Cake Pops (100 % From Scratch)

There are a plethora of cake pop recipes available, but when it comes to recipes that are completely from scratch, they are very few and far between. Most recipes call for box cake mix, canned frosting and/or candy melts. I personally do not like to use cake mix or canned frosting, because I don't think they are cost effective and I like to be able to control what I put in my food. Candy melts contain sugar, milk solids, vegetable oils, flavorings, (Which flavorings? Where do the flavorings come from?) and colors (I personally don't like food coloring). So I decided to come up with my own recipes to control what is in the cake pops and create my own combination of flavors. Besides, food made from scratch always tastes better.

I started out by finding recipes for basic layer cakes and halving the recipe so I would end up with only one of the layers.

On a side note, my mom taught me a trick for keeping the cake from sticking to the cake pan.   I am assuming she learned it from my grandmother and maybe even my great grandmother.  It is not as essential of a tip if you have nonstick pans (I would like to eventually find a non-coated cake pan), but it still makes it a lot easier to get the cake out of the pan.  Although, as you will see, it really doesn't matter how nicely the cake comes out of the pan in this case, because you are going to destroy the integrity of the cake anyway.  It's still a helpful technique if you want to make a cake in the future and have it come out intact. 

 If you are making two single layer cakes or a double layer cake cut and fold a piece of parchment paper (you can also use wax paper) in half so it is double layered.  If you are only making a single cake, then you only need to cut the paper so it is slightly larger than the cake plate.  Set the cake plate on top and in the center of the paper.


               Next, open scissors all of the way up.  Using one of the 
                         blades, carefully trace around the cake pan etching
                         the parchment paper in the exact size and shape of
                         the cake pan. 

It should look something like this

Then cut out the circle(s).

Butter or oil the bottom and sides of the cake pans and place the parchment circles in the pan. You can pour the cake batter directly on the paper and your cake won't stick.  

Chocolate Cake Pops 

Variations: Chocolate Raspberry Cake Pops & Chocolate Orange Cake Pops

There are 3 basic components to cake pops: the cake, the frosting, and the covering.

First make a basic chocolate cake (the measurements are a little odd, because the recipe was cut in half to make only one of the two layer cakes:

Chocolate Cake (makes 1 (9-inch round) cake)

1 egg
1 c sugar
1 c + 2 T all purpose flour
1/4 c + 2 T cocoa powder
3/4 t baking soda
3/4 t baking powder
1/2 c boiling water
1/4 c vegetable oil
1/2 c milk
pinch of salt

1. Preheat oven to 350 and grease 1 (9-inch) cake pan

2. Beat eggs and oil using an electric mixer
 
3. Add sugar and beat well

4. Whisk together four, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl. (I use aluminum free baking powder to keep aluminum out of my body.)

5. Gradually add some (about 1/4) of the four mixture to the sugar mixture and blend.

6. Add milk and water, beat until well mixed.

7. Then add the remaining flour mixture and mix until combined.

8.   Pour cake batter into prepared cake pan and bake for 25-30 minutes until toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the center.

Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

A lot of recipes call for butter cream frosting.  The problem with this is it is kind of heavy and makes the cake pops really sweet (for my own tastes, it almost makes them sickeningly sweet).  The cream cheese frosting is light and so good.  I promise it won't disappoint.

2 T unsalted butter, softened
4 oz cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 oz (If using ghirardelli it comes to 3 squares) unsweetened chocolate, melted
1 1/2 c confectioner's (powdered) sugar
8 t half and half
1/2 t vanilla

1. Combine butter and cream cheese and beat until light and fluffy with an electric mixer.

2. Add melted chocolate, sugar, half and half, and vanilla and beat until well combined.

Chocolate Raspberry Cake Pop Variation

Add 1/2 c raspberry jelly or jam to the frosting in step 2.  If using jam and you don't want any seeds, you can warm the jam and put through a strainer to remove the seeds.

Chocolate Orange Cake Pop Variation

Add 1/2 t orange extract to the frosting in step 2. 

"Variety Pack" Variation

I wanted a variety of different cake pops, so I divided the frosting after step 2 into two small mixing bowls. I put 1/4 c of the "de-seeded" raspberry jam in one bowl and 1/4 t orange extract in the other and beat until each was well combined. 

Assembling the Cake Pops:

Materials Needed:

• Cake/cookie lollypop sticks
• 12-16 oz  milk, or dark chocolate chopped
• Double Boiler or bowl on top of simmering water
• Room in the freezer
• Styrofoam block or small cardboard box with holes punched in it                                                 (I used an egg carton the first time and I didn't feel like it worked that well and decided to move to using the cardboard box)
• 2-4 oz chopped white chocolate, melted (optional for decorating) or zest of one orange mixed with 1 T granulated sugar (optional for decorating)
• Pastry bag or zip-lock bag with corner one cut to pipe the melted white chocolate if using

*For "Variety Pack"Variation: 

Divide the cake in half and put each half in two separate bowls. Then continue following the directions.

