it in the hot water and just stir it occassionally. I have one white choc and one choc. and just dip until my hearts content w/o ever having to leave my station to reheat!
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Teri,
What a great idea! Thanks, I will try this so I am able to have white and milk chocolate at the same time.
Does anyone know of a good peanut butter frosting recipe to use on chocolate cake pops? I think those would be popular.
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Chocolate chips have to be tempered to achieve a shiny finish and smooth texture. Chocolate bark is made with palm kernel oil instead of cocoa butter (like chocolate chips) and therefore does not need to be tempered. Chocolate bark is great to use as a candy coating for dipping things but if it is used to create the center of a truffle it will be very low quality.
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I used your recipe to make some for our mother/daughter banquet at church. They were a big hit. Everyone wanted one. Plan to make more this week I hope. I have seen where some say you can melt your cake icing and use it to dip them in. Has anyone tried this? Thanks for sharing your recipe.
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Rachel, I’ve tried melting the frosting and it doesn’t set. It gets very messy and I didn’t like it. The chocolate coating is perfect because it hardens and holds the shape very well. Most of the people that I’ve given these to seem to like the chocolate coating very, very well.
I have used chocolate chips, chocolate wafers, and candy melts. I make so many that I like to go with the cheapest I can get. They are still awesome with the cheaper chocolate. :D
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I haven’t tried it but I wouldn’t want to. I did have a reader that used a chocolate glaze (kind of like ganache) and she really liked the result, but had to serve them from the fridge. Ganache does get firm in the refrigerator, so that may be why it worked for her. Michele, I also go with the cheapest ingredients b/c they taste fabulous no matter what you use so may as well save $!
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did this chocolate it dont melt in summertime. I pland to do some cake pops for my sister babyshower and I need to know if this will stay in the pops witout melt
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If you used the glaze, it would be more likely to melt. If you used the candy coating/chocolate bark, it would only melt if left in a warm climate for too long.
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If we use the chocolate bark coating instead of melts, is there a way to add colrs to it without ruining it? Is there a powder dye or something similar that isn’t liquid?
Also ~ I know some people add crisco or vegetable oil to the chocolate melts to thin it, but is there a healthier oil that has the same result of thinning the chocolate so it looks better?
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Yes, there are powdered dyes which you can find online or in cake supply stores. I think there might be coloring for candy coating that you can find in the candy making section of your crafts store. As for the oil, it depends on what your idea of healthy is. I wouldn’t use anything that has a flavor, like olive oil or walnut oil. Grapeseed oil is healthy and would work, or canola or coconut oil. Those are the only healthy oils that wouldn’t add a distinct flavor to the chocolate.
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brava on the step-by-step! these look super yummmm
if you wanna avoid all the nasties, use coconut oil to make your own coating. it hardens easily below…um 65 or 70 I think?
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Good tip! Thanks, Erin.
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Mine fall off the stick when i dip them. and whats a good technique for melting the candy coating i used a glass in a pot of boiling water not so good
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Did you dip the sticks in chocolate before inserting them in the balls? That should make the balls stay in place, unless they are very very large or not refrigerated. Make them about the size of a walnut, in the shell, and make sure they are cold, but not frozen, before you start dipping. You also want to make sure you don’t use too much frosting, which could make them fall off too. You just want to add just enough frosting so that the mixture sticks together. Too much and it will get gloppy. As for melting the candy coating, I put mine in a microwave safe dish and follow the package directions for the microwave (I believe I put them in for a minute, stir, then do 30 second intervals, stirring in between until smooth).
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How I make to fix the mixture, if i put too much frosting?
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Add more cake, or start over.
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Hi V
I tried makin them once but the cake mix was to doughy(nasty) didn’t taste like cake what can i do different?
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Do you mean the cake you made was too doughy before you added the frosting or after? If before, make sure it’s baked through (test with a toothpick and remove from oven once it comes out clean from the middle). If after, just add less frosting. The amount you need will vary from cake to cake, depending on how moist it is to begin with. I use about 1/3 cup usually. If you use an entire container, they might be too mushy to work with.
