Cake Pops 2

I lovee making cake pops. I made these for Christmas. I used vanilla flavor red & green melting chocolate, and cocoa flavor melting chocolate. I didn't think people would like these when I brought them to Christmas eve, but they were a hit! It was perfect because everyone was so full from dinner, and they were like the perfect dessert because they were so little.



I have learned a few things making cake pops, and these tips should make them perfect(:

-When you mix the frosting in, use a canned frosting and only 1/2 the can. The canned frosting will make them firm a little better, when I made a homemade frosting, the cake pops just got too mushy.

-Dip frosting on the stick before you attach it to the cake ball, this will make it not fall off when you dip it.

-Freeze the cake pops for at least 2 hours. This made everything soo much easier! The chocolate dried within 3 minutes because they were so cold, and the cake pops never fell off their sticks!

Have a happy new year everyone!!(:

Christmas Baking Ideas

It's getting to that time of year again. The neighbors are making fudge and truffles, and I'm starting to bake dessert for Christmas Eve. If you have no idea what to make for Christmas, here's a few yummy ideas(:

Cranberry Orange Truffles
This recipe is on my to make list. Don't they look good? Different from your regular truffles, but probably still delicious.

Chocolate Cheesecake Candy Cane Bars

Yummmm. I'm not really a peppermint kind of person, but these look amazing.

Eggnog Cheesecake

I've tried the Soy Nog and that was really Delicious so I bet this would be even better!

Red Velvet Cupcakes

I think Red Velvet is always a favorite.

Easy Sugar Cookies

These cookies don't look that hard to make. So if you're not good with decorating icing like I am, they're perfect!

Gingerbread Cake Pops
These are super cute. And cake pops are always a fun treat to make.

Happy Baking Everyone! And Merry Christmas(: I'll be posting new recipes after Christmas.

Vegan Red Velvet Cake

I've been really wanting to make some vegan desserts lately. I'm not really sure why, they just seem so interesting! I really think people are wrong when they say vegan food isn't good. It's delicious! My dad used to think that, until he tried this cake. The whole layer cake was gone within 3 days(: And only 3 people were eating it! I see that as a good sign.

This cake is really easy to make. I added a lot more food coloring than the recipe called for, but I liked that it had a nice red color. I used a vegan buttercream frosting, but next time I'll use a vegan cream cheese one. I think Red Velvet Cake is almost not complete without cream cheese frosting.

Vegan Red Velvet Cake

recipe from The Daily Green

Ingredients

for the cake:

3 1/2 cups unbleached all purpose flour

1 1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons cocoa powder

2 cups non dairy milk (I used soy milk)

2/3 cup canola oil

6 tablespoons red food coloring

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar

For the Buttercream Frosting:

1/2 cup nondairy nondydroginated butter (I used Earth Balance), at room temperature

3 cups powdered sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 tablespoons nondairy milk (I used soy milk)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly oil 2 8-inch round cake pans.

To make the batter, in a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder. Create a well in the center, and add milk, oil, food coloring, vinegar and vanilla, and mix until thoroughly combined.

Divide cake batter evenly between prepared cake pans. Place pans in the oven spaced evenly apart. Bake for about 35 minutes, rotating 45 degrees halfway through. When the cakes pull away from the sides of the pans and a toothpick inserted into the center of each comes out clean, they are ready.

Let cakes cool 10 minutes in the pans, then run a knife around the edges to loosen them from the sides. One at a time, invert cakes onto a plate and then re invert onto a cooling rack, rounded-sides up. Let cool completely.

To make the frosting, with an electric hand or stand mixer, cream butter until it is smooth and begins to fluff. With the mixer on low speed, add powdered sugar and fluff for another few minutes. Add vanilla, milk, and food coloring. Add additional milk if the frosting is hard to work with.

Once all ingredients are well-combined, beat on high until frosting is light and fluffy, 3-4 minutes. Add 1 or 2 tablespoons more milk to achieve the right consistency. Cover the frosting with plastic wrap to prevent it from drying out until ready to use. Rewhip before using.

To frost cake, place one layer, rounded-side down, on a plate or cake stand. Using a palette knife or offset spatula, spread some frosting over top of cake. Carefully set other layer on top, rounded-side down, and repeat. Cover entire cake with remaining frosting.

Red Velvet Cake Pops

Ever since I saw these on bakerella, I've wanted to make them. But I never had any lollipop sticks, candy melts, or cake mixes. But you don't really need a cake mix to make it, but it's just easier using one.

I thought these were going to be fairly easy to make. And I was right. They were easy.. until I started putting the chocolate on them. I learned a few things while making cake pops.

1. Make the cake pops small. If they're too big, they won't stay on the stick.

2.When you put the stick in, don't push it down all the way. If you do, it will fall off when it gets harder

3.Make sure the chocolate isn't too thick! If it is, the cake pop will become too heavy and fall off the stick.

4.Don't use too much frosting. The recipe said use a whole can, but that's too much. I only used half a can and it was still a little too much.

All in all, making cake pops was a.. learning experience. Some were good and some were falling off the sticks.

But in the end, it was actually pretty fun. And you can use any kind of cake, frosting, and chocolate. I used white chocolate melts, milk chocolate, and mixed some together. Next time I think I'll use less chocolate and a different cake mix.

Red Velvet Cake Pops

recipe from Bakerella

Ingredients

1 box red velvet cake mix (and ingredients to prepare mix)

1/2 can cream cheese frosting (16 oz)

1 package candy melts

lollipop sticks

cardboard box

Directions

Prepare cake as directed on box and let cake cool completely on wire rack in pan. After cake is cooled completely, crumble into large bowl.

Mix thoroughly with 1/2 can cream cheese frosting. Mix until slightly moist and slightly doughy. You can use your fingers for this part, but it may get messy.

Roll mixture into quarter size balls, lay on cookie sheet, and stick lollipop sticks slightly into cake balls. (You can do this by using a mini ice cream scooper but it's easier to hand roll them)

Chill for 2-3 hours. This can be done faster by putting them in the freezer.

Once cake pops are chilled, melt chocolate in microwave per directions on package.

Roll pops in chocolate and prop up in Styrofoam or cardboard box. (Make holes in a cardboard box and stick them in, make sure the cardboard box isn't too short.)