Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Cake Pops, a la Price.

Blue pops, Purple Pops.  Experimenting is half the fun!
 Thanks to Priscilla for posting this creative way to make something delicious and of course to Bakerella for the ingenious idea to begin with.  To see a full post about how to make cake pops from bake to make, see OurCupsRunnethOver.com/blog or Bakerella's Video on Amazon here.

I don't cook.  

I don't bake.  

I actually had to go out and BUY a cake pan in order to advance on my quest.   Yes, I didn't own a cake pan until last week.  AND a set of mixers.  Ask, my husband.  He once hid a stash of chocolates somewhere he said "I'd never find them" - they were in the pots and pans.  Pretty clever, sneaky bastard.

So, knowing that I don't cook, I don't bake and I certainly DO NOT clean, this post should be amusing and at least inspiring because truly and honestly, IF I CAN DO THIS YOU CAN TOO.  This is one of those situations.  So here we go.  Here's my version and tips from ME on how to make cake pops if you don't have a perfect kitchen with nice appliances and you wouldn't know where to BUY an apron let alone keep it when it comes to doing anything with my female genes in the kitchen - that place with the sink that has all the dishes in it near the microwave where you can make food in under 30 seconds on high.

I have a full time job, a house, a husband a 4 year old and a creative mind, I had several people ask me "when I had time to do all this?".  Well, factor in that you know I already don't cook, bake or clean, that saves me a serious amount of time each day I am able to substitute with couch sitting or Family Guy repeat watching, I also decided to sacrifice the laundry on this weekend I chose to make cake pops on a Saturday.  Poor Mr. Price had to re-use boxer shorts and pull out a pair of jeans from the hamper to febreeze them to wear during the week (I'm exaggerating here, but not by far).  So that's how I had the time.  I left laundry to the laundry gods as a sacrifice and as it turns out, the laundry gods sent my sacrifice right back and left it where I had put it, on the floor, in my laundry room spiling into my hallway.

I'm one of those people who follow directions well, a different kind of directions, if you include "If you see the Walgreens, you've gone too far."  THOSE are MY kind of directions, tell me what NOT to do, because, otherwise, I will take liberties and will find out the hard way WHAT NOT to do.  So Priscilla's tips in the Our Cups Runneth Over post were perfect.


Step 2: Watch this video from Bakerella.  She makes it look so easy.  Bitch.

Step 3:  Take into consideration these additional TIPS from my experiment:
  • One can of icing, plus one box of cake = about 45 cake pops.  SERIOUSLY.  I hope you have mouths ready to help you, I didn't.  Thank god for starving male co-workers and a breakroom where you can dump mistakes and left overs.
  • Crumble the cake, A LOT, don’t leave ANY chunks once it’s crumbled, this helps in getting your pops ROUND.
  • For a whole box of super moist cake, you only need ¾ a can of icing.  Seriously don’t over do the icing at all.  Go light.
  • Just mix the crumbled cake and icing with your hands, a wooden spoon doesn’t do shit.
  • Let the cake cool – ALL THE WAY.  If you are impatient, pull out the cake and go shopping.  Distract yourself.
  • Do put the pre-dipped cake pops with sticks in them in the freezer for a little while before dipping.
  • You will need wax paper to put them on so they don't stick.
  • You will need to buy several styrofoam or florist blocks to stand the pops in once you've dipped them and they need to dry.
  • Don’t twist the cake pop on the stick in the dipping – it will come off.  Everyone is serious when they tell you this.
  • Use a coffee cup to dip into, it is so much easier and definitely deep enough to dip the cake pop into.  (That’s what she said)
  • Don’t use food coloring to mess with the color of the candy dip, just use the pre-colored candy melts from Michaels.  Soooo much easier.  $2.99 a bag
  • If the ball of cake you rolled looks too big, it probably is.  Make it MAX two bites worth.  One bite is best.
  • Use flower arrangement green foam blocks, not Styrofoam, it’s much cheaper, but wrap it in wax paper, so you don’t get all the green shit all over the place.
  • Keep away from dogs, small children and husbands.  Your cake pop count will dramatically drop from what you originally made.
  • Patience is needed AGAIN after you've dipped the pops and you have to sit there and gently knock off all the extra dip.  sigh.
  • Decorating the pops is the hardest, you have to do while the dip is still wet.
  • Go crazy with the toppings, I put white chocolate over chocolate cake and dipped it in MILO!  YUM!
  • I also dipped strawberries in my purple creation for Bailey.   

Financing = you'll need an investor with about $30 of disposable income for the whole shebang if you already own kitchen stuff that I didn't.
And go to two places, Walmart and Michaels. 
Cake pop sticks #150 = $2.99
Candy Dipping 2 bags @ $2.99 each = $6 yes you need two bags for one box of cake, don't get stingy here.
Sprinkles = $1.99 - $3.99 depending on how fancy you want to get
Box of cake mix = $1.16
Can of icing = $.98
6 blocks of florist blocks = $3.97
Wax paper = $1.97
electric Mixers = $15.99
Cake Pan 13x9 = $4.97

Not necessary, but if you want to get all creative and decorate your pops like a present like I did:
Little plastic wrap bags = $1.50
Little ribbon = $.50 
Hot glue gun with glue sticks= $2.99
Styrofoam block to present your pops as a present = $3.97 for ONE box, I KNOW RIGHT?  That's why I said get the florist ones for your personal use.
Wrapping paper = $2.99 to wrap the block
Roll of ribbon for the box = $3.99
Sticky letters = $3.99
Flower = $.99

Tell me how you did, share your photos and your gripes!  I've been inspired and I hope I've inspired you, pay it forward people!

Stay tuned for my next adventure with Oreo Pops and Brownie Pops!

1 comment:

  1. I had to laugh at this post because the invite to Pampered Chef :) Who knew you didn't cook OR bake hahaha

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