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when melting real chocolate in a double boiler, moisture will cause the chocolate to “seize”…it becomes clumpy and grainy and will not melt and maintain a liquid state….also this will happen if you get condensation in the container you are melting in as in a wet measuring cup. Adding shortening will not fix this problem. This is less of a problem with candy coating like chocolate bark or Wilton candy melts, but I find a perfectly dry glass measuring cup in the microwave, on low wattage (remember, you can scorch chocolate in a microwave if you melt it too long or too high)…I run it for a a minute and stop and stir with a dry spoon, and then if it needs a little more, I will microwave a little longer.
You can put a glass measuring cup inside a dry crockpot or electric skillet on low to keep the coating warm and liquid without the danger of moisture getting into your coating.
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I have always thought cake pops looked adorable…thanks for the step-by-step, it will be a huge help when I make them! I love all the pretty sprinkle colors you used!
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Bakerella makes the most ADORABLE detailed cake pops imagineable. I just stuck with sprinkles b/c I’m lazy.
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I’ve just been reading through .. wow, what great ideas .. thank you for sharing your adorable pops ! I have a Ladies Fellowship group that meets once a month and I’m always looking for FUN and creative ideas to share !! This will be a big hit at our next get-together !
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What a great idea! So no baking involved? Veeeery interesting. Thanks for sharing!
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You do have to bake the cake.
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Sweeeeet!
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Ha ha–they ARE pretty sweet. :)
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hi im going to have a go at making these but in the u.k there isnt always the same ingriedients so im going to my best.
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Good job on these, Veronica! They look really lovely!!
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Thanks, Memoria!
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THANKS for sharing!! I want to try these!!! I LOVE truffles and these are SO cute!!! I appreciate the step-by-step instructions!!!!!
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You’re so very welcome!
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Its ridiculous how adorable those are!
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I found these bunny ones online
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Thank you, I went to the website and it’s great.
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Do you keep them in the cello bags in the fridge? freezer? or just out? Don’t want them to sweat or crack. Making them today, Wednesday, for a party on Friday…. Thanks.
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I store them in the fridge (inside tupperware containers) after wrapping them and haven’t had a problem with them sweatting and they have never cracked either. Since you’re serving them Friday, they will be fresh whether you refrigerate them or not so if you’d rather be safe, just leave them in a container on the counter. If you do refrigerate them, just remove them several hours before the party so that the chocolate isn’t rock hard.
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Ah Thank You I Also Had That Question So You Can Just leave them out wrapped and they wont melt or is it best to leave them in the refrigerater?
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They won’t melt at room temperature unless it’s very hot. Candy coating is made to stay solid at warmer temperatures but will get softer in warmer weather. In a home with central heating and air, they can be left at room temperature and stay fresh for 2-3 days. If you are making them further in advance, I’d leave them in the refrigerator until the day you want to serve them.
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I make these and have recently started selling them. I have had issues with cracking right after the dipping but I have figured out that the candy coating was too hot. However, I will say that when storing the cake pops – I store them in the fridge. Because they absolutely sweat and they get soft and I have even witnessed them start to melt. Although I do live in a high humidity state, so they have to be refrigerated until they are ready to go.
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Thanks for your input, Vesna. I recently visited a friend in TX and discovered how different it is making sweets in a humid climate. My perfect apple pie turned into ugly apple pie and it was a big mess.
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I am making these for the first time and I was so happy to read that they can be made ahead of time! Making them thurs for sat, my home is kept cool but do they need to be wrapped in plastic? Im making the Sesame Street characters for my son’s First Bday, I was only going to make a few for decor… Another question, Im making cupcakes as well.. can I use those to crumble instead of making a separate cake? Going to eyeball the consistency mixed with the frosting by watching helpful videos.. thanks in advance
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Yup, I made mine for Mother’s Day yesterday–they can definitely be made in advance! You don’t have to wrap them, but it does keep them from getting scuff marks from when they touch each other. If you make sure they aren’t touching, they should be fine without individually wrapping, or if you don’t mind a few scuff marks, then it doesn’t matter at all. Yes, you can use the cupcakes! Same process and add just enough frosting to get the crumbs to stick together. I used to use more, but now I find I really only need 1/4-1/3 cup for the whole cake and it sticks together great and gives it less of a mushy consistency. If you’re using less crumbs, just add a little at a time. For small batches, I only need a spoonful.
