Cake Pops: A Birthday Treat

Cake Pops: n. 1. cake in lollipop form 2. cake crumbs and icing mixed together, rolled into a ball, covered in chocolate, and eaten on a stick 3. deliciousness

I discovered the definition of this delectable delight of a dessert on the Kitchn, immediately decided I had to make them ASAP, and then remembered my mother's 50th birthday (aka excuse for special desserts) was four days later. So I gifted her with 50 chocolate-dipped balls of chocolate cake crumbs and buttercream icing.

Between the pops, slightly obnoxious 50-themed decorations, and a collaborative book of "50 Nifty Things About Nancy" that made her laugh and cry, I declared a creative birthday gift victory.

Cake Pops

Adapted from The Kitchn

1 batch chocolate cake

1 recipe buttercream frosting

Lollipop sticks (found at Michael's or other craft stores)

12 ounces chocolate chips (I used semisweet)

Bake the cake. I used a box mix and baked it in a 13x9-inch pan according to package instructions.  and let it cool completely on a rack. Let the cake cool completely, and then break the cake into a large bowl. Crumble it with forks or your fingers until it is in fine crumbs.

Pour cake crumbs into prepared frosting and mix with a spoon. Then continue mixing with your fingers, kneading and mixing until fully incorporated into the cake. Check to see if it will roll into a ball. It should: this makes a very malleable, easy-to-handle cake mixture. But if it needs a little extra moisture, add milk a spoonful at a time.

When the mix is completely done, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm. You can leave the mix refrigerated for several days.

Take some of the cake mixture and roll it into a smooth ball. Stick a lollipop stick into the end of each ball and place on a wax paper-lined cookie sheet. Repeat until you've used up all the mixture. As each sheet fills up, put it in the freezer so that the balls harden.

Melt chocolate (or white chocolate, if you prefer) in a double boiler on the stove. Stir well. Dip each ball into the chocolate. If you want to get fancy, dip in them in sugar, coconut, sprinkles, or other decorations. Put it back on the sheet to harden.

Don't refrigerate these; it will cause the coating to weep or melt. They can be frozen, however.