Last weekend I had psyched myself up for a Sunday afternoon trek to “Happy Snow and Ice Season” at the Bird’s Nest, but woke to a dismal sight: deserted streets, the wind whipping up a snowy gale, and foiled plans. So much for my excursion to a winter wonderland. I’d watched Bolt to the point of memorization, and the snow was too fluffy to make a proper snowman. What to do now?
If I couldn’t make snowmen outdoors, then I’d make them indoors instead!
Time to bring out the big guns: “Cake Pops,” scrumptious morsels of cake stuck on the end lollypop sticks. I’m yet to master the manufacture of these sweet spheres, but the fun is in the making as opposed the perfecting.
Cake pops are (almost) infinitely variable, and they can be used for any occasion – or indoor day. With just a bit of imagination and you can have anything from witches to chickadees to UFOs.
The most intimidating ingredient for this recipe was Mini Oreos which I (miraculously) found at April Gourmet. And remember, improvisation is most welcome.
Ingredients:
1 box cake mix (cook as directed on box for 13 X 9 cake)
1 can frosting (453g)
Wax paper
Lollipop sticks
White candy melts
Black confetti sprinkles
Orange sunflower seeds
Black edible ink pen
Regular Oreos
Miniature Oreos
Toothpicks
Styrofoam block
Recipe:
1. Prepare the hats first. Separate Oreos and remove the creme center. The miniature Oreos can get a lot of crumbs stuck to the side of the creme center, so take a toothpick and scrape the surface off for a white edge.
2. Melt chocolate in the microwave per directions on package. (30sec intervals, stirring in between.)
3. Use some of the melted coating to attach the miniature Oreo to the regular size Oreo half and set aside.
4. After cake is cooked and cooled completely, crumble into large bowl.
5. Mix thoroughly with 1 can frosting. (I use the back of a large spoon, but it may be easier to use fingers to mix together. But, be warned, it will get messy. Also, you may not need the entire can of frosting, so start out by using almost the entire can and add more if you need to.)
6. Roll mixture into quarter size balls and place on wax paper covered cookie sheet. (Should make 45-50)
7. Dip the tip of your lollipop stick in a little of the melted candy coating and insert into the cake balls (insert a little less than halfway).
8. Place them in the freezer for a little while to firm up.
9. Once firm, carefully insert the cake ball into the candy coating by holding the lollipop stick and rotating until covered. Once covered remove and softly tap and rotate until the excess chocolate falls off. Don’t tap too hard or the cake ball will fall off, too.
10. While the coating is still wet, attach the sunflower seed nose and the Oreo hat and let dry.
11. Then attach the confetti sprinkle eyes by dotting on a small amount of coating with a toothpick and attach the sprinkles.
12. Draw the mouths with the edible ink pen and let dry standing in a styrofoam block.
For more fun recipes, check out Bakerella.com
Michelle Woo is a Beijing-based writer, editor and art-lover
Photo taken from www.bakerella.com