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I hope you can help me; I’m from Australia and have no idea how to get my hands on the chocolate coating that you use. I have tried American deli stores to no avail.
I have seen quite a few types of these coatings all named different things wafers, bark and now almond bark.
I don’t think I will get my hands on any of these before March 29th (my sons B’day) but I would like to know if you could explain the differences to me please?
I have also seen a product here in OZ that is a colored Wilton Candy product, it is in the end just colored chocolate. I have colors and can color my own white chocolate.
I want that fine coating you have achieved. I made some pops with dark chocolate and I used a machine similar to yours to melt it but they were very thick and ultimately very heavy.
I appreciate any help you can give me. Thank you Sharon
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I don’t think it’s actually called almond bark–that’s just the term people for it in this region. I think it’s technically called “chocolate candy coating” and you can also buy it in “vanilla candy coating” which is white. The reason we call it almond bark is because it’s actually what is used to make almond bark–you melt it and mix it with almonds, spread it out and when it’s cool–voila! You’ve got almond bark. In America you can find it along with the other baking supplies, usually by the chocolate chips & coconut.
It’s basically the same thing as those Wilton candy pellets you’re talking about. Those will work perfectly–Bakerella uses them on her cake pops for the colored ones. Here is the link to the page that lists all her different cake pops creations and you can click on the colored ones to see that she uses what you’re talking about. http://www.bakerella.com/category/pops-bites/cake-pops/ Wilton should also sell chocolate pellets, which would be perfect if you’re looking for a chocolate coating.
I wouldn’t suggest coloring your own chocolate. Gel and liquid colorings contain water and will make the chocolate seize up.
I did find this link to an ebay auction for some coating and it looks like they ship internationally. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=370326140443&rvr_id=&crlp=1_263602_263622&UA=WVI7&GUID=00adaa1a1230a0437841b5b1ffcadcb4&itemid=370326140443&ff4=263602_263622 However, I would suggest using a local product like those Wilton pellets, as I’ve noticed that Candiquik seems to be a low quality product and I didn’t have as good of a finished product when I used it in the past.
Also, you can melt chocolate with shortening, though I can’t guarantee the same result as I haven’t tried it. I’d say a couple tablespoons vegetable shortening melted with a 12-oz bag of chocolate chips.
Let me know if I can be of further help.
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Hi Sharon I am also in Australia (wa) and have recently discovered these beautiful little treats. I wanted to make them for my daughter to take to school on her birthday. I have given them a go in the last couple of days and took some to a birhday tonight. They worked out pretty well, if I knew how to post a pic I would. I used nestle white melts and coloured them with a powder colour I found at spotlight made for colouring chocolate (also got lollipop sticks there) , it took a little bit to work the colour through but worked out great. I did have a few crack, I’m not completely sure why but as I’ve read from others I may have dipped them into the chocolate too quick out of the freezer. But another mistake I think was I used mud cake, which meant I didn’t have to add much frosting at all but the oil/butter? seemed to ooze out of those cracks as the day went on. I didn’t put them in the fridge after they were made because I was transporting them and didn’t want them to sweet. I agonised over this decision all afternoon as they also seemed to slide down the stick a little (hot over here). I am going to try again as my daughters birthday next week but I am just going to use a normal cake mix.
I hope this helps
Kim
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Sharon, I’ve been making cake pops for a while now, and i live in australia. mornington peninsula in victoria, and i get my candy coating from spotlight. their cake decorating section in actually quite good. they have several colours, flavours and plain white. check them out and i hope this was helpful. Cheers Elizabeth
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These kind of articles are always attractive and I am happy to find so many good point here in the post, writing is simply great, thanks for sharing.
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whats the name of the pot your dipping your cake pops in?
