Cake Bytes

One Cake Pop Short of an Order and Other Dilemas

2012-09-12T15:23:00.000-07:00

One cake pop short of an order. Is that kind of like one sandwich sort of a picnic basket? Just might be. The reason I say that is...

Have you ever made an entire 9x12 cake and homemade buttercream frosting for ONE cake pop? Just one. Well, I have on more than one occasion (always for large orders). It begins like this: Oh no! Cake pop down!

An unexpected cake pop casualty, a victim of poor math skills, whatever the reason, it's the same outcome. I have even tripped on route to the refrigerator and witnessed certain cake pop death onto the hard ceramic kitchen tile at my very own hands. Tragic and so close to completion like these Hello Kitty cake pops from i heart baking. Especially at 10 p.m. before the order is due the next day. Shock. Then denial. Followed by acceptance.

Has this situation happened to you? Tell us about it.

Take a Bite Out of Shark Week: Eyeballs, Pirates and Sharks!

2012-08-13T09:01:00.000-07:00

It's that peaceful time of year again when there's no interruptions, no sibling rivalry, no jockeying for control of the remote. Everything is paused. Peace, unity and love abound. No, it's not "Back to School" season but nice try. It's brings togetherness and a quiet hush throughout our family...at least for one week.

YES, you guessed it! Dun dun, dun dun...it's Shark Week on the Discovery Channel through August 16!

What is it about these majestic beautiful yet toothy animals that keep us mesmerized and intrigued? I always root for that seal on the tip of the Great White's nose just before it breaches the water, twists in mid-air and ultimately, becomes imminent dinner. Too bad the shark's two rows of teeth don't consist of fluffy soft marshmallows like the cake pops.

In celebration of these sleep deprived, mysterious natural predators, I bring you eye balls, pirates and sharks. Make the connections as you like. This theme was actually the concept of a 6-year-old client looking for some "jaw-some" party favors for his birthday. Obviously, a shark "fin-atic!"

The only challenge in making pirates is creating skin tone from candy melts. Blend mostly white candy melts, with some pink, one or two wafers of yellow and one milk chocolate. Blend until the right color is achieved. Or white pirates always work too. Dip the lollipop stick into the candy melt and then into the cake ball.

Next, prepare the color of the pirate's hat. Dip in a slight slant and tap off any excess.

Apply white confetti dots with a toothpick, using the leftover white candy melt as a glue. Upside down confetti hearts are perfect for a tied handkerchief hat look. Place a white confetti dot where the heart meets the cake pop.

Black patches for the eyes and a subtle smile will make your pirates come to life. Pearl dust can be added with a new paintbrush for girl pirates.

Eyeballs are fun to make for both Shark Week and Halloween. Just dip your round cake ball into the white candy melt. Any eye color will do but blue or green stand out better against the black candy melt "pupil." I use M&Ms or the Hershey's York peppermint pieces for that deep blue color. Secure the candy piece with leftover white candy melt and when it's dry, place a dot of black candy melt in the middle to serve as the pupil. Heat up some red candy melt and with a toothpick, make about five or six squiggly lines to resemble red eye veins -- always a crowd pleaser. Also, once the black pupil is dry, make a tiny white dot a little off the center of the pupil.

Sharks are easy. It's all about blending the right color with dark blue and white candy melts to get the color you like. Or, blend white and black to make a grayish hue. Shape your cake ball to create a fin on top. Dip. When dry, apply small eyes and lines to look like gills on the side. Break apart mini marshmallows for its teeth and set aside. Apply pink candy melt for its mouth and put the marshmallows in place for that toothy shark grin.

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The Scoop on Cake Pops

2012-07-31T13:06:00.000-07:00

A lesson in indecisiveness: I've always been an enthusiastic fan of ice cream, one of the greatest inventions known to man. When I was a little girl, a trip to Baskin Robbins with my dad were what dreams were made of.

I remember those clown cones in the special chrome refrigerated case off to the side of the counter. I was hooked by the swirls of spiral-shaped orange-tinted buttercream dotted upward like decorations on the clown's crisp sugar cone hat. Then I'd spot a purple one next to it with pink Cake Mate hair. I'd swear it followed me with big fondant eyes like the Mona Lisa (did fondant even exist back then). Funny, the flavor of the clown cone ice cream didn't even matter. They were just special; segregated from the other ice cream in their unique spot.

