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Chocolate cake pops are a delightful, bite-sized dessert perfect for parties, baby showers, or just a fun treat. These homemade cake pops are rich and moist, made from double chocolate cake and covered in a smooth chocolate coating. With a few simple steps, you can create these delicious treats that everyone will love.
The Chemistry of Cake Pops
The secret to perfect cake pops lies in the cake mixture and the chocolate coating. Mixing the warm cake with a standing mixer until it reaches a play dough-like consistency ensures that the cake pops hold together well. Using compound chocolate or candy melts helps achieve a smooth, glossy coating that hardens beautifully. Chilling the cold cake balls before dipping them in chocolate helps the coating set quickly and evenly.
What is in cake pops?
All-purpose Flour
Builds structure as it absorbs liquids and expands. All-purpose flour falls in the middle of bread flour (high in gluten) and cake flour (low in gluten). It’s exactly what it is named, all-purpose, the most universal flour that can be used in most baked goods.
Granulated Sugar
Adds sweetness, provides a caramelized flavor and crisp texture. Sugar assists with rising when creamed with butter. It helps add moisture to your treat and helps it evenly spread as it melts into a liquid in the heat of the oven. Sugar also helps with naturally preserving your baked treat.
Cocoa Powder
Provides a rich, sweet chocolate flavor. Creates a dark brown color in your treat. Absorbs water in your batter or dough at the same rate as flour. That means, if you add too much, you could end up with a dried, crumbly finished product.
Baking Soda
Elevates the pH level of your batter or dough. It increases the spread in your treat and encourages browning, which gives the crispy outside and soft inside texture that everyone loves. Baking soda needs both an acid and a liquid to react. Things that will activate your baking soda are: vinegar, fruit juice, molasses, brown sugar, tartar, buttermilk and sour cream. Baking soda only reacts once, which is right when it’s mixed into your batter or dough. The soda creates little air bubbles all throughout your treat. When the air bubbles get heated up in the oven, they expand.
Baking Powder
Puffs up your batter or dough instead of spreading it out. Baking powder contains a little bit of baking soda, an acid & cornstarch. Because of this, it only needs a liquid to react. It also consists of two different acids, so it’s double reacting. It reacts as soon as it’s mixed with a moisture and then again when it’s heated up.
Fine Sea Salt
Enhances flavor, adds balance, masks any bitter flavors. Salt is the most powerful and oldest preservative. Always make sure to use fine sea salt so it melts down at the right speed in the heat of the oven. If you use larger granule salt, it will not melt down fully when baked and will leave salt crystals throughout your treat, making it crunch like you dropped it into sand.
Hot Water
The hot water blooms the cocoa powder making the flavor richer.
Vegetable Oil
100% fat, contains no water and has a higher melting point. This means it will not melt down in your oven, resulting in thicker cookies or brownies. It doesn’t help leaven your treat like butter can, so it can make your treat flatter and greasier.
Eggs
Adds both a protein (egg whites) and fat (egg yolks). The egg whites help with rising because, when foamed, little air pockets get trapped inside the egg white mixture. The water content in egg whites encourages steam while baking, which helps with gluten formation, resulting in nice and thick treats. Egg yolks have emulsifying properties that bring batters and doughs together and help them from collapsing. Unless otherwise specified, always use large eggs.
Buttermilk
Adds moisture and helps to tenderize the gluten, creating a soft crumb and tangy flavor. It also helps rise the pH level of your batter, increasing the rise from the baking powder.
Vanilla Extract
When using pure vanilla extract, as opposed to imitation flavoring, it will add the deep rich flavor that everybody wants in a treat.
Compound Chocolate or Melting Chocolate
Creates a smooth, glossy coating.
Sprinkles
For decorating.
How do you make cake pops?
Cake
- Preheat your oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit
- Combine dry ingredients. In a standing mixer, combine 1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour, 1 1/2 cups of granulated sugar, 1/2 cup of cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon of baking powder, 1 teaspoon of baking soda, and 1/2 teaspoon of fine sea salt.
- Add wet ingredients. Turn the mixer on low and pour in 3/4 cup of hot water and 2/3 cup of vegetable oil. Turn off the mixer after adding.
- Mix the eggs. Add 2 eggs and stir until just combined.
- Turn the mixer on low again, add 3/4 cup of buttermilk and 1 1/2 teaspoons of vanilla extract, and continue mixing until the batter is smooth.
- Pour the batter into a parchment paper-lined and greased 9×13 pan. Bake for 30 minutes.
Assemble
- Crumble the cake. Once the cake is out, quickly scoop it into the bowl of a standing mixer with the paddle attachment. Mix on low speed until the cake becomes a play dough-like consistency. You can also use a large bowl and a wooden spoon.