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It is a Wilton brand Chocolate Melter Deluxe. I got mine at Walmart for $20–it was a good investment for me since I make lots of candies. Here’s a link to the product if you want to check it out: http://www.walmart.com/ip/Deluxe-chocolate-melting-pot/10542204?sourceid=1500000000000003260370&ci_src=14110944&ci_sku=10542204
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I am having problems with my cakepop coating cracking. I make balls, insert sticks, fridge (or freezer if Im in a hurry) to set up. Then whole tray out of fridge and dip. I have the wilton melter (love it).
I have tried putting dipped ones in fridge and not. Still getting a couple cracks.
I am using almond bark white now but did use Wilton before. Any suggestions on the cracks?
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I have never had a single cake pop crack on me and I’ve made many batches so I don’t know what to suggest. I have noticed that if I don’t get every part of the cake pop covered with chocolate, like if even a pin prick-sized spot is not covered, oil will leak out of it but that really isn’t the same thing. I let my dipped cake pops come completely to room temperature before refrigerating, so maybe that makes a difference. I’ve never planned it that way, it’s just I’m so sick of dealing with them by the time they’re all sitting pretty on the foam board that I need a break from them and just leave them there for a while. How are you storing them? I always wrap mine individually, which probably somehwhat protects them from the other pops. I only use the almond bark candy coating and have never used Wilton, but I don’t think that’s the problem b/c Bakerella uses Wilton candy coating and doesn’t mention problems with cracking. I guess next time try letting them come to room temp before refrigerating and see if that makes a difference. If you’re going to be serving them within a day or two, you wouldn’t have to refrigerate them at all.
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Kelly, I ALWAYS add a tsp. of Crisco/3 squares of candy coating (aka almond bark) and have never had a pop crack. I use a 2 cup pyrex measuring cup to melt it and I also use a coffee cup warmer to set the measuring cup on after I’ve melted the coating. This works very well for me. I do freeze my cake balls for at least an hour before dipping…I remove about a dozen at a time from the freezer and prefer to dip while frozen. I’ve never had a problem with them sweating either. I do store them in an airtight (green for keeping foods fresh longer) container in the frig. They never last long around our home, about 5 days at most, but the last one tastes just as great as the first!
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Your chocolate may not be tempered correctly- if your chocolate is too hot, it won’t set up properly, creating cracks and streaks. If using a microwave, heat for 30 seconds at a time, stiring and allowing the already heated and melted portions of the chocolate help melt the rest- i’ve used wilton and bark and have only had issues if the chocolate was over heated. Hope this helps!
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This recipe absolutely looks delicious! My daughter’s birthday is coming up and I am really excited to cook this up so that it would be one of the desserts for her birthday party. I would give this recipe a test run tonight with my wife. I looks so good, especially with a cup of coffee made from my new coffeemaker Thanks for posting!
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thanks for visiting my blog today. I need to watch your video as the wilton chocolate machine is the next thing on my list. I’ll put your video on my blog if you don’t mind. Thanks!
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That’s fine-thanks for asking!
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I tried to make some cake pops but they turned out to be too heavy and the outome was a complete mess :( becauese they broke off the stick, and I was wondering if maybe i put too many frosting? do you think that was the problem…I manage however to make a couple of them but outside the fridge the became all mushy!! I want to know how long they last outside the fridge and if they are suppossed to be more caky than fronstingy…if that is a word..ji, ji, could you help me please, I was so frustrated!!!
Thanks for your kind help!
Best regards
Sylvia
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It does sound like you may have used too much frosting. How much did you use? I use homemade and use about 1/2 cup. And yes, they are quite rich and dense compared to cake–I’d say they are a cross between cake and a truffle. I wouldn’t say they’re supposed to be more cakey–I’d say it’s about half and half. Outside the fridge they should last a few days and up to a week in the fridge. I hope this helps!
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I love this recipe and the great details that you provided. I just finished making some with blue sprinkles for my baby shower this Saturday (it is Friday). I am going to be serving them along with cupcakes for dessert. I didn’t wrap them and wanted to leave them unwraped for serving. However, my issue is that some of them are already cracking and appear to be sweating. What can I do to store them for the next 24 hours???
Right now they are in styrofoam.
