Cake Pops

From Cake Pops

This year I have found a new passion! Cake Pops or Cake Balls if they are not put on a stick.
And the best part, they taste just as good as they look!

1 box cake mix
I have used both a red velvet cake mix and a chocolate fudge cake mix.
I fancied  up the chocolate cake mix using this recipe:
http://heathercookshealthy.blogspot.com/2008/11/darn-good-chocolate-cake.html
When I used just the cake mix it made 40 cake pops
When I used the "Darn good chocolate cake" recipe it made 60 cake pops.

Cool the cake completely then cut it into squares and crumble into a large bowl. I use my kitchen aid.
At this point you can add any flavor of frosting you would like. I have always used the Chocolate frosting recipe on the back of the Hershey's cocoa package.
Add about 3/4 of the frosting. Using a spoon or ,if using a kitchen aid, use the dough hook  and mix thoroughly.
Use a medium size cookie scoop to form the balls. Roll them in your hands to round them.

At this point you can choose to make cake pops on sucker sticks or to plan to put them in a small candy cup.
Dip either and sucker sticks or a tooth picks in melted chocolate and insert into the cake balls.
Place in the freezer for at least 1 hour. If they do not stay very cold they begin to fall apart as they are dipped. Very frustrating!

Here are some web sites to see pictures of how other people decorated their cake pops
http://www.bakerella.com/category/pops-bites/cake-pops/
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/cake-balls/detail.aspx

Dip in Chocolate chips or White chocolate using the dipping instructions on the package. 
I have tried using candy coating, it didn't work well because the cake is so cold coming out of the freezer.
Quickly decorate while the chocolate is still wet.

Use foam to hold the cake pops while they dry. I have also found,if only making a few cake pops, that large rice cakes also work to hold the cake pops while they dry.

I store the cake pops in the fridge

 Have fun and Enjoy!