Assembly For all of the Chocolate Cake Pop Variations:

Using a fork (or your hands if you like) crumble the cake. (This step always seems weird to me.  Normally I try so hard to keep the cake looking beautiful and here it gets destroyed into a crumbled mess).

Next mix in frosting and shape into cake balls. Melt 1/4 c chopped  chocolate in a double boiler or a bowl set on top of a pot of simmering water.  Dip cake pops in melted chocolate and then into cake balls (the melted chocolate acts like glue to hold the sticks in place). Place in freezer for a minimum of 15 minutes. 

Melt 8-12 oz chocolate and then put in a small bowl for dipping.  The smaller the bowl, the better.  I used one of my anchor glass ramekins and it worked really well.  Dip cake balls into chocolate and tap stick gently on the edge of the bowl to remove excess chocolate.  Stick cake pops into styrofoam block or cardboard box to dry (if you want to expedite this process you can place the block or box in the freezer once you get the cake pops made).

Chocolate Raspberry Cake Pop Variation

Add 1/8 t to 1/4 t of raspberry extract (to taste) to the melted chocolate before dipping.

Chocolate Orange Cake Pop Variation

Add 1/4 t to 1/2 t of orange extract (to taste) to the melted chocolate before dipping.

"Variety Pack" Variation

Divide the chopped chocolate  in half and melt half of the chocolate and dip half of the chocolate cake pops at a time.  To one half of the melted chocolate, add 1/8 t raspberry extract (or a little less depending on the strength of your extract) and add 1/8 to 1/4 t orange extract to the other half of the melted chocolate.

Decorating the cake pops:

If desired, pipe melted white chocolate on top.  If you want the white chocolate to be pink to reflect the chocolate raspberry variation, add a small amount of raspberry jelly or "de-seeded" raspberry jam if you don't want to use food dye. 

For the chocolate orange variation, sprinkle orange zest (from one orange) mixed with 1 T sugar immediately after dipping in melted chocolate so it sticks to the top (see picture below).

Lemon Cake Pops

 If you have ever had See's Candies' Lemon Truffles, these cake pops taste just like them. They are so incredibly good and they are my favorite of all the types I have made.  You can coat them in white, milk, or dark chocolate (my personal preference is the dark chocolate---simply amazing).

 First make the cake:

Lemon Cake (makes 1 (9-inch round) cake)

1 1/2 c cake flour
3/4 t baking powder
1/2 t ground ginger
1/4 t salt
6 T unsalted butter
1 c sugar
2 eggs, separated
1 T lemon juice
1/2 t vanilla
3/4 c buttermilk
1/8 t cream of tartar

1. Preheat oven to 350 and grease a 9-inch cake pan

2. Combine flour, baking powder, ginger, and salt and whisk together.

3. Beat butter and sugar at medium speed until fluffy

4. Beat in yolks, 1 at a time

5. Beat in lemon juice and vanilla

6. Beat in the flour mixture and buttermilk, about a quarter at at time of each, alternating between flour and buttermilk.   Start with about one quarter of the flour mixture and then add 1/4 c buttermilk.  Repeat, ending with the flour mixture.

7. In a glass or stainless steel (nonreactive metal) bowl, beat egg whites and cream of tartar until stiff peaks form.  Gently fold into batter.

8. Pour batter into prepared cake pan and bake for 35-40 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean with inserted in the center.

Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting

4 oz. cream cheese, softened
6 T unsalted butter, softened
1 c confectioners (powdered) sugar
2 T heavy cream
2 T + 8 t lemon curd (It adds a lot of the yummy lemony flavor to the cake)

1. Using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese until light and fluffy.
2. Add butter, sugar, cream, and lemon curd and beat until blended and whipped.

Assembling the Cake Pops: 

Materials Needed:

• Cake/cookie lollypop sticks
• 12-16 oz white, milk, or dark chocolate chopped
• Double Boiler or bowl on top of simmering water
• Room in the freezer
• Styrofoam block or small cardboard box with holes punched in it
• 2 T lemon curd, warmed (optional) 
• Pastry bag or ziplock bag with corner one cut to pipe the curd if using

Using a fork (or your hands if you like) crumble the cake.

Next mix in frosting and shape into cake balls. Melt 1/4 c chopped  chocolate in a double boiler or a bowl set on top of a pot of simmering water.  Dip cake pops in melted chocolate and then into cake balls (the melted chocolate acts like glue to hold the sticks in place). Place in freezer for a minimum of 15 minutes.  (See the pictures for the chocolate cake pops if needed for assembly.)

Melt 8-12 oz chocolate and then put in a small bowl for dipping.  The smaller the bowl, the better.  I used one of my anchor glass ramekins and it worked really well.  Dip cake balls into chocolate and tap stick gently on the edge of the bowl to remove excess chocolate.  Stick cake pops into styrofoam block or cardboard box to dry (if you want to expedite this process you can place the block or box in the freezer once you get the cake pops made).

If desired, pipe warmed lemon curd on top for decoration.