Thanks!!
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I finally updated the recipe since I have gotten so many questions about the chocolate cracking. I have found that this only happens when you freeze the balls before coating them. I think it must be the drastic temperature change, the warm chocolate covering something so cold that it cracks. I recommend refrigerating the balls overnight before coating with chocolate, then leaving them at room temperature for several hours. If serving within a few days, further refrigeration isn’t necessary. If serving later than that, you can store them in the fridge and even the freezer. They won’t crack if you store them in the freezer AFTER coating with chocolate. However, they are more prone to sweat if frozen so don’t bring them straight from the freezer, slowly defrost them by putting them in the fridge overnight before serving. To dry those that have already sweatted, you can stick them in the fridge b/c the cold air helps to dry the sweat. To store them without putting individual plastic over each, I would lay them in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet or platter and cover with plastic.
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I love this! Thank you so much for the step by step instructions….SO helpful!
I am on a tight budget and am planning on doing these for my daughter’s 1st birthday…we are planning on having a party at the park and it will be very hot….do you think that this would be a difficult choice to have at an outside August birthday party? I’m worried that the almond bark would melt….????
Thanks!
Jackie
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I haven’t experimented with taking these out in 100 degree temps, so I’d suggest putting them in a container (or containers) in a cooler until right before serving. The cooler wouldn’t have to be filled to the brim with ice, just maybe one coolant that had been frozen (or even a few bags of frozen vegetables), just to keep the pops from getting hot. I wouldn’t get them ice cold before serving because the colder they are before taking them out in the extreme heat, the more they’ll sweat and nobody likes a sticky, sweatty pop!
Also, in the summer I’d suggest putting your foam board in the fridge to put your finished pops in so that the chocolate is less likely to crack after you coat the pops. I don’t have problems with this in the winter, but noticed it happening in the summer. It’s a lot of opening and closing of the fridge, but the result is no cracked chocolate, so it’s worth it. Once all the pops are done, I’d wait at least 5-10 minutes before taking them out to package them. The critical point you want to watch for is 5-15 minutes after applying the chocolate–this is when the cracking occurs. After the pops have set for 15 minutes and haven’t cracked, you’re home free! They will not crack after this point…unless you drop them on the floor. ;) Hope this helps!
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Thank you so much! Very helpful! :D
Sophie’s birthday is the 5th of August but we will be having her Lady Bug themed 1st Birthday party on the 31st!!!! I’m so excited! I’ll let you know how it goes :D
Thanks again for your help!
Jackie
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For the frosting is it okay to use Betty Crocker’s ready made chocolate frosting in a tub ?is that okay to use ?
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Totally! You can use any frosting you want! The frosting actually doesn’t contribute a lot to the flavor, you really just taste the cake and the frosting just makes it a wetter texture so you can roll it into balls.
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i have another question Veronica lol again is it okay to use this to coat the cake pops with ?
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=290449068872&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT
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Yes, of course, Wilton candy melts are probably even better to use than the almond bark candy coating–it’s just more expensive and I’m a cheapskate so I never use them! :)
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Hi Veronica!
I’m so glad you are still answering questions after all fo this time! My issue is I can’t seem to get the Wilton candy melts to melt to the right consistency for dipping. I’ve been doing it in the microwave according to the directions and the candy still won’t get any softer than frosting, which makes for a sticky dip. Help!!!
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I can’t be sure, but my suspicion is that you might have overheated it. Once chocolate or candy coating has been overheated, it actually will never turn thin like it should have if heated properly and becomes more solid the more you heat it. I always microwave in short 15-second bursts after the initial 3-60 seconds (or more, depending on the amount I’m melting), stirring very well in between. Never try to melt the chocolate completely just with heat, use the residual heat to melt it while you stir to avoid seizing or scorching it. You might be able to add oil to get it to dipping consistency, but this will probably affect the texture and it might not harden like it would have without the oil. I would recommend starting over and very slowly and carefully heating it to make sure you don’t overdo it.
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Veronica-
I suspect that overheating the candy coating is exactly what happened. Thank you so much!
