I have a confession. It's a big one, and a bit embarrassing for me to admit. Here it is.
I adore making cake pops...
...But I hate eating them.
These cake pops were ridiculously, *almost shamefully* easy. This is my first tutorial, so bear with me. If you are a cake pop pro, feel free to skip the first several steps which are basic instructions for making cake pops and go straight to the decorating stage. If you aren't familiar with cake pops or how to make them, I'm going step by step for ya!
First things first. Assembling the cake pops. I used some leftover, unfrosted red velvet cupcakes. I love transforming past-their-prime (but still yummy) cupcakes into cake pops. Crumble up the cake into small pieces. I know some people use a food processor, but I've never felt the need.
Then add your frosting of choice. For cake pops, I usually use a baking mix and store-bought frosting. I just don't see the need to go for scratch with cake pops! Start with a small amount of frosting, mix, and then add more as needed. You do not want to add too much frosting! The right amount is when the cake holds together when you squeeze it and you can form a ball as seen in the last picture. Too much frosting will keep your cake pops from holding their shape and result in jumpers (cake pops that slide down or fall off their sticks).
Next, roll your cake into balls. I measured a heaping tablespoon to make sure they were all close to the same size. Try to make sure they are relatively smooth, with no big cracks. Cracks will worsen after you chill them and especially if you over-chill them, and cause them to break when you insert the stick. Because these will be covered with fondant to make the ghost, they don't have to be exactly perfect though. I chill them in the freezer for 15-20 minutes, and then put them in the fridge.
Melt your candy melts (I use Wilton brand melts). I like to add a splash of vegetable oil or a teaspoon of shortening to thin the melts just a little bit. I've found straight melts are a little too thick, but it's a personal preference.
I also like to use the shorter lollipop sticks instead of long cake pop sticks. Dip your stick into the melted candy and then straight into the center of your cake pop, careful not to go to far past the center of the pop. I let the candy set before I dip the entire pop into the melts. I then use a block of styrofoam to hold them as they dry.
Now comes the fun part!!
My supplies: Wilton candy melts and sticks, fondant, cornstarch, edible markers, candy eyes, and a cookie cutter. I rolled out the white fondant pretty thin, then cut it with my wavy-edged cookie cutter. If you don't have a cutter like this, you could do a plain circle or even cut your own wavy pattern with a pizza cutter. There are no rules here, peeps. I like to thin out the edges of the cut out shape on a foam sponge with a lollipop stick, but it isn't strictly necessary and you could just use your fingers to squeeze the edges. My cutter was just a little bit too small, so I rolled the fondant again after it was cut out to stretch it but was careful not to alter the shape.
Rub a little bit of melted candy onto the center of the fondant and drape over the pop. Smooth down and then use your fingers to shape. Now get crazy and give your ghosts some personality! I used candy eyes from Michaels for most of them (also attached with melted candy) but I also used black fondant to make eyes as well. I used fondant to make lips, bows, and mustaches. I used the edible marker to draw on eyelashes.
And there you have it! Please leave me a comment and let me know what you think of my first tutorial!
-Dani
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