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. 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 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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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!!
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hanae (1 discussion) on Feb 27, 2012 at 02:50 AM
looks so cute and good for kid's parties. no mess!
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Laramarie (2 discussions) on Feb 19, 2012 at 05:19 PM
so much fun to make and delicious! Everyone snatched them up instantly.
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kharvey10 (1 discussion) on Feb 4, 2012 at 06:19 PM
my coworker made these for national chocolate cake day last week using G.Chocolate cake mix and chocolate glaze coating. I work at a place that packages cake mixes and as such I'm not big on eating cake at all - but these were a hit.
Comment by: Jessica17 (1 discussion) on Apr 14, 2012 at 02:35 PM
there's national chocolate cake day? when is it?
No Rating
Dixie8 (1 discussion) on Jan 25, 2012 at 09:55 AM
When the recipe suggests you add a pudding mix, does it mean a regular mix or an "instant" pudding mix? Anyone know.
Comment by: kimberly.nevels (no discussions) on May 22, 2012 at 02:27 AM
Instant pudding mix but just the pudding mix not the pudding made from the mix.
No Rating
tanya4man (1 discussion) on Dec 22, 2011 at 09:57 PM
I bought the cake pop pans but it's a waste of money. The cake pops don not come out round - their like a cone shape. Also it's much harder to work with when dipping into the melted chocolate because the cake is soft even after you put it in the refrigerator or freezer.
Comment by: dentr (no discussions) on Feb 15, 2012 at 10:12 AM
I bought a cake pop pan as well, I did not experience the same problem you did. My cake pops were round and after placing them in the refrigerator they did great. I did not use candy melts, i melted homemade cream cheese icing in the microwave and everything turned out fine.
No Rating
challeve (1 discussion) on Nov 20, 2011 at 02:47 PM
You can actually make the pops by baking them in a cake pops pan. You can get the pans in the "As Seen on TV" stores. Then you'll just have to place the pops on the stick and decorate. A great time saver.
Comment by: Baking Deva (no discussions) on Nov 21, 2011 at 01:39 PM
I'm going to the "As Seen on TV" store to go and pick it up
Comment by: hikerchick (no discussions) on Feb 16, 2012 at 09:38 AM
those cake pop pans are not the same thing as cake pops. it's just cake on a stick and it falls off. much better to make them yourself
Comment by: PearlPop (1 discussion) on Mar 27, 2012 at 04:09 PM
I have to agree with HikerChick. It doesn't take long to bake a cake and crumble and mix with frosting. This allows you to have a dough that you can shape into anything. (I made toliet cake pops for my daughter's 21st birthday). The baby cake pops is just a round cupcake and not truly a cake pop. Doesn't taste as good as the ones mixed with frosting and dipped in candy coating.
No Rating
SassyMom (1 discussion) on Oct 20, 2011 at 06:25 PM
I just made my first batch of POPS and had problems with the candy melts being thin enough to coat properly. I did add the vegetable oil but will try the shortening next time. Any particular brand you would recommend?
Comment by: bajpurple@fuse.net (no discussions) on Dec 11, 2011 at 06:06 AM
Make n' Mold is the best and tastes great. You can find them either online or at Hobby Lobby
Comment by: PearlPop (1 discussion) on Mar 27, 2012 at 04:12 PM
I just use a little crisco to smooth them out. If you over microwave them they will be dried out. I use a large electric skillet set on the lowest temp, it keeps the candy coats melted without over melting. And I use corningware coffee cups about 8 or so with different colors. Don't get any water or use liquid gel colors in your melts, it wil also cause the melts to harden.
No Rating
hollyscakes (1 discussion) on Sep 2, 2011 at 11:04 AM
i have learned to never add veg oil to the candy melts, only shortening! Veg oil will make the melts seize up! I have been making cake pops professionally for over a year now and learned that the hard way! =)
Comment by: madannie1 (no discussions) on Feb 1, 2012 at 04:58 PM
Just curious if you've ever used a little bit of paraffin wax in your candy melts. I make a peanut butter ball and use the wax and it hardens quicker, which works great, but it's with chocolate chips not candy coating..
No Rating
smillin (1 discussion) on Aug 22, 2011 at 12:50 PM
This looks delicious. They almost look the ones I just got from Cake Pop Creations
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denisek (1 discussion) on Aug 9, 2011 at 11:55 AM
Just made cake pops as a favor for a bridal shower....they were amazing.
Comment by: StephC (no discussions) on Aug 9, 2011 at 04:03 PM
I am making them for a bridal shower this saturday too! How did you make yours? I am trying to decide what kind of cake and icing to use..
No Rating
bakingmummum (5 discussions) on Aug 2, 2011 at 12:25 PM
I took ice cream cones filled with ice cream top with cake pop coated ,sprinkled.was eaten then or was frozen for later as small ice cream cakes
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Daniella30 (1 discussion) on Jul 17, 2011 at 12:43 AM
www.bakerella.com
left hand side where it says "Cake Pops",
Are so many ways you can decorate them using this website!...i used some pops for my daughters 1st birthday! AMAZINGG!
left hand side where it says "Cake Pops",
Are so many ways you can decorate them using this website!...i used some pops for my daughters 1st birthday! AMAZINGG!
No Rating
AngieR (1 discussion) on Jul 8, 2011 at 12:07 PM
I also made them. I used the devil's food cake mix and added coffee to the mix instead of water and added toffee bits to the batter. After dipping them in the chocolate, I decorated with the left over toffee bits and called them chocolate coffee toffee bites. Everyone loved them!
Comment by: lucieloveskouie (1 discussion) on Sep 16, 2011 at 10:47 PM
personally, i really don't understand all the hoopla about cake pops. they're not very good (tastes like mush to me no matter much or little frosting i use), but they are super fun to make. and they do look very nice- presentationwise. BUT i totally like what u did. i'm gonna try it. maybe my feelings will change. :)
