Mini-bites of candy-coated Duncan Hines cake sit playfully atop lollipop sticks. The decorating possibilities are endless with these tasty treats.
- 1 box Duncan Hines Triple Chocolate Decadent Cake Mix
- 1/2 container Duncan Hines Creamy Home-Style Dark Chocolate Fudge Frosting
- 32 oz. Wilton Candy Melts® or candy coating
- 2 tsp. shortening or veg. oil
Special Tools:
- Lollipop sticks
- Styrofoam block
- Decorations for cake pops i.e. coconut, nuts, candy
- Bake cake as directed in a 9 x 13 pan and let cool completely.
- Crumble cake up into a large bowl.
- Soften frosting for 10 seconds in microwave. Add frosting to crumbled cake and stir with a fork until frosting disappears and is completely incorporated into the cake crumbs. Test your mixture by picking up a handful and squeezing it together. It should hold together without breaking apart.If mixture is too dry, add more frosting.
- Roll mixture into walnut-sized cake balls and transfer to a wax paper lined baking cookie sheet. Make sure balls are tightly packed and look smooth with no cracks. If they appear cracked, you may need to add more frosting.
- Transfer cookie sheet with cake balls to freezer or refrigerator for 15 to 20 minutes.
- Place 16oz. of the Wilton Candy Melts® in a small, deep microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring each time until completely melted. The melted coating should coat a spoon but still be able to slowly drip off. If coating is too thick, add shortening or vegetable oil 1/2 teaspoon at a time. Do not exceed 2 teaspoons per 16 ounces of candy coating or the cake pops will crack.
- Remove cake balls from freezer. Dip tips of lollipop sticks into candy coating and insert sticks no more than halfway into center of your cake balls. Let them set for 1 to 2 minutes, resting on the cake ball, sticks in the air.
- Pick up cake pop by the stick and dip into candy coating. Gently tap stick against side of bowl and rotate cake pop to help excess coating fall back into bowl. (Reheat and/or melt more candy coating as needed.)
- If decorating your cake pop, add your sprinkles, nuts or candy right after dipping, before coating dries.
- Poke stick of cake pop into Styrofoam block to stand up straight and dry completely, about 5 minutes.
Notes:
- Make sure your Styrofoam block and all sprinkles, nuts and decorations are ready to go before you start dipping your cake pops. The candy coating hardens within a minute, so you have no time to lose!
- For decorations, check your local craft store or baking aisle at the grocery store for colored sprinkles nuts and candies. You can also use M&M's, chocolate chips, colored sugar, or coconut. If you want to draw on your cake pop, you can buy decorating pens. They work like markers but are food safe, with edible ink.
Simple ideas to make your baking even better.
Instructional photos take you from start to finish.
Cake Pops Made Easy
When baking with Duncan Hines always make sure you have all your ingredients and tools ready to go. For cake pops, you'll need a styrofoam block, lollipop sticks, nuts, sugars and any decorations ready beforehand. You can use shortening or vegetable oil to thin out the melted candy coating. Once you've dipped your cake pops the coating hardens quickly, so please apply decorations before it dries.
Find out how Baker's Club Member Christine Mlinek creates and personalizes her own Cake Pops.
What do you love most about making Cake Pops?
It's easy. You make a cake, crumble it up and dip it in chocolate.
Do you have any tips for personalizing your Cake Pops?
Color the frosting for the different seasons: make Easter Pops and cover them with little Easter candies, and then at Christmastime, change them with a red tint to the vanilla chips. And you can do that with pretty much any cake mix.
What baking inspirations have you gotten from the Duncan Hines website?
What I learned is the variety that you can get from a cake mix box! It's that extra effort that you put into your desserts that really just sets them off. I did a white cake mix and changed out the water for coconut milk and sprinkled coconut on top of it.
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Rating:
spice31 (1 discussion) on Mar 27, 2013 at 11:30 PM
I can wait to try this for Easter together with my girls
No Rating
Kbaby101 (2 discussions) on Feb 14, 2013 at 11:39 AM
can anyone tell me how i can get the cake pops to stay on the stick? they keep falling off! even when i freeze them on!
Comment by: Cupcake365 (10 discussions) on Feb 20, 2013 at 08:50 PM
first you dip the stick only a lttle bit and then stick it into the cake ball that is what i learned to do and it really does work! (; hope i helped (:
No Rating
judygreenwell (1 discussion) on Jan 3, 2013 at 03:33 PM
I'm planning to make lemon pops and wondered if a lemon glaze would work instead of candy melts.
Comment by: syrijs13 (no discussions) on Mar 6, 2013 at 05:38 PM
I have actually been thinking of dipping in partly congealed lemon jello. Using less water in the jello, maybe some fresh lemon juice and zest. Or a lemon liqueor
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lillian.jordan.773 (3 discussions) on Dec 21, 2012 at 10:51 AM
This is a cooking ac
This is a Christmas cooking activity for my class
This is a Christmas cooking activity for my class
Rating:
Nina76 (1 discussion) on Dec 20, 2012 at 08:00 PM
These are really good. I made red velvet with cream cheese frosting, white cake with oreos and vanilla frosting, and the chocolate ones directly from the recipe. First, I would chill them for at least an hour, I found it worked better than the 15-20m recommended. Second, I would push the stick all the way in....I found they didn't fall off when I dipped them. Third, these were extremely time consuming and messy. I know that they will be enjoyed immensely but I don't know if I'll ever make them again.
