Creating Wedding Cake Pops: A Step-By-Step Guide

Cake pops are a fun and easy-to-make dessert option for weddings. They can be served as a replacement for a traditional cake or as wedding favours for guests to take home. To make cake pops, you will need a cake mix, frosting, chocolate or candy wafers for melting and dipping, sucker sticks, and decorations of your choice. The cake is prepared according to the package directions, cooled, and then crumbled into a large bowl. Frosting is added to the cake crumbs, and the mixture is rolled into balls. The balls are then dipped in melted chocolate or candy and placed in the refrigerator to chill. Once they have hardened, they can be decorated as desired.

Shaping cake pops

To make the characteristic round shape of these treats, you can try moulding them by hand, shaping them in a silicone mould, or using a mini meatballer. Some companies sell cake pop makers that shape and bake the tiny round cakes, but make sure you look up reviews before buying any such machine, as they may not stand up to the large batches needed for weddings. If rolling by hand, remember to cup your hands to keep the mixture rounded and prevent it from crumbling. About a tablespoon of cake mixture will make a standard-sized cake pop.

To bring in the lollipop element, you can use candy sucker sticks, which can be found online or in craft stores within the baking section. You can use plain white sticks, but decorated and coloured options are also sold. Look for ones that match your wedding colours!

Since cake pops need to stay upright, it’s best to buy a specialty cake pop stand to help with cooling and serving. You may also want to consider buying cello bags and twist ties if you plan on giving these out as favours.

Roll the cake mixture into balls, each about 1-1/2 inches in diameter. Place them on a wax-paper-lined tray or baking sheet. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and allow to cool in the refrigerator for an hour.

Ingredients

The ingredients you will need for your wedding cake pops include:

• Cake mix (vanilla or white cake mix for a pure white interior)
• Eggs, water, and oil (if using a cake mix)
• Butter
• Sugar
• Flour
• Baking powder
• Milk
• Frosting (vanilla or buttercream)
• White chocolate or candy melts
• Chocolate chips (semi-sweet or milk)
• Vegetable oil
• Edible glitter or white sugar
• Candy dots
• Sucker sticks
• Ribbon or twist ties
• Styrofoam block for drying

If you are making the cake from scratch, you will also need vanilla extract. You can also decorate with coconut flakes, which stick to frosting or melted dips.

For a pure white cake, use only egg whites and omit the yolks. This will give you a brighter white colour.

Baking the cake

To make wedding cake pops, you'll first need to bake a cake. You can use a shop-bought cake mix or make one from scratch. If you want a pure white interior, use a vanilla recipe and omit the egg yolks, using only the egg whites. Alternatively, you can use a white cake mix.

Preheat your oven to 350°F. Prepare a 9x13 cake pan with non-stick cooking spray or grease and flour a 9" x 9" pan. If you want to make a cake from scratch, cream together the sugar and butter in a medium bowl. Beat in eggs, one at a time, and stir in vanilla. Combine flour and baking powder, adding this to the creamed ingredients and mixing well. Stir in milk until the batter is smooth.

Pour the batter into your prepared pan and bake for 30-40 minutes. To check if your cake is done, insert a toothpick into the centre of the cake. If it comes out clean, the cake is baked. Set the cake aside to cool completely before making the cake pops.

Making the buttercream frosting

The frosting is a key ingredient in your wedding cake pops, adding flavour and helping the cake crumbs bind together. This buttercream frosting recipe is a simple one, but you can also buy pre-made frosting if you prefer.

To make the buttercream frosting, you will need: 3 cups of powdered sugar and 1/3 cup of butter, softened. You will also require an electric mixer, or a hand mixer, and a large bowl.

Start by adding the powdered sugar and butter to your mixing bowl. Using your electric mixer, combine the two ingredients on a low speed. You want to ensure they are well mixed, but be careful not to overmix. Next, add in a teaspoon of vanilla extract and one tablespoon of milk. Mix again until well combined. You can add a little more milk if needed, but only add a small amount at a time. The frosting should be smooth and spreadable, but not too runny. You want it to be a thick, creamy consistency.

Once your frosting is ready, you can start to crumble your cooled cake into the frosting. Mix it in gradually, ensuring the frosting is coating the crumbs evenly. You want the cake mixture to be moist enough to shape into balls, but not too wet, so add the crumbled cake gradually until you get the right consistency.

Decorating the cake pops

If you're not going for a wedding theme, there are plenty of other ways to decorate your cake pops. You can experiment with different types of chocolate chips, such as regular, mini, or white chocolate. You can also try using lightly sweetened or unsweetened coconut flakes, which will stick to the frosting or melted dips.

Another idea is to use coloured candy melts to dip your cake pops into. You can find candy melts in a variety of colours, so you can choose ones that match your wedding colours or theme. You can also add sprinkles, nuts, or other toppings to your cake pops for extra flavour and texture.

Finally, don't forget about the presentation! Packaging your cake pops in small bags with ribbon or twist ties adds a nice touch and makes them easy for your guests to take home as favours. You can also display them on a specialty cake pop stand to keep them upright and looking their best.

Frequently asked questions