Or, did I want a scoop of coconut ice cream out of the freezer bin? Hmmm. Oh wait! I forgot all about mint chocolate chip in its light green-colored goodness. Decisions, decisions. Gosh, after all it was 31 flavors. 31! Wow, that's a lot of pressure for a five year-old. Or how about the forbidden pink bubble gum flavor -- with real flecks of GUM -- the kind my mom would never approve of but dad...YES, Dad! Daddy! Hmmm.

OK, let's review: clown cone A, clown cone B, coconut, mint chocolate chip or bubble gum. Tick tock, tick tock. This certainly was a life decision. My dad asked me to pick. The server stared at us blankly. Beads of perspiration lingered on my brow. (OK, too young for excessive sweat back then but you get the point.)

Dad looked at me sternly. Think, THINK! Clowns, scoops, coconut? Sorbet? Wait, sorbet didn't make the "short list." Ahh! It was like I was choosing the ONLY ice cream I'd have for the rest of my life.

Pick now or no ice cream, my dad said....

And so we left. Scoopless and clownless as the mini jingle bells rang from the top of the glass door exit.

I make quicker decisions these days. And am thankful ice cream shops didn't have waffle cones, cookie cones, or chocolate dipped pretzel cones back then!

Well, these ice cream cone cake pops are so simple to make and they're a great choice for party guests of any age. Here's how to make them:

You will need:

White and chocolate candy melts or pink (whichever flavor you wish to recreate)
Cake balls, of course
White nonpareils or spring mix nonpareils
Chocolate jimmies
Red M&Ms or Skittles
Sugar cones

Prepare the cones by cutting them first at the tip (not too much but enough that the lollipop stick will fit). Cut the top part of the cone about one and a half inches. Be careful not to crush the cone.

Melt the chocolate/candy melt in the microwave for 30 seconds. Stir and melt again for another 15 seconds. Slip the lollipop stick through the cone, dip the top of the stick into the pool of white chocolate (change colors, if you wish. Pink is another good choice.). Insert the stick into the cake ball. Secure it around the cone so there are no visible gaps. Dip the cake ball into the white chocolate. Tap off any excess. If it drips slightly, even better. No worries -- it will look like melting ice cream! Immediately sprinkle with the nonpareils. Let it dry. Next, dip a small spoon into melted milk chocolate and place sparingly on top of the white chocolate dipped cake ball. At this point, you can add a red M&M or Skittle to represent a cherry or continue to decorate more with jimmies, etc.

The more texture and design, the better! You can even add a double "scoop" by using the same process as above. Just use the melted chocolate as an adhesive to secure the new cake ball to the bottom "scoop." For added fun, make them upside down on waxed paper to look like a fallen scoop that's melting.

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Edible Sand and Other Beach Treats

2012-07-29T09:16:00.002-07:00

Do you have a happy place? My local escape is The Jersey Shore. Noooo, not the show but the place. De-Snooki-fied, of course...OK, that's not a word.

It's one of two vacation meccas in the Greater Philadelphia Area. The other is the Pocono Mountains (please note: I do not camp).

Anyway, the shore is just a hop, skip and jump down the Expressway from Philadelphia but seems many miles away with its boardwalk-lined beaches, ocean spray shooting up from the protruding jetti and laid back, no worries lifestyle. Even the French fry-stealing seagulls bring a spring to my step! Life is good down the balmy breezy Jersey Shore.

I can never resist taking a photo of some random sea gull.

So, during my latest visit to Ocean City, NJ, I was inspired. Sea shells, starfish, light houses, beach weddings, crabs, even sand. We visited a cute downtown confection shop, Rauhauser's Candies, that displayed shell candy in a variety of colors. They tasted similar to M&Ms but with more dense chocolate to every bite.

So naturally, like most people, I wondered how to recreate these shells in cake pop form. It was easier than originally thought.

