Cake pops are a great portable treat! When made correctly, these bitesize sweets look flawless. However, if you are new to making cake pops or don’t know all the tips and tricks, they can be frustrating. If you are running into difficulties while making cake pops, check out this guide to get back on track!
Cake to icing ratio
The cake to icing ratio is very important when making your cake pops. If you add too much icing to the cake, your cake pops will be too dense and will fall off the stick when you dip them in the chocolate. If you over bake your cake, it will be drier, and you will need to add more icing which can also make your cake + icing mixture too dense. At Bake Eat Love, we did quite a bit of recipe and development to get the cake to icing ratio just right for our Pumpkin Cake Pop recipe. The consistency you are looking for with the cake/icing combo should feel like wet sand and the balls should be nice and smooth after they are rolled.
Make Cake Pops a Snap!
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How do I keep my cake balls from falling off the stick?
- Use the right amount of cake pop dough. After chilling the batter, use a portion scoop to measure out each cake ball. They can also fall off if they are too big. Make sure you are leveling off your scoop when scooping. We recommend using a 1 to 1.5 tablespoon scoop (diameter around 1.5 inches, 3.81 cm).
2. Firm your cake pops in the refrigerator after rolling them. Cake pops that are too warm or haven’t had a chance to firm up after rolling are softer and more likely to fall off the stick. We suggest putting them in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.
3. Thin out your chocolate or candy melts before dipping. One of the biggest mistakes in making cake pops is dipping pops in chocolate or candy melts that are too thick. Think about when you’ve stepped in thick mud. It tends to grab hold of your shoe and suck it in. The same is true with cake pops. Your chocolate should flow easily from your spoon. If it’s too thick, the cake pop gets sucked into the chocolate. Unfortunately, candy melts rarely melt to this consistency on their own. After melting, add a few teaspoons of canola oil or coconut oil to thin it to the right consistency.
4. Dip the stick in candy melts before inserting into the cake pop. We like to make a hole in the cake pop with a clean stick. Pull the stick out and dip it in the melted chocolate and push the stick back into the cake ball, chill for 15 minutes in the refrigerator. During the chilling process, the chocolate will set around the stick helping to anchor the stick in the cake ball.
5. Dip cake pops at an angle. If you’re still struggling to keep your cake pops on the stick, dip them at an angle instead of dunking them straight up and down into the chocolate. Lightly tap the stick on the edge of your bowl to allow excess chocolate to drip off before placing them in your holder to dry.
What can I do if my candy melts are too thick?
When melting your candy melts it is important to melt them slowly. Put them in the microwave in 30 second intervals and stir the chocolate in between heating rounds to ensure that the chocolate is heating evenly. If your candy melts are not fluid, you can add a couple teaspoons of canola oil or coconut oil to thin out the chocolate. Stir the oil in after adding. If the chocolate is still too thick you can add a few more drops of oil, making sure to stir between additions. Be sure to only add a little bit at a time and then check consistency, if you add too much oil it can make the chocolate too thin.
If you make the chocolate too thin you can melt down some more chocolate in another bowl and mix it in with the chocolate that is too thin to create a better consistency. You might also need to re-heat your chocolate if it gets too cold while you are dipping your cake pops. Cold chocolate will begin to seize slightly, and that is the indication that it needs to be re-heated.
How do I prevent the chocolate from cracking on my cake pops?
This can happen when the cake pops are dipped in the warm chocolate when they are too cold. If you freeze the cake pop balls, be sure to let them thaw in the refrigerator overnight. If they are dipped too cold, the cake expands as it is warming up and this results in cracks in the chocolate.
Can I save scorched candy melts?
Depending on how badly the chocolate is burned you can scoop out the chocolate that isn’t burnt. Be sure to let it cool a bit and taste it to make sure it does not have a burnt taste before proceeding with the recipe. If the chocolate tastes burnt it is best to start the process over with fresh candy melts. To avoid scorching your chocolate heat it in 30 second intervals and stir between each heating interval.
Can I make my own cake pop holder?
You can make an easy DIY cake pop holder using an egg carton. Simply use a skewer, or your cake pop stick to poke a hole in the center of each egg cell. After dipping your cake pop in the chocolate, poke the stick into each prepared cell to dry. After the chocolate is set, your cake pop holder holds your pops in place so you can decorate!
Baking from scratch is so rewarding, but it’s a lot of work. Bake Eat Love cuts out measuring and ingredient shopping so you can get right to the fun part! To make cake pops a snap, check out our pumpkin cake pop box.
