Cupcake pops!

So, I have been blog hopping and looking for yummy cake like desserts to make. I had to make 6 cupcakes for my cake decorating class, but theres no cake batter that you can just make 6 cupcakes...most of them make 24 cupcakes. SOO I made 12 cupcakes and then used the rest of the batter to make cupcake pops!

Here's how you make them.

You start with a cake. You can either make a cake from scratch or use a box cake mix. Bake the cake as directed and then let cool. Once the cake cools, crumble it up and add some frosting to the cake. If you are using a box cake mix, use a canned frosting. That proportion seems to work well. Use the back of a spoon to mash up the cake and add in the frostin. Once the cake is all crumbled and is moist from the icing you are ready to make your cake balls (the base of the cupcake pop).

To make the cake balls you just take your cake/frosting mix and make about a 1in ball and place on a cookie sheet on wax paper. (If your hands get too sticky, you may want to wash and dry them after you make a couple of balls- they roll easier when your hands aren't sticky.)

After you have all of the cake balls rolled up, place them in the freezer for about 10 minutes. This just makes it easier to handle them.

Meanwhile, you can start making your cupcake base in the candy mold. To do this, you need some almond bark or candy melts and a candy mold (can be found at Hobby Lobby, etc). Melt your almond bark (usually 30 seconds at a time so you don't burn it) and then fill the candy molds 2/3 full. Take your cake balls out of the freezer and place one cake ball in each candy mold. When all of your candy molds are full with almond bark and a cake ball, place them in the freezer for about 15 minutes. You will know when they are ready when the candy mold tray is frosted over and the candy is hard.

To remove the cake balls, invert the candy mold sheet onto a cookie sheet with wax paper. They should just fall right out. If they don't slip them back in the freezer until they harden a little more.

Now it's time to insert the stick to make it a cupcake "pop". Most people say to just stick the pop in the bottom and it should go in, however, I kept cracking the bottom of the candy mold because it was too hard. So my solution...

I used a metal skewer and heated it on our gas stove. Then I used that to poke a hole in the bottom of the cupcake ball.

It worked perfectly! I then took the sticks that I was using to make them "pops" and put a little almond bark on the end and stuck it into the hole that was made by the skewer. The almond bark you put on the end of the stick will help seal the hole that you made.

I created my own little stand to hold the cupcake pops while I was making them. (Just used a cardboard box and poked holes to fit the sticks.)

Next is the top of the cupcake. Take your white almond bark and color it with any colored gel that you want. I chose pink :) Melt the almond bark and take your cupcake pop and dip it into the almond bark. You may have to move it around some to cover the cake ball that's exposed. Turn your cake pop right side up and add any sprinkles, M&Ms, or anything else you'd like to while the almond bark is still wet.

Your cupcake pops are now done! You can package them all together or individually with small treat bags and ribbon.

ENJOY!! :)

Idea came from Something Swanky.