Shells: Take your cake balls, flatten them a little and shape into almost an oval. Square the bottom and pinch the two sides three quarters of the way down. (I modeled mine after the light pink ones in the center of the photo.) Once you achieve that shape, melt the candy coating for 30 seconds in the microwave, stir and microwave again another 15 seconds. Dip the lollipop stick into melted candy coating and insert into the shell-shaped cake ball. Once that solidifies, dip the cake pop into the melted candy and tap off any excess. After about 15 seconds, take a toothpick and recreate the eight lines you see in the top of the shell and a few across the bottom for definition. Making some lines a tad deeper than others creates a good beach worn effect. However, take care to not etch the lines too hard.

Starfish: Prepare in a Ziploc bag several Nilla wafers or similar cookie. Next, take out a solid spoon and (this could be fun), smash the cookie into smithereens. The goal is tiny specks of cookie crumbs similar to sand. Then, take a small star-shaped cookie cutter to each cake ball and use the same dipping process as above. Immediately, using a small plate underneath to capture any extra cookie crumbs, sprinkle liberally the Nilla crumbs throughout the star cake pop. A white sheer ribbon presents a crisp clean look, especially for beach or destination wedding party favors.

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Luck Be a Lady(bug)

2012-07-25T20:45:00.003-07:00

OK, let's be honest -- I'm not a camper. The closest to camping I get is making S'mores on the backyard grill with a random stick from a nearby tree. Why discriminate against camping? One word: BUGS. I actually have a mental list in ascending order for my disdain for insects. My list, of course, is scientifically measured by the scope of my personal itch/shiver/gross-out scale. This is serious stuff here, people...

The list is as follows: 7. flies (gross) 6. gnats (annoying) 5. thin spiders (gross) 4. wasps/hornets (ouch) 3. hairy beefy spiders (horrified with nightmares) 2. mosquitos (gross and itchy) and the number one bug villain in my book (drumroll, please)...1. TICKS (gross). Am I missing one; I only have seven...
And I may be shunned by this statement but I don't mind stinkbugs. There, I said it. I'm cool with stinkbugs, OK? Just carry them back to their home OUTSIDE and it's all good.

Conversely, some insects get all of the glory and I can't help but wonder if the aforementioned bugs are secretly jealous, thus making them aggressive. (Yes, bees, I'm talking to you. Please don't sting me.) Butterflies, ladybugs, bumble bees, lightning bugs, dragonflies and yes, rolly-polly bugs (somehow I feel that's not their scientific name) are met with smiles and adoration. Hmmm.
And why not? When an encounter with a ladybug is said to be lucky, even better. Anyway, enough about me and my bug psychosis. Here's how to make ladybug cake pops:

You will need 1. red and black candy melts 2. Junior Mints 3. white confetti sprinkles.4. lollipop sticks

First, take out your refrigerated cake balls. Any flavor works! Microwave black candy melts for 30 seconds. Stir and microwave another 15 seconds until smooth and liquid. Dip the stick and secure it into the cake ball. Dip into the black chocolate and tap any excess.

Next, cut the red candy melts in half. They will serve as wings later. Separately, melt red candy melts in the same way as described above. Once dry, dip the black cake pops 3/4th of the way into warm red candy liquid. At this time, secure a refreshing Junior Mint to the front of the cake pop in the middle of where the red and black colors meet. Immediately attach the "wings" with the curved part out. Dot three circles with the leftover black candy melt on each wing and then three on each side of its body.

Prepare the eyes. This is the fun part. As much as I try to make them uniform, they seem to always look slightly different. You can add personality by the direction of the black eyes (center, right or left) on the white confetti sprinkles.

For an added effect, use green ribbon (to represent grass) to tie the plastic wrappers if you chose to individually wrap them.

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Horseplay: How to Make Pony Pops!

2012-05-22T06:14:00.002-07:00

Hay there! Remember prancing around the play room as a child with your 'horse on a stick' prop like you were in the Wild West or riding a runaway rebel stallion as a distressed princess? Well, you may be tempted to relive your cowboy days with these cute horse cake pops on a stick but...please don't. You'll look silly.
But seriously, in honor of the annual horse show in Devon, Pa., an area tradition that starts later this week, here's a peek at how to make pony pops. They're perfect for kids of all ages.

