What you'll need:
1 sheet cake (either made from scratch, from a box, or...purchased from your local bakery...[this becomes necessary when you are crazy enough to make these in a hotel room...without an oven]). The origin of cake doesn't really matter. I can *almost* assure you that your cake pops will taste delicious no matter what! :)
1 recipe or container of frosting
Almond Paste (optional)
Marzipan (optional)
Chocolate-- For these I used white, mint, and dark. (For dark or milk chocolate shells, I always use Ghirardelli chips, for a few reasons. First, I think they taste good. Second, they harden much better than Nestle or Toll House chips. Finally, they're very easy to come by. Actual melting chocolate works well too, but--in my humble opinion--it's not quite as tasty.)
Sprinkles
Popsicle (or other) sticks,
Freezer space
Making cake pops is...well, it's just kind of gross--to watch, or talk about...or write about. Ask anyone who has witnessed the process. Most people enjoy the finished product, but it's just, erm...not an appealing thing to observe. Let me explain:
In order to make the pops, you have to forcibly combine your fluffy, cakey goodness with that gloppy stuff called frosting. Together these ingredients form an almost unrecognizable sludge. By mutilating the dainty--while mashing it together with said gooey stuff--you should achieve an almost truffle like substance, but it isn't pretty. It's grody. To the maxx. You have to make sure the concoction is both moist (Ugh, that word is so gross...) and sturdy.
After the mixture is complete, you form it into little, bite-sized balls. We filled some of ours with bits of marzipan or almond paste, but that was really unnecessary. After forming the balls, you lay them out on a cookie sheet (preferably lined with wax paper) and stick them with sticks!
Then let them chill. In the freezer--for at least 3 hours (don't skip this step. Believe me; doing so will make your life hard...and sad...yeah, just depressing). After the pops are nice and solid, you start dipping. But first you have to find a small, deep bowl for the chocolate. You need to microwave the chips for about 10-20 seconds at a time--until they're completely melted. Be careful not to burn them. I warn you because it's a very simple thing to do--and I've done it....on multiple occasions. After the chocolate is melted, place one of your frozen pops in the bowl and use a spoon to coat it with chocolate. Once the pop is completely covered, place it on your cookie sheet and cover it with sprinkles--fast! (I think that's the best part--and, incidentally, the only fun step to watch.)
We made a few different kinds; double chocolate mint, triple chocolate fudge, white chocolate fudge, dark chocolate almond, and yellow cake marzipan with dark chocolate shell. They were all good, but I don't really think you can go wrong. FYI: While dipping, you may have to microwave the chocolate a few times to maintain optimal meltiness. Just try not to burn it....
Now go-DO! Ruin some cake, turn it into mushy stuff--and then turn that mushy stuff into cake pops!
By the way, don't forget to enter the GIVEAWAY! (Even if you're a boy.) Give it to your mom. Or your dog. Everyone loves jewelry...Everyone.
