Wedding Cake Repersonified: Cake Balls and Cake Pops

Photo Credit: from the Cake Pop Queen, Bakerella

By Danielle Andrews Sunkel

In the Spring/Summer issue of Today's Bride, Tracey and I have an article titled "25 HOT Wedding Trends", in it we talk about Cake Balls instead of a Wedding Cake, being big this year (though the magazine changed it to Cups Balls).  The idea has gotten even smaller in the form of Cake Pops.

So after talking about these little treats for months and months, I decided to test them out and see if this would be a good idea for the DIY Bride or if it like most things and better left to the Professionals.  Well, I can say confidently, if it is for a Wedding, just like Wedding Planning, LEAVE IT TO THE PROFESSIONALS!  The Lollicake Company ships everywhere and they are delicious!!

If you are going to make these for a small Bridal Shower, follow the steps below;)

For my experiment, I made Chocolate Cherry Cheesecake Cake Pops and Cake Balls.  The same technique is used for both, just a different presentation.

  

Recipe

The basic recipe for Cake Balls or Pops is really simple.  1 box cake mix, prepare as per instructions, cool completely, crumble, add a can of frosting and mix together.  

Personally, I can't stand the factory-made frosting, so I always make my own.  I did, however, cheat and used a box of Duncan Hines Cherry Chip Cake Mix with my homemade frosting.  Here is my famous Cream Cheese Frosting recipe:

Cream Cheese Frosting

• 1/2 cup butter, softened

• 1 (8 ounce) package philly cream cheese, softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 3 1/2 cups icing sugar
• Cream butter and cream cheese until smooth.  Add vanilla, stir.  Add icing sugar and beat on low speed until combined, then on high speed until the frosting is smooth.

You can combine the crumbled cake and frosting with a spoon, by hand or I just tossed it all in my KitchenAid Mixer.

Steps

Now that you have your cake/frosting mixture, you need to chill it.  Once it has been refrigerated at least an hour, it will be ready to form into balls.  

1-inch balls for Cake Pops and 2-inch balls for Cake Balls.

Place them on a parchment paper-lined cookie sheet.  Place the sheet back in the fridge or even the freezer for another hour.

The Key: KEEP THE CAKE MIXTURE COLD! (Yeah, found that out the hard way.)

Get some good candy-making chocolate from the bulk food store.  I got Belgian Milk Chocolate.  I would suggest using the double-boiler method, to melt the chocolate without burning or scorching it.  If you don't have a double boiler, it is as simple as putting a metal bowl over a boiling pot of water.

Once the chocolate has melted (make sure you are stirring it often as it melts), put the long lollipop sticks into each ball (available at candy-making supply stores, bulk food stores or craft shops).  Obviously omit this step if you are just making Cake Balls.

And dip in the melted chocolate.  Use a spoon for Cake Balls.

For perfect pops, insert the sticks into a brick of styrofoam or florist oasis to let the chocolate cool.  (You may need to put them back in the fridge depending on the type of chocolate you used or how warm your workspace is.)
 
Voila! Chocolate Cherry Cheesecake Cake Balls & Pops

Serve two Cake Balls per person for dessert with strong coffee or milk and a fork.

How do they taste?  My son was inspired enough to make a sign:

 

"What's next," you ask, "pie?"  Um, yeah!

Photo Credit: Bakerella