Ears: The chocolate chips are key. (Note: I've noticed that the Nestle Tollhouse chocolate chips have become more flat which isn't suitable for perky ears. Instead, I've used the store brand with much better success). Find the best chips in the bag and use the chocolate as an adhesive to keep the ears intact.

Also, harnesses are optional. Gage your patience and if you have a steady or shaky hand. Manes are optional too. Although, you will enjoy these edible manes if coconut is a weakness, especially paired with milk chocolate. And toasted coconut baking in the oven is a heavenly scent.

Manes: Heat the chocolate. When the toasted coconut is cool, apply the chocolate lightly with a toothpick to the horse's crown and sprinkle some small pieces on top between the chocolate chips. Apply it the same way to the back of its head but with longer pieces. In addition, untoasted coconut adds a contrast for the other horses. However, if your guests are anti-coconut or allergic, you can create a design with the white/milk chocolate to recreate a mane like below.

Noses and Eyes: A little swirly thin line of white chocolate makes a hint of a nostril. Just enough. And a distinctive marking on its nose in a contrasting color is fun to make. A solid black white chocolate dot to make the eyes with a speck of white chocolate near the top of the eye and you'll swear the pony pop is staring at you. OK, maybe I've spent too much time with them...

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Pop Goes the Playoffs

2012-04-24T19:30:00.001-07:00

Philadelphia, at minimum, is an enthusiastic sports town. Its huge fan base is quite apparent if you have ever visited or lived here...unless of course, you were suffering from 'post-cheesesteak coma.' Or worse, arrive here as a fan of an opposing team.

Case in point: last year, following a Flyers hockey game, we were standing in a stream of orange and black on the escalator descending to the first floor when the Wells Fargo Center (Flyers' home base) erupted with deep bellowing massive boos. Everything stopped. I thought what could possibly cause an uproar since the game was over. Actually, it was simple. One fan...in a Dallas Cowboys jersey. Yep, that's Philly. We wear our heart on our sleeve.

If you haven't noticed, I'm afflicted with a 'seasonal affective disorder' called playoffs. This guy (above) was a late night idea that manifested into my first attempt at a Flyers forward cake pop. Just like our players, it's a scrappy stickhead, a little beat up but still smiling. The hardest part in making this confection, is achieving a skin tone color out of chocolate. I will continue to strive for the right hue. Other than that, just a steady hand is needed to outline his face.

The Flyers beat the Penguins in the first round of the playoffs!

One of my favorite places in the world (yes, the world) is Citizens Bank Ballpark. It's the greenest kelly green grass you'll ever see set against the deep red of Phillies neon in the night sky. The smoky scent of grilled sausage, chopped steak and caramelized onions waft through the gates and concourse. Every seat in the house has an excellent view. Honest. And then there's the crisp sound of solid wood striking that stitched ball and when the Liberty Bell neon chimes, signifying a homerun, the feeling among fellow crazed fans is electric. And occasionally, a plane flies overhead. (Wait, what? You're supposed to be watching the game!) Strike that. But really, that's the point. Even if you're not a baseball phanatic like me, just go. You won't regret it.

Yes, I understand. It's not soccer season (or football, for that matter). But these soccer cake pops are just so much fun to make and the kids love to give them out as favors. Snack moms unite.

Oh! One more thing...Go Flyers! Round 2!

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Utopia on a Stick: Happy Earth Day, World!

2012-04-22T14:22:00.001-07:00

Happy Earth Day 2012! Who knew the Earth's core consisted of chocolate chip buttercream? What a sweet sweet world it is!

As you can see, Hawaii, the Bahamas and Bermuda are duly noted on our globe cake pop even if they're geographically disproportionate to the rest of the country. (Note: Islands of bliss and tranquility are larger than they appear in reality.) A girl can dream, right? And apparently, I am told sections of North America that I added in green white chocolate somehow resemble a Golden Retriever (Alaska/Vancouver), a kangaroo (Maine/Montreal, Canada) and a mermaid tail (Gulf Coast). What an imagination.

