How to make cake pops...

Cake pops are basically balls of cake...covered in chocolate...on sticks!  Yum!
They are really cute and fun and a great way to use left-over cake!   They are incredibly delicious.... the chocolate shell gives way with a little snap to a moist and soft inside and it melts in your mouth.  They are not as rich as truffles, but they are still very sweet.
This is a really really simple guide to the basic cake pop....no crazy machines or special tools needed, just simply made from scratch, by hand.  Once you have mastered this you can then move on to make them more decorative with different flavours etc!  They are great fun to make.

You will need:  Ingredients for frosting, some cake, cooled (I usually use cake that I have left over, it can be any flavour), cake pop sticks (you can get these from any cake making suppliers, or even off ebay!), chocolate or candy melts (any flavour, any colour!  You decide!  The only thing I would say is don't use chocolate chips, they are not designed for melting and don't use really cheap chocolate, because it does strange things when it is melting!)

Step 1:  Mix together a frosting...any flavour frosting...!   For these cake pops I used a simple vanilla frosting.

step 1

Step 2:  Use your hands to crumble the cake into the frosting.  I never really measure out the cake and frosting, you will easily be able to work out how much you need of each.  The basic guide I go by is that you need it to be more wet than dry...more frosting than cake!  If it needs a little extra moisture and you don't have enough frosting then just add a little bit of milk or cream.

Combine the mixture well and put it in the fridge for at least one hour.  I usually set mine over night, but you can leave it in the fridge for a couple of days, as long as it is covered.

You will know that you did it right if the mixture has set firm and it is easy to complete step 3.

step 2

Step 3:  Now that the mixture is chilled, use your hands to roll the mixture into small balls.  I usually just put mine straight onto a clean baking tray, but you can also use grease-proof paper if you find that easier.  You can put these back in the fridge at this point too...or you can continue straight to step 4...

step 3

step 4

Step 4:  Melt the chocolate or the candy melts.  You can temper the chocolate if you know how and that helps you cover the cake pop really well, with a nice smooth finish.  But I am keeping to the basics!  :)  I usually melt my chocolate in a glass bowl over some simmering water.  Dip the tip of the lolly-pop sticks into the chocolate and stick it one into each ball.  Let them set in the fridge so they are secure.  You can even put them in the freezer for a short while, so they harden.

step 4

 Step 5:  Using more melted chocolate or candy melts, use a spoon to help you cover the balls with chocolate.  Don't put too much on and don't keep them over the heat too long, or the cake pop will collapse!  

step 5

Step 6:   While the chocolate is still setting, decorate them with sprinkles of your choice.  I let mine set by sticking them into a square of dry oasis or polystyrene.  Once the dry oasis is full of cake pops put it in the fridge to set hard.

Step7:  Eat and enjoy!  :)  Google cake pop recipes and you will find hundreds of recipe ideas for them!