A delicious recipe for Cake Pops

(WTNH) - Baker Nancy Parent whips up a sweet treat in the kitchen.

Nancy owns a boutique design studio called Tiers of Joy Cake Design Studio which specializes in Novelty and Wedding Cakes. They serve the southern New England area. However, long before she did this as a business she looked for fun baking or general "sweets" projects that she could do with my daughter. Sometimes the quickest, easiest things can make a terrific dessert.

Learn more at www.tiersofjoy.biz

Cake Pops!

Ingredients:
One baked cake (if baking from scratch use a recipe that makes enough batter for two 8" pans or a 9x13" pan.  A box mix cake can be used for this recipe as well)
1 ½ cups of buttercream (any flavor - be creative in your flavors)
2 pounds of coated candy melts (found in craft stores).  NOTE: Purchase the color you want.  Do NOT use ordinary baking colors to tint your chocolate.  Coloring chocolate requires oil based candy gels.
Jimmies/sprinkles, mini non-pareil candies, colored sugar, etc.
Wax paper
Lollipop sticks (found in craft stores)

Directions:

1. If you have an appliance made especially for melting chocolate, put some of the discs in each pot and turn it on.  Stir often, to ensure the chocolate is heating evenly and does not burn. If you do NOT have a chocolate melting device do the following.    

2. Melt the candy coating discs by putting them in a microwave safe bowl.  Set your microwave for 30 sec.  Stir and repeat.  By now you should see that many are melting.  If there are still chunks, continue microwaving in 15 sec bursts, stirring in between until the chocolate is very smooth.  Be careful not to cook so long as to "burn" the chocolate

3. You can keep the chocolate melted for dipping by putting about 1 inch of water in an electric frying pan.  Once the water is hot, reduce thermostat to simmer and "sit" the bowls of chocolate in the pan.  TAKE CARE NOT to get water in the chocolate.

4. Crumble the cake into a large bowl

5. Add the buttercream and mix until the ingredients hold together enough to make little balls

6. Roll mixture into 1 or 1 ½ " diameter balls

7. IF USING A STICK TO MAKE POPS - dip the stick in melted coating chocolate before inserting it about half way into the ball.  If you prefer to make little "truffles" simply roll the mixture into little balls and follow step 8.

8. Put in the freezer for 5-10 minutes

9. Remove the balls from the freezer so you can dip them in the melted chocolate.  If you hare using lollipop sticks hold the stick and dip the ball portion into the chocolate. Tap lightly a couple of times to remove any excess chocolate. NOTE:  If you are dipping a chocolate cake mixture into white chocolate discs, you may have to wait for them to cool then dip them a second time so the chocolate doesn't show through.

10. If you are NOT using a stick. Use a fork to lower the mixture into the chocolate.  Once covered, scrape the bottom of the fork on the edge of the chocolate dish.

11. Prior to putting on wax paper to dry you can either dip them in sprinkles, mini non-pareils or leave them plain.

12. Let the treats harden on wax paper. It won't take long…. 10-15 min.

Enjoy!