- Shape the cake pops. Remove and scoop out with a cookie scoop onto a parchment-lined baking sheet or press into cake pop molds. Roll each ball between the palm of your hands to smooth it out into a perfectly round cake pop.
- Melt the chocolate. Place the chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl and heat in 30-second increments, stirring between each one, until fully melted (usually no longer than 1.5 minutes).
- Dip the tip of each stick in melted chocolate and insert it halfway into the center of the cake ball. Place in the freezer to set for 5-10 minutes.
- Coat the cake pops. Remove the cake pops from the freezer and dip each one in the melted chocolate. Allow the excess chocolate to drip back into the bowl before placing them in a stand to dry. If you do not have a cake pop stand, you can place the cake pop down on the top side, forming a flat top, or use a styrofoam block or cardboard box with holes to hold the sticks.
- Decorate and set. Pour on some sprinkles before the chocolate dries if using. Allow each cake pop to set fully before serving.
How to Store Cake Pops
Store any leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to a week. For more extended storage, freeze the cake pops for up to 3 months.
These can be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator or freezer. Assemble and dip them in chocolate just before serving for best results.
Serving Suggestions
Serve them at room temperature for the best flavor and texture. They make a great addition to dessert tables, party favors, or as a fun and portable treat for any occasion. For an extra touch, you can wrap them individually in cellophane bags and tie them with a ribbon for gifting.
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Why make cake pops?
Chocolate cake pops are perfect for birthdays, baby showers, weddings, or any celebration. They’re also a great way to use leftover cake or make a fun treat for kids. The rich chocolate cake and smooth chocolate coating make them a hit for any occasion.
This easy cake pops recipe uses simple ingredients to create a rich and flavorful treat. The combination of moist chocolate cake and a smooth chocolate coating makes them irresistible. Plus, they’re a great way to make a fun and festive dessert for any occasion.
Enjoy making these delightful and delicious treats. With their rich flavors and fun presentation, these cake pops are sure to impress your family and friends!
FAQs
How do you make cake pops stay on the stick?
To ensure they stay on the stick, dip the tip of a lollipop stick in melted chocolate before inserting it into the ball. This acts as a glue and helps the stick stay in place. Chilling them cake pops before dipping them also helps.
Can you use a box cake mix for cake pops?
Yes, you can use a box mix. Bake the cake according to the package instructions, then crumble it while hot as directed above.
How do you store cake pops?
Store cake pops in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to a week. For more extended storage, freeze the cake pops for up to 3 months.
What is the best chocolate for dipping cake pops?
The best chocolate for dipping cake pops is compound chocolate or candy melts, which melt smoothly and harden with a glossy finish. Semi-sweet or dark chocolate can also be used, but tempering may be required to achieve the same result.
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Chocolate Cake Pops
Ingredients
Cake
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
- 3/4 cup hot water
- 2/3 cup vegetable oil
- 2 eggs
- 3/4 cup buttermilk
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Melting Chocolate
- 2 cups compound chocolate or melting chocolate
- sprinkles & cake pop molds **optional
- 24 popsicle or sucker sticks
Instructions
Cake
- Preheat your oven to 325 degrees
- In a standing mixer, combine all the dry ingredients: flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Turn the mixer on low and pour the hot water and vegetable oil in. Turn off the mixer after you have poured both in.
- Add the eggs and stir until just combined.
- Turn the mixer on low again and pour the buttermilk in. Add the vanilla extract in after.
- Continue mixing until the batter is smooth.
- Pour the batter into a parchment paper lined and greased 9×13 pan
- Bake for 30 minutes.
Assemble
- Once the cake is out, quickly scoop it into the bowl of a standing mixer. It works best if the cake is still warm from the oven because the steam adds moisture.
- Turn the mixer on low and mix until the cake becomes like a play dough consistency.
- Remove and scoop out with a cookie scoop onto a parchment-lined cookie sheet or press into cake pop molds. If using a cookie scoop, roll each ball between the palms of your hands to smooth it out into a more perfect circle.
- Melt the chocolate in the microwave. Place in a microwave-safe bowl and heat up in 30-second increments, stirring between each one, until fully melted. Usually, it does not take longer than 1.5 minutes.
- Dip the stick in the melted chocolate and place at least half way deep into each cake pop. Place in the freezer to set for 5-10 minutes.
- Remove the cake pops from the freezer and dip each one in the melted chocolate. Allow the excess chocolate to drip back into the bowl before placing them in a stand to dry. If you do not have a cake pop stand, you have a few options. First, you can place the cake pop down on the top side, forming a flat top. Second, you can poke holes in the bottom of a cardboard box and place each stick inside the holes. Third you can use a block of styrofoam and stick the bottom of the stick into it.
- Pour on some sprinkles before the chocolate is dried if using.
- Allow each cake pop to set & serve fully.
Nutrition
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