Kitchen adventures: How to make cake pops

This weekend was my kickball team's last game of the season, and I wanted to do something to celebrate. Cake? Too messy. Cupcakes? Too expected. Instead I decided to try my hand at making cake pops, which are basically cupcake balls on a stick. And in case you've ever been interested, here's how you do it...

First, buy the following:

• Cake mix (and ingredients listed on the box)
• Frosting
• Two bags of chocolate candy melts (from Michael's)
• A styrofoam ring (from Michael's)
• Cookie sticks (from Michael's)
  
• Foil
• Pam
• Crisco
  

And it always helps to have a kitchen helper... Even if only there for moral support :-)


Line a cake pan with foil and spray Pam everywhere.


Prepare the cake mix and pour it into the pan. The chunks in this one were just something that came in the cake mix I bought.


When the cake is baked, let it cool. Then put it into a bowl and smash it up. Add half the container of frosting to the smashed cake, and mix it up. The frosting acts like glue to hold the little cake balls together. I think I went overboard. I might do a little less than half the frosting container next time...


Now the fun (messy) part. Make little balls. I made them pretty big, and I got 24 balls out of one cake mix.


Now melt the two bags of candy melts in the microwave. Make sure you don't burn them! I put it on like power 3 or 4. When it's melted pretty smooth, add a big spoonful of Crisco to make it even smoother.


Now get your cookie sticks. Dip them about 1 inch into the chocolate, then stick it into the cake balls. Lesson here: Don't stick them all the way in so they touch the counter or else they'll be more likely to slide down when you pick them up.


Now put them upright and stick them into the styrofoam ring.


Let them harden a little bit in the freezer or refrigerator. Fortunately, Patrick's supply of food is nonexistent and there was plenty of space in the freezer ~ next to the only things in there: two Gladware containers of lentils and a bag of ice.


After the cake pops have some time to harden, reheat the chocolate and start dipping! Through experience, I learned that spooning chocolate over the cake balls works better than dipping.


My cake pops were green because that's our team color. If you choose to go a colorful route, be ready for a stained tongue :-) Totally worth it!


And if you're wondering if we won our game, of course we did! Goooo, STIYJB!!!