No Rating
ystephens (1 discussion) on Oct 12, 2012 at 04:48 PM
I have to make some for my my 2 year old grand niece's birthday...and I thought since I will have left over cake to make some for the adults using maybe some grand marnier....any flavor combinations for the kids? for the adults? Thanks
No Rating
akerce61 (1 discussion) on Aug 30, 2012 at 08:44 PM
I have 3 cake pops baskets to make this weekend and I am making as samplers. I have 7 kinds of pops in them. I like to do it that way because it gives every one a chance to try a flavor they like.
No Rating
Hibbsgang (26 discussions) on Aug 13, 2012 at 10:10 AM
I use my little crock pot too keep the candy melts warm.
Comment by: nancy.d.todd (no discussions) on Sep 3, 2012 at 01:01 PM
I used my rice cooker for my grandaughter's birthday. I melted the candy by setting it on cook; then kept them on warm. It works for larger batches.
No Rating
AlaskaCook (2 discussions) on Aug 12, 2012 at 03:01 AM
Can you make these in advance and freeze them once the chocolate coating is on? I am thinking of doing this for a dessert bar for wedding, but would need to make them in advance. Thanks
Comment by: jmiers (no discussions) on Aug 30, 2012 at 08:08 AM
I make cake balls for weddings and events all the time and have frozen them for weeks and they still taste delicious!
Comment by: jmiers (no discussions) on Aug 30, 2012 at 01:00 PM
Sure can! Just make sure to thaw them out in the fridge before bringing them anywhere or else they will sweat a lot.
Comment by: akerce61 (1 discussion) on Aug 30, 2012 at 08:25 PM
Yes you can freeze them. I do it all the time. Its nice to have a small snack thats ready to go.
No Rating
Aaguirre92 (1 discussion) on Jun 8, 2012 at 04:41 PM
I am going to try this recipe for my sons birthday. I was wondering though if instead of using chocolate coating can u use actual cake frosting? Has anyone ever tried using frosting before?
Comment by: tyneishawilliams.wallace (no discussions) on Jun 11, 2012 at 04:59 PM
cake frosting wont work but they have different flavors of candy melts that will work..
Comment by: kissthekitty (no discussions) on Jun 12, 2012 at 04:30 PM
I make these all the time & no, icing wont work only to help the cake stick together when you are making the balls. you can get candy melts at michaels or the grocery store. I've used hersheys plain chocolate bars before & they work fine too but I usually use the melts just because the color selection is amazing!
Comment by: akerce61 (1 discussion) on Aug 30, 2012 at 08:46 PM
frosting doesnt work because it doesnt harden like the candy coating. If you put them in a clear bag with frosting on them it will stick all over the bag and make a mess.
No Rating
kim.parrett (1 discussion) on May 19, 2012 at 09:38 AM
I am VERY NEW to this concept and although it looks very easy I still like to check things out a little. Can you use a red velvet cake and cream cheese frosting for pops? Anyone ever use a mini crock pot to keep the chocolate melts melted or would that be too much melted at one time? Going to attempt making a mortar board design for graduation - anyone have any helpful hints?
Comment by: kimberly.nevels (no discussions) on May 22, 2012 at 02:26 AM
Yes you can you any flavor cake and frosting. Don't let your chocolate get too hot, that is the only problem with the mini crock pots. I'm actually doing graduation ones also. Make the square tops first then use a little chocolate to adhear them when ready. Also, pre-poke your holes in the styrofoam.
Comment by: kim.parrett (1 discussion) on May 22, 2012 at 10:29 PM
kimberly.nevels - Thank you so much for the advice - it will definitely be used!!
Comment by: akerce61 (1 discussion) on Aug 30, 2012 at 08:28 PM
I make cake pops all the time and the good thing about them is you can make them any way you want. I come up with new flavors all the time. I just made coconut with Dk choc coating with almonds for the topping. Everyone loved them
Comment by: akerce61 (1 discussion) on Aug 30, 2012 at 08:30 PM
cake pops are not hard to make, but they do take a lot of time if you get into different toppings and coatings. I make around 100 at a time and they taste great.
Rating:
hanae (1 discussion) on Feb 27, 2012 at 02:50 AM
looks so cute and good for kid's parties. no mess!
Comment by: akerce61 (1 discussion) on Aug 30, 2012 at 08:33 PM
they are great for any party not just kids. You can dress them up or make them plain. They are so much fun to make
Rating:
Laramarie (2 discussions) on Feb 19, 2012 at 05:19 PM
so much fun to make and delicious! Everyone snatched them up instantly.
