Fall Into Flavor - Halloween Cake Pops

I know this isn't the sort of "recipe" that Lid over at 2nd Cup is looking for for her Fall Into Flavor meme, but this is definitely comfort food, not low in calories, and is a BIG part of our Fall baking schedule.

I found these cake pop ideas over at Bakerella's site. I have done many in the past, but since Halloween is one of my favorite holidays these are the ones I love the most.

A cute munchable pumpkin...

...scary but oh so delicious ghost...

...and a cute candy corn pop

Here are the cast of characters:

box of cake mix

tub of frosting

Wilson's candy melts

Crisco

candy food coloring

lollipop sticks

edible writing pens

First you bake the cake according to directions. After it cools you chop it up and put it into a large bowl. Then fold in about 3/4 of the tub of frosting.

You can use any flavors...I use chocolate 'cause I can't eat it...did I mention these are SO good...did I mention I need to lose 15 pounds...I ain't no dumb guy.You mix it all up...and using your hands is the quickest way...I know you have to be willing to get a little messy...You then shape them into the desired shape...round for the pumpkins...triangular for the candy corn, and whatever crazy shape you want for the ghosts. You then melt a few bits of the chocolate and then dip a stick into the chocolate and stick the stick into the cake pop. You then put them into the fridge or freezer so that they harden a little...about 10 minutes or so.In the mean time you melt your chocolate. You pour an entire bag of Wilson's Candy Melts into a microwave safe container. I use a tall glass cup so that when I dip I don't have to tilt the cup. You microwave them for 30 seconds on 30% power...stir...and keep going until they are completely melted. I found that putting a heaping tablespoon of Crisco into the chocolate about half way through the melting process helps make the chocolate nice and smooth for dipping. Be careful not to get any water into the chocolate OR to cook too long as the chocolate might seize.

You can buy colored Wilson Candy Melts. You can also color white Candy Melts...which is what I had to do since the store I went to didn't have orange. You have to buy special food coloring made for coloring chocolate.

You then dip the cake pops into the melted chocolate.

I added a broken pretzel stick and a little candy coated green chocolate bit while the chocolate was still wet. Then stick them into a Styrofoam block to dry.

Then taking an edible marker you color on the face.

There you have it...a cute chocolate edible pumpkin cake pop.

Dip the ghosts into white...let dry...

...draw a face...and you have a spooky snack.To make the candy corn guys you start with dipping the entire pop in yellow...letting dry......then dip into orange and let dry...

then white...

...draw your face and there you have it...a yummy chocolate candy corn cake pop.

My daughter and I then put them into little lollipop bags, tie them with a Halloween ribbon and give them to teachers for a little Halloween treat. GS takes some to work, and of course eats a few himself. Bella has her share for eating too...

They are so much fun and something my daughter and I love to do together.

Go on over to 2nd cup and check out some more Fall Into Flavor recipes!!!

More Later

-A Ro

Baking with Bella

It seems to me that whenever Bella and I are bored we bake. I know not a very smart activity for a woman who is trying to shed the last 15 pounds...especially one who loves buttercream frosting oh so much.

Well Bella and I made flower sugar cookies:

I know it looks like radioactive cookies...maybe a little too much food coloring.

And we made these ADORABLE cake pops. They are in the shapes of chicks, bunnies, and Easter eggs...in case you couldn't tell. They are a cake/frosting middle with a chocolate coating. I got the idea from a blogger called Bakerella. I would be able to link her site to mine if I would just finish the book I bought:
This is how they turned out...

Tooo darn cute...I mean look at the rear end of that bunny...

We had so much fun...well Bella and I had fun for about the first 20 or so...but after that I was just was hoping the fun would end.

...especially when Bella yelled "I'm goin' outside call me when you are done"....60 cake pops...

...sounded like a real good number at 10:00 am...not so much at 4:30 pm.

Thankfully GS was off that day and helped clean up the ENORMOUS mess. And took us out to Reds BBQ for dinner...YEA GS and REDS!!!!!

This was Bella's favorite one...she liked it because it had a crack on the backside that looked like a butt...I decided, wisely, not to post a picture.

...The apple didn't fall too far from the tree I tell you.

She named it Mr. Puff Puff. It is the only one left in the Styrofoam block. If I didn't intervene Mr. Puff Puff would sit there until he rotted. I'll have to start thinking now of a believable excuse for why he is gone. Once attached she won't give in...or forget.

...I wonder if my therapist takes kids...

More Later

- A Ro