Today I Made Cake Pops.

I've never been one to be at the forefront of the latest and greatest trends.

I didn't read Twilight until all the books had been published and I only had to wait for one Harry Potter book to be written before I jumped on that bandwagon.  I bought my first pair of skinny jeans only two months ago (Jeggings, I will NEVER wear you) and the ugg-like boots only went on my feet last winter.  So - yeah.  I guess you could say, I'm a late blooming, trend follower.  

(Kate, my sis, enjoying a cake pop)

This is my first attempt at cake pops.  I can only assume that the rest of you have already done this and

a.) won't repeat the attempt

b.) tried it once; have made them a few more times since then

c.) are now cake pop masters

(yummmmmm)

So, this probably won't be my most inspiring post ever, but hey.  If you are someone who hasn't gotten with the cake pop groove yet, just know this - if you never mimic this fad, you can still live a rich and fulfilling life.  :)

Just in case you want to know how to do this and you want me to tell you, here's the play by play.

I bought Dr. Oetker chocolate cake mix and vanilla icing mix because there are no milk or soy products in them and because they don't contain anything hydrogenated.  Woohoo!

(used Earth Balance Natural Spread and Pacific rice drink instead of butter and milk to make the icing)

I won't be buying the icing mix again.  It wasn't until I opened up the package and dumped it into the bowl that I took a second look at the ingredients and realized it was powdered sugar, vanilla, and corn starch (basically).  A definite "duh" moment.  I was supposed to just add milk and butter.  Could have left $3 in my pocket and used what I had at home. 

(using rice drink in the cake mix)

Seriously, Earth Balance and Pacific Foods need to hire me and pay me because I use their products every day and then blog about it.  But, then why would they do that when I'm sitting here advertising their stuff for free?  **laugh**

I used bamboo skewers because the local grocery store didn't have lollipop sticks (or I just didn't see them, which is very likely since I had to keep one eye on an active Britt in the shopping cart).  But I really recommend you use lollipop sticks, or even popsicle sticks over the skewers.  Skewers are just too long.

This isn't a very organized recap, is it?  Ok.  You bake your cake according to instructions.  Make your icing how you like it (or buy it). 

When the cake is done and cooled off, scrunch it up into crumbs. 

Then, take between a 1/2 cup and a full cup of the frosting and add it to the crumbs.  You want the cake to feel like play-doh.  Not too crumby, not too sticky. 

(Anyone else hate plastic wrap like I do?  The darn stuff never works for me!  It only ever sticks to itself.) 

Roll your cake into balls and put on a non-stick surface.  Cover with plastic wrap and throw in the fridge for at least an hour.  Or, if you're impatient like me, put them in the freezer.

Now for the best part!  For dipping, I melted chocolate chips and 2 Tbs of coconut oil in the microwave.  I highly recommend using coconut oil in place of any other oil you might use for your recipes.  Especially if it's a chocolate recipe.  Mmmmmmmmmm.

Next, take your sticks, dip them in the chocolate, poke them through a cake ball, dip the cake ball in chocolate and then hold it over the dipping bowl to get rid of the excess chocolate.  Honestly, this was the worst part. 

It is tedious to stand there and watch chocolate drip off a cake pop.  **sighs** 

Then you have to come up with a place to put the cake pops to dry completely.  Styrofoam would work great.  I used a box with holes stabbed into it.  :)

(Molly, another sis, enjoying a cake pop)

Put them in the fridge for 10 minutes so the chocolate can harden.  Then, you can eat them or serve them or whatever you have planned for them.  :) 

My thoughts and feelings about cake pops:

I probably won't do this again.  It's a bit too boring for my impatient style of baking.  Half of the cake balls were turned into pops and the other half are dipped cake balls, on a plate, in the fridge.  Spear them yourself cake pops, I guess.  :)  They are VERY scrumptious though.  Well, these ones I made were dang good.  I can't speak for anybody elses.  So, if I do make them again, they will be of the poke-your-own-cake-pop variety. 

Just a bit of exciting info.  I found chocolate chips without milk OR soy in them!  **doing a happy dance**  They are mini chips made by Enjoy Life and contain only three ingredients: evaporated cane juice, chocolate liquor, and non-dairy cocoa butter.   Sooooooooooooooooooooooooooo good! 

The end.  :)