Cake Pops for Mikaela's 4th Birthday

Mikaela is 4 !!!!  

I just cant believe how fast time flies, watching her grow and learn new things each day at an amazing pace. How I wish time could be frozen! It's definitely a joy to have a daughter like her and I thank God for this blessing as I truly believe that she is the best that has ever happened to me. I just can't thank him enough for this blessing!!!

This year her birthday celebrations were not elaborate as we did not throw a huge party at home like we usually do but we still wanted to make her day as special as possible. I decided to make cake pops for her school friends and teachers hoping it would make a cute snack for the 4 year old preschoolers! 

Lately I have been addicted to Pinterest and I just can get enough of it even after hours of browsing everyday. People come up with so many ideas and its just visual heaven for a person like me. Each day after gawking through those gazillion awe-inspiring pins I feel I will never have enough time to do the things in my bucket-list or rather "boards" in Pinterest terminology ;)!! 

Being the Pinterest addict that I am how could I go for a store bought cake pop stand??? Obviously, I decided to make my own! You wont believe it if I disclose the number of shops I visited to get the material for it. I just wanted it perfect for her. We both loved the shopping part, though mommy is finding it difficult to lift the 35 pounder into the shopping cart these days!!

Well, here is another inspiration I got from Pinterest : a special birthday quiz that I would take for her birthday every year, starting this year, which could then grow into a memorable scrapbook compilation. Isn't that cool? I know I am already excited and curious to see how things would change over the years :)

Do you remember those pastel Lamingtons that I made for Easter last year? Weren't those cute? Well, here are some Lamington cake pops. My daughter and her friends thought they were yummy and seemed to just love them! Well, of course she couldn't say no to the pink and purple sprinkle ones either!!!

I also made a special cake for her birthday that we cut at home. I will post that next week, so stay tuned for more :)

Recipe adapted from Babycakes Recipe Booklet

Makes approx 4 dozen cake pops

Ingredients

1 1/2 Cups - All purpose flour

1 Tsp - Baking powder

1/2 Tsp - Salt

1/2 Cup - Butter, softened

1 Cup - Sugar

2 - Eggs

2 Tsp - Vanilla

1/2 Cup - Milk

1 Tablespoon - Wilton Colorburt batter bits (optional)

For coating

1 packet /12 OZ/340gm - Wilton White Candy melts

Sprinkles / Colored sugar / Desiccated coconut (as desired)

Cake pop sticks
Gel Food Color (if you desire colorful pops)

Equipment

Cake Pop machine \ Cake pop pan

Directions

• In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
• Beat butter and sugar until light and creamy.
• Mix in the eggs and vanilla.
• Alternately stir in flour and milk into batter
• If adding batter bits, mix it in at this stage.
• Transfer the batter into a ziploc bag and cut about 1 cm off from one corner
• Preheat the cake pop machine
• Fill each well with about 1 tablespoon batter and cook 4 to 5 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Let it cool in the fridge
• Melt candy melts according to package directions.I used the microwave method.
• Dip the tip of the cake pop sticks into the melted candy melts (about 1 cm) and insert into the cake balls about half-way.
• Freeze for about 20 minutes to ensure that the cake pops get glued to the stick
• Remove cake balls from freezer.
• Dip cake balls carefully into the chocolate until covered.
• Allow the excess chocolate drip off. 
• Add the sprinkles immediately else the chocolate will harden quickly.
• Allow the decorated cake pops to dry on a styrofoam block or on an inverted colander
• Place into the freezer to speed up setting time.

Notes and Tips

• Here is a good video that would guide you through the process of dipping the cakes pops into candy melts.
• Make sure you choose a cup/dish that is tall and slender so that the cake pop can be completely submerged into the melted candy.
• Cover with a clear treat bag & ribbon, if desired.
• Store in a single layer, in an airtight container.

 
Sending this recipe to Nancy of Spicie Foodie for the October YBR