How To Make Cake Pops More Dense

Here’s the thing… Back in my Lucky Duck Cakes days, I was the queen of cake pops. Not to toot my own horn, but… Toot toot!

They were my favorite way to use up cake scraps, and they were perfect for so many different occasions. Different flavors, color combinations, vehicles for sprinkles, crushed cookies, nuts… They are just so fun.

In this cake pop recipe, I’m sharing with you my favorite method for putting together cake pops and, what I believe to be, the best recipe for cake pops.

How To Make The Best Beautiful And Easy Cake Pops

I am also including a section for “Cake Pop Troubleshooting, ” because I’ll be honest… Cake pops take some practice. BUT, the good news is, once you get the hang of it, tasty homemade cake pops are a breeze (and yes, I do still screw up sometimes and I can promise you the messed up ones still taste just as good)!

. Some people like to use a cake pop maker and bake fresh cake balls, giving you, essentially, a ball of cake on a stick.

While that’s all fine and dandy, I find my fan favorite (and personal favorite) method of how to make a cake pop is one that is almost a truffle texture on the inside.

The Perfect Cake Recipe For Cake Pops

A cake pop is similar to a lollipop, but it is made entirely from cake. The inside of the cake pop is made from crumbled cake crumbs, typically held together with frosting or icing, and coated in melted chocolate or candy melts. Cake pops sit as a ball of cake on top of a lollipop stick and are often decorated with sprinkles or occasionally piped designs.

Stale cake is drier than freshly baked cake, and while this may be the last thing you want your slice of cake to be, this is the very thing you want your cake pop cake to be– lots of room for soaking up frosting and increased ability to stick together!

I have totally used freshly baked cake as well, and I’ll make note in the step-by-step instructions on how to gauge your moistness level.

How To Make Cake Pops (easy And Fool Proof)

You can find these in any craft store or store with a baking section (WalMart, Target). I prefer the longer sticks (6″or sometimes 8″), but you may use shorter ones.

You can use any flavor of cake to make cake pops. Whether it’s basic vanilla cake or chocolate cake or something more complex like carrot cake or strawberry cake, any cake flavor can be turned into a cake pop.

If desired, you can add extracts or flavorings to the cake pops to make them even more complex or to turn something like vanilla cake into lemon cake without adding a lot of extra liquid.

Melting Ice Cream Cone Cake Pops — Poetry & Pies

I achieve my favorite truffle-like texture by mixing fully baked cake that has been crumbled into pieces with frosting. The texture is gooey, dense, and like the texture of a fudgy brownie.

I actually had a customer complain to me once that my cake pops were “underdone” in the middle, if that gives you any indication of how I like my pops! As I said, this is my preference, but you’re welcome to start with cake pop maker made cake balls (what?).

One last thing… I prefer using Wilton candy melts for my coating because they are made for purposes like this. You may also use quality baking chocolate, but you’ll need to add some shortening to the chocolate to keep everything super smooth.

Rainbow Cake Pops

Crumble your cake (any flavor) into tiny pieces. I usually use my hands, but I’ve also used my stand mixer. Either way, you want this crumb to be very fine.

Next, you’re going to add your frosting. This can be homemade frosting or store-bought, and any flavor you like. I love adding flavored frosting to my cake pops (and sometimes fresh zest if I’m going fruity)! This is also where you would add spices if you wanted to (add 1 teaspoon of spice, taste, and add more as necessary).

The cake to icing ratio for cake pops is totally up to you and the desired finished texture you want for your pops. My suggestion is to start with 3 cups of cake and ⅓ cup of frosting. Adjust as needed by simply going be feel.

Cake Balls Recipe

I added ⅓ cup of frosting because my cake is usually very dry (since I use stale cake). If you have a moist cake, add 3 Tablespoons of frosting and go from there.

This is where you definitely want to get your hands dirty. Work the frosting into the cake by squeezing and pushinguntil everything is uniform in texture.

If you don’t have or don’t want to use frosting to hold your cake pops together, you can use a mixture of milk + vanilla extract instead. While I do not prefer this method, it is possible and it works.

Cake Pop Dough

You will have to work slowly and carefully to add the amount of milk + vanilla that works with your amount and texture of cake. You are looking for the perfect texture that will hold together without being soggy.

You’re looking for a texture that you can roll into a sturdy ball (meaning the ball should have a bit of give when you push on it but not squish completely).

Therefore, you’re looking for a frosting that is sturdy and not at all runny. My homemade frosting (linked in the recipe) or store bought should be totally fine for this.

Raw Vegan Cake Pops

Roll all of the cake into balls approximately 1 Tablespoon in size. Use a Tablespoon measure if you are unsure how big this is. Try to keep the cake balls on the small side.

If they are too big, they will be too heavy, and you will definitely lose them in the dipping step.Place your cake balls onto one of yourprepared baking sheets.

Place your candy melts (any color) in a glass or ceramic bowl (I say this because I’ve used plastic, and the heat distribution makes keeping the candy melts melted quite difficult). I typically use ½ to ¾ of a 12oz bag per3 cups of cake.

I Hate Making Cake Pops

Heat on MEDIUM (50%) power for 30 seconds, stirring after each session in the microwave. It may seem silly to stir the melts the first couple times since they won’t seem to have melted at all, but trust me, the ones on the outside are hotter.

It usually takes me about 5-6 sessions of 30 seconds at MEDIUM power to achieve the texture I want. As the candy melts start getting meltier (??), stir them vigorously to continue the melting process outside of the microwave.

Grab your cake pop sticks. Working with one stick at a time, dip the tip of a lollipop stick into your melted candy (about ½ an inch). Push this stick into a cake ball about halfway.

Easter Cake Pops

Once your cake balls have set up, it’s time to get to dipping! You may have to reheat your candy melts a little bit (start with 20 seconds on MEDIUM power), but do not work with hot melts!

The temperature differences will be too drastic and you’ll end up with cracks in your coating (more on that in the Troubleshooting section below). As long as you are able to stir your melts and they seem to still be in a fairly viscous state, reheating is not necessary.

Side note… Please excuse my blurry photos below. Turns out that even using a tripod, it is quite difficult to get action shots when you are constantly moving your photographic subject. I think you’ll be able to figure out what I’m showing you!

Cake Pops From Leftover Cake: Easy, Fun, Economical

Working with one ball at a time, submerge the cake ball into the melts, making sure to cover the candy mound you created (more on what happens if you don’t do this in Troubleshooting section below).

I have a habit of tilting my bowl, but this is just the way I prefer to do it and find it makes things easier. Work quickly, as leaving the cake ball in the melts too long is a good way to lose it from the stick!

Lift the cake ball out of the melts and slowly twirl the stick to allow the excess coating to drip off. I also tap my stick LIGHTLY on the side of the bowl to help some of the coating drip off.

Easter Mini Egg Cake Pops

Pull the cake pop to the edge of the bowl and, while still twirling slowly, allow the bowl to scrape the excess from where the stick meets the pop.

You may place your finished cake pops on your second baking sheet (which will make their tops a bit flat) OR you may do what I did here and allow them to dry right side up in a tall glass.

I have also used a large styrofoam block which is a super easy way to allow several cake pops to dry at once.

Protein Cake Pops

Once the pops are completely cool, they’re ready to enjoy! Package them up in plastic goodie bags or serve them as is on a plate or platter.

I stated above that if your melted candy coating are too hot and your cake balls are too cold, there will be earthquake city all over the surface