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Hi there! These look absolutely delicious, but I was wondering if I could substitute the almond bark with dolci frutta? I always use that for strawberries and pretzels and etc.
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I haven’t tried it, but after looking it up online, it appears to be pretty much the same thing and dries hard so go for it–it should work fine! You might need a few of the containers to cover all the pops.
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How long can the cake pops last in the fridge? Can I make them a week ahead and will they taste the same? What do you recommend on how far ahead I can make them so that they will still taste and look good and how should I store them?
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I recently made cake balls & pops for a wedding a week in advance and stored them in the fridge and they tasted just as fresh a week later as the day I made them. I had some leftovers that I kept in the fridge another 4 days after the wedding, and those STILL tasted just as fresh as the day I made them. So now I know that they will last pretty long in the fridge. I wouldn’t recommend making them more than 2 weeks in advance because even though they probably won’t go bad, they might not taste quite as fresh. To store, just put the wrapped pops in airtight containers and refrigerate. If you aren’t going to wrap them, or for cake balls, place them in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet and cover with plastic.
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Hi Veronica
I found your website really informative. Would like to try making for my boy’s birthday.
May I know if I can make cake pops the way rum balls are made? I use butter cream to mix the cake crumbs and simply coat the balls with melted chocolate.
Do you think this would work?
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yes, that is exactly how cake balls are made so the only change would be using the stick to make them into pops.
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Thank you. I would try soon.
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I just made these with homemade frosting. I didn’t pay attention to how much you suggested using. I think I used a good 1 1/2 cups, I just added more until it felt nice and mushy. I’m worried they might be too soft. I rolled them out and put them in the freezer…any thoughts?
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They shouldn’t be too soft–if anything, the extra frosting will make them more firm after refrigerating so they’ll be easier to dip. The reason for not using too much frosting is to keep a more cake-like texture. I’d imagine using that much frosting would give it even more of a truffle mouth-feel which isn’t bad, depending on what you like. I wouldn’t freeze them before dipping however, as this will cause your chocolate to crack. Put them in the fridge so you won’t shock your warm chocolate too much when you dip them.
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Thanks for your quick reply. I’m not going to use chocolate, I’m going to use a glaze instead. It should firm up but not be hard…do you still advise against freezing? The glaze is made with cream, corn syrup, and chocolate chips.
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In that case, freeze away! It will make the ganache firm up really fast that way. Let me know how that works for you–I’ve wanted to try glazing as well but thought it might be too messy.
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I used the chocolate ganache and it turned out great. It firmed up just fine and was really yummy. Here’s the recipe:
1/2 cup of heavy cream
2 Tbsp light corn syrup
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips
put cream and corn syrup into pot and heat until it just starts to boil. Then remove from heat add chocolate chips, cover and let stand for 5 minutes. Then stir until combined.
I use the chocolate chips from Trader Joes which are the best in my opinion. You end up with a very dark chocolate ganache.
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Cool-thanks for letting me know! How did you serve them? Did you put them in individual bags and if so, was there any problem with the coating coming off? I would really prefer a glaze like this since there is no risk of cracking but am still worried about the coating coming off and making a mess during packaging.
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I did not put them in individual bags, I put them in a glass dish in the freezer. However I think they would be fine as long as they were packaged while really cold and kept cold for the most part. There was absolutely no cracking, and they were yummy.
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Hi
I’m in England and I was wondering if you had any idea what the chocolate covering might be called over here – I imagine its just a normal “Milk chocoalte flavoured cake covering” ? Also the frosting? I have noticed on a few recipes that boxed cake mix is used -why is this? Would it be ok to use home made cake and then crumble it…..much cheaper and I could make soooo many flavours……mmmmmm
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I’m not sure–see if you can find anything that looks like chocolate and is called “candy coating.” If not, you can use regular chocolate and mix some coconut oil or shortening into it when you’re melting it (I’d say a tablespoon of oil per pound of chocolate). Yes, of course you can use homemade cake! I think these recipes call for a cake mix for convenience and in America, cake mixes are very very cheap (I pay $1 for a mix). Hope it all works out for you–let me know!
