Cake Pops - what cake mix?

So I made my first attempt at cake pops yesterday and it was a disaster. I used a duncan hynes boxed cake mix - cannot remember the name but it was chocolate and tasted horrible. I baked the cake - let it cool overnight...crumbed it in the mixed with the paddle attachment, mixed in half a box of frosting - about 8ozs, put them in the freezer for about 20 mins, then the fridge for about 3 hours and when it came time to put the chocolate on top they held up while I was doing it but then began to slide......

SO what cake box do you use? OR does anyone have a good recipe to make from scratch?

How much frosting do you use?

Where do you buy a styrofoam block or what do you use to hold them up while they are "drying"?

Are candy melts better than melting chocolate chips?

Any other tips?

Yesterday was no biggie as it was just us but I have kind of half promised to make some for my daughters class next week and there is no way the kids would have been able to eat yesterday's offering

Thanks so much

Re: Cake Pops - what cake mix?

I'm really surprised to hear they didn't taste good. I've heard of a thousand different disasters with cake pops, but never that they didn't taste good, especially using boxed cake mix! I've done many, many different combinations of flavors and I've always been pleased with the result.

Are you sure you made the cake right? Did you taste the cake before crumbling it up?

For some reason, people seem to like the red velvet cake pops/truffles the best. Personally, I made a cookies and cream one with crumbled Oreo that was by far my favorite, but that could be just because of my Oreo obsession. But really, any cake mix should work fine.

I don't have a set amount of frosting that I use, but if I do happen to use canned frosting, I usually use about half for a regular 13x9 cake. You don't want them to be TOO moist because then they fall off the stick and make a big mess. You don't want them to be too dry because crumbs will fall off in your chocolate and it'll be a big, lumpy mess. Go by the feel though, you'll know when you have enough frosting in there. I do find that candy melts work better than chocolates. I know, I know, it's not REALLY chocolate, but it actually tastes pretty good (Not wilton- it's okay, but there are others like Merkens that taste much better). If you ever find that the chocolate is too thick, add a little bit of vegetable oil, a teaspoon at a time until it's smooth. Do NOT heat the chocolate more if it's thickening- this will NOT thin the chocolate, in fact it will make it thicker. For dipping, I suggest dipping the stick into the chocolate before inserting it into your cake pop. Then dip the whole thing. I submerge the pop about halfway and then spoon chocolate over the top to cover it. Then I hold my pop in my right hand and gently tap my right wrist with my left hand. It sounds weird, but it works to get the extra chocolate off and gives it a smooth, clean finish. I usually let them dry in styrofoam (not the green, it's flaky) or by popping holes in a piece of cardboard and steadying it between two stacks of books. Ghetto fabulous, but it works. Styrofoam is expensive!

Another thing you can do is to have them inverted. You can make one side of the cake pop a little flatter and then have them dry on wax paper with the stick sticking straight up, like this:



That's about all I can think of right now. Cake truffles (cake pops without the stick) are a little easier since you can dip them into the chocolate with a spoon and let them dry on waxed paper. But the cake pops really do look so nice! I like to prepare a piping bag with melted chocolate in a bright color and drizzle the chocolate over the dried pops to give it this look:



Please feel free to FM me if you have any other questions! I make these things all the time!

ETA: If you're looking for a good chocolate cake recipe from scratch- look at the back of the Hershey's Cocoa Box! It's pretty simple and really delicious! I swear by that recipe, though we modify it a little to make it our own.

Message edited 10/15/2012 2:41:49 PM.

Re: Cake Pops - what cake mix?

i cant offer help on making the cake pops...but in general i prefer the pillsbury mixes over the duncan hines or betty crocker

Re: Cake Pops - what cake mix?

No mix, I use two entamins butter loaf cakes to 3/4 can frosting ( not whipped) . I have a styrofoam I bought at micheals, I cover it with foil and reuse it.

Re: Cake Pops - what cake mix?

WOW halfbaked - thank you SO much for all the details and pics...this is so informative..I think the reason we didn't like the taste of the cake pops was because we dont normally use boxed cake so we may not have chosen the right brand...will try pillsbury next -thanks for the reco from the poster who posted that.

sweetlax22- I never thought of using store bought cake...might be an option

I am going to try them again this weekend and will update again!!

Thanks everyone