Cookie and Candy Pop ‘Holiday Popcorn Cake Pops

Ingredients:

  • 2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 1 cup water, room temperature
  • 2/3 cup vegetable oil
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
  • 1 (16 oz). bag chocolate candy melts
  • 1/2 cup white chocolate chips (you may require little less or more depending on design)
  • 1 tsp. shortening
  • Holiday-themed sprinkles
  • Iced Gingerbread Cookie Pop
  • Peppermint Hot Chocolate Candy Pop



Special tools:

  •  Cake pop sticks, 4-12X4 styrofoam blocks

Instructions: 

  • Preheat the oven on 350F.
  • Butter 9X13 (rectangular) cake pan.
  • In a medium bowl, combine the flour, sugar, and baking soda; set aside.
  • In a large bowl, mix the eggs, buttermilk, water, and vegetable oil with a wooden spoon until combined. Gradually whisk in the flour mixture.
  • Transfer the cake batter to the prepared cake pan and bake 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack.
  • In a medium bowl, cream the butter with a handheld mixer on medium speed until smooth. Add the condensed milk and beat to combine.
  • Cut the cake into any small size pieces (while it is still in the pan). Transfer the cake pieces to a large mixing bowl and with hands, crumble the cake pieces into small crumbs. Note: cake will be moist and sticky.
  • Add the condensed mixture to the cake crumbs and mix to combine. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
  • Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. Using your hands or a small cookie batter scoop, make 1-1 1/2 inch balls out of the cake batter and place on the prepared cookie sheet in a single layer. Chill the cake balls in the refrigerator for 2 hours.
  • Insert the pop sticks halfway into the cake balls. Note: you want to make sure not to poke through the opposite end of the cake ball or your cake pops will not hold on. Chill in the freezer for 30 minutes.
  • In a deep microwave-safe bowl, microwave half of the candy melts for about 1 1/2 minutes or until smooth, stirring every 30 seconds. Note: I found that working with batches of melted chocolate melts is much easier than melting the whole bag at once. So you can melt the remaining chocolate as needed.
  • Dip each cake pop in the chocolate, coating evenly and letting the extra chocolate to drip back in the bowl. Insert the cake pops in the styrofoam block to set. Repeat with the remaining cake pops.
  • To decorate: melt the semi-sweet chocolate chips with shortening in a microwave-safe bowl until smooth, stirring every 30 seconds (about 1 1/2 minutes total).
  • Place the chocolate into a small ziplock bag with the tip cut off and drizzle over the cake pops. Immediately cover with decorative sprinkles, Peppermint Hot Chocolate Candy Pop and Iced Gingerbread Cookie Pop. 
  • Let stand at room temperature until set. Remove from the styrofoam block and enjoy!