Some would say we are all stewards of this great land on this beautiful Earth. How do you care for it? Even small steps make a difference. Any suggestions you may have are welcome. Here are just a few ways Cake*Stix attempts to lessen its footprint:

We make our products homemade. No boxes or plastic frosting canisters equals less packaging. And no aerosol non-stick cooking spray. I ran out one day with no time to spare, dusted off a childhood baking memory when just butter and flour lined the pan and that was it. A light bulb went off (CFL, of course). And then wondered why even use that. It's cake pops, not a frosted cake. So what if it sticks to the bottom of the pan. No worries. No spray.

Nothing artificial, no high fructose corn syrup. If it's lemon cake, we use actual lemon juice and zest from real lemons, etc. Like Rita's Water Ice, there's nothing tastier than that bite of their icy dessert with real bits of lemon, or strawberry, whatever the flavor. Same philosophy here.

We are pumped about recycling. We recycle so much in fact, that it fills the bins leaving no wiggle room if we miss a pick-up. One day, in fact, the truck did skip us and I ran down the street in jammies and flip-flops carrying 2 bins. I must have looked lovely in my impromptu morning sprint, "bed head" and all. I couldn't believe they wouldn't stop and for a second wondered if I was insane. I triumphantly walked back the victor after telling them, "If I can run a marathon, I can catch up to you." Hmmm, maybe that's wasn't the brightest idea.

Also, we switched from Styrofoam blocks to a wooden cakepop stand. Life is so much better without all of that Styrofoam mess. We also reuse our clean handle bags to transport any orders, if necessary.

Let's celebrate Earth Day every day!

"We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children."

-- Native American Proverb

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Hare's to Another Year: A Brief Retrospective of Cake*Stix Inaugural Year

2012-04-04T17:44:00.001-07:00

What a fun first year! It's Easter again and making chicks and bunnies simply reminds me of how this accidental business began. Not to mention how far Cake*Stix has come. A year ago, the confectionary artistry just wasn't there. The bunnies looked like white rabid hamsters on a stick. And my best chick honestly resembled Kramer from Seinfeld. No joke. It's still a little embarrassing. Someday, I will post a side-by-side comparison and we will all have a good laugh. (awkward silence). Just a little fine tuning and practice, practice, practice and Kramer the Chickpop is long gone. Pfew!

Cake*Stix's Yo, Bunnies! (It's a Philadelphia thing)

The reason I say accidental business is just that. Cake*Stix started in April 2011 as a means to fundraise for The Sandy Sprint 5K Run/Walk since I am not adept at soliciting donations. It's such a good cause. Proceeds benefit The Sandy Rollman Ovarian Cancer Foundation, Inc. which strives to fund ovarian cancer research, awareness, treatment and patient outreach. Race day 2012 is coming up once again and I will be there! Join me! Run or walk, or even 'sleep walk.' Yes, 'sleepwalking' is an option for out-of-staters as well as a canine walk/run. In fact, a close friend's chocolate lab, Brady, won "Second Dog!" Sincerely, a proud paw moment.

Thank you friends, family and fans for your continued support and encouragement and challenging me with your clever and unique ideas!

~ Dawn

"Have the courage to follow your heart, pursue your passions, and chase your dreams. Life is too short to do otherwise." -- a fellow runner, 2012

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When Cake and Pie Collide: Confessions of a Non-Vanilla

2012-04-02T21:18:00.000-07:00

"You're so not vanilla," a friend once told me. Not vanilla? What did that mean exactly, I wondered. Is that a compliment? A fault? Minutes passed and I just stood there blank. If I was a cartoon, there would be a black-outlined bubble over my head with bold-faced question marks inside.

Well, I wouldn't consider myself a tremendously picky eater. I mean, I enjoy some crispy hot wings as well as pan-seared Ahi tuna in a wasabi cream sauce under a bed of bok choy. Hmmm.

So I continued to ponder this comment as I spread an impromptu homemade mixture of 2 yellow Splenda packets and some cream cheese on my toasted cinnamon raisin bagel at work. Not vanilla. Those words continued to intrigue me. Well, I do add some 'oomph' to my pancakes. I mean, they are like a blank canvas at the start. A little mashed sweet potatoes here and some brown sugar, honey and cinnamon there. (Hey, don't judge -