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wow, i buy these at our farmer’s market every weekend bc we adore them – but looks like i’m going to have to try making them at home too! thanks for the recipe, can’t wait to try it!
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Pingback: Red Velvet Cake Pops « (vegan) CUPCAKES and other culinary creations
Veronica,
Bless you for putting this online for us! Since you have been doing this for a while now, what flavor combination is most popular with your eaters in regards to cake mix and pre-made icing for these cake balls?
Thank you! kj
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Definitely chocolate with cream cheese or chocolate icing. Chocolate makes the best cake pops! I know it’s nothing outrageous, but sometimes simple is best.
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A friend’s wife made “Almond Joy” cake pops. I’m dying to try making them myself, but she’s quite stingy with the recipe. Have you run across this combo?
I believe she used a white cake and frosting but then added shredded coconut to the cake ball. Then rolled it in chocolate and chopped almonds. Yum-o.
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**correction: *dipped* them in chocolate & almonds. Not rolled.
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I recently ran across this link with lots of different recipes for pops: http://www.wilton.com/recipes/browse.cfm?cat=Pops&cmp=EMC-ewivb011111&icid=popsrecipes-image The one you mentioned isn’t there but I’d do exactly what you said to recreate it. I get really irritated when someone won’t share a recipe so I’d totally recreate it on my own to show her I don’t need her stinky recipe anyway! haha
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Veronica,
I made the balls refrigerated overnight but they seem to heavy to stay on the stick. Did I use too much frosting or make the balls too big? Any ideas?
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The balls should be about an inch wide. What do you mean they seem to heavy to stay on the stick? Did you dip the sticks in chocolate before putting them into the balls? That should prevent them from sliding down the stick after dipping the entire pop and setting them up to dry.
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Thanks Veronica, I think the first time I made them I used too much frosting and made them too big. I tried a second batch and used a small cookie scoop to keep them a smaller size and it worked perfectly. they are a big hit!
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How in the world are people like Bakerella getting these so perfectly round??
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Perhaps you should ask her. I have no idea!
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she may be using a commercial meat baller. It is like an ice cream scoop http://www.google.com/products/catalog?q=meat+baller&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=shop&cid=10237558455237345110&sa=X&ei=EqrqTZuVI8Xh0QGooMmtAQ&ved=0CDYQ8wIwAA
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I have tried to make the cake pops a few times and am having trouble with the consistency of the cake – they are too moist and fall off the sticks. Do you have any advice?
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How much frosting are you using?
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1 tub of frosting – but i just realized your recipe only calls for half of the tub. That might be the issue. I think Bakerella called for 1 tub.
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Yup, I think it’s too much frosting, then. Bakerella puts “1 tub of frosting” in her recipe but then in the directions, she does say to use only about 3/4 of it or just enough to get the cake to stick together. I start with just a little and add more as needed so it doesn’t get too mushy. Good luck!
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Has anyone tried freezing these after dipping and sprinkling with sprinkles? My daughter’s getting married in October and I want to make these in advance.
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I have frozen them but not with sprinkles as I was afraid the colors would run when they started to sweat after taking them from the freezer. You could put them from the freezer into the fridge the day before, and that should be fine since they would be coming to room temp at a slower rate. They sweat like crazy if you take them straight from the freezer. Good luck!
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I have some in the freezer now loaded with sprinkles and they’re fine. No running of colors although, I have treat bags ‘covering’ each one separately but not wrapped entirely. When they come straight from the freezer, they do tend to sweat but if I leave them ALONE for a while in the display stand, they’ll come to temp. and all is right with the world. :)
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Hi Veronica,
Thanks for the tutorial…just want to clear one thing up for myself. After you initially dip the stick into the chocolate and then into the ball to help the ball stick better, do you then refrigerate before you dip the entire ball to coat?
I’m also using the Wilton candy coating and was having a hard time with the consistency. Made sure not to overheat and tried this a couple times. Finally I just added some vegetable oil to thin it out a little…worked MUCH better. The coating still got hard, had no problem with it. I noticed several people having this same problem (I guess the Wilton candy just doesn’t get as thin??) so wanted to let them know!
Thanks SO much!!
Aymie
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Sorry I am so delayed in responding–I lost your comment notification in the swamp of my overflowing inbox! I do not refrigerate the balls after putting the stick in, as they are cold enough to harden the chocolate quickly. However, towards the end of dipping the balls seem to be getting to warm and want to slide off the stick a little so it may be best to go ahead and do half a batch at a time, refrigerating half while you’re dipping the others. Thanks for the tip with the oil!
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Thanks so much for following up! I’m making the cake pops again today and am going to do half batches like you suggested. I really appreciate the advice!!
Update…I found that using the white candy bark and just a few of the colored Wilton candy chips (to add color) gets it the perfect consistency. I was actually surprised at how much color a few chips added! So if you want the color but are frustrated getting the Wilton candy the right consistency, try this route.
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Great tip–thanks!
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OOPS, one more question…thought I read somewhere that you could flavor the candy coating?? Do you know how to do this?
Thanks again!!
Aymie
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I have not tried it but I’m guessing any extract would do, although I’m hesitant to suggest this since I’m not sure if that would cause the chocolate to seize like water would. A flavor emulsion might be a better bet, but I’ve only found those at my cake supply store and am not sure they are widely available.
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Just a quick update…I found Wilton Candy Oils that worked great flavoring the coating. The only ones I could find came in a pack of 4 (peppermint, creme de menthe, cinnamon,cherry). I flavored my candy coating with the creme de menthe and made double chocolate pops. My sister’s kids LOVED them!
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Great!
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check out kathyphantastic’s cakepops – she’s made so many variations!
http://www.kathyphantastic.com/?tag=cakepops
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Wow! i’m so silly, i thought you had to bake the cake into a ball :) thanks so much x
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رائعه انتي
ممتازه
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I made the cake balls last night. I made them a little bit bigger than an inch. When I took them out I started dipping them in the melted chocolate and it was working out okay. I didnt have enough styrafom so I let the other ones to cool off. A half an hour later I tried to dip the other cake balls in the choclate but they started breaking. I just wanted to know why did they start breaking?
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I missed your comment and just now found it while I was reading through the FAQ’s to to a post on cake pop troubleshooting and FAQ’s. So sorry! It sounds like your undipped pops sat outside the fridge too long before you started dipping them. Next time, make sure they aren’t outside the fridge for more than 10-15 minutes.
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OMG! These are gorgeous!! I am definitely going to try these for my daughter’s birthday party. Two questions:
1) Can I also use white chocolate?
2) How many days in advance can these be made (totally formed)? Her party would be on a Sunday morning.
Thanks!!
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Yes, you can definitely use white chocolate candy coating or even real white chocolate, mixed with some shortening (maybe a tablespoon per pound or so). If you use white with a dark colored cake like red or chocolate, be aware that you might have to coat them thicker since you can see through white. You could make them a week ahead of time and store them in the fridge until the day of the party. They are best served at room temperature.
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Hi Veronica.
You & Bakerelle make it look so easy…thanks!
So I am trying cake pops tihis week and I am wondering if I can use Wilton Chocolate Pro Fountain & Fondue Chocolate for dipping the cake pops.
Have you tried coloring them recently? I need them black and there are no Wilton Candy Melts in that color. I checked all the stores and my area and could not find black so I will definitely need to color.
I appreciate any help you can provide.
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I’m not familiar with the Wilton fondue chocolate but if it dries hard, then it will work. I personally had trouble with my chocolate seizing when I added color, although every website I’ve been to recommends using the exact kind of color I used–the gel meant for coloring icing. Once my chocolate seized, I added some vegetable oil and it got smooth again but I added too much and it wouldn’t harden as much as it should have. Definitely don’t use regular food coloring as it is water based and will cause the chocolate to seize. Apparently there is food coloring meant for candy, although I’ve never seen it, that is oil based and ideal for coloring chocolate. Good luck with your pops!
Veronica
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I found the candy coloring in the candy section at my local craft store. It should be right next to the baggies and whatnot. I had problems using the regular icings because they contain water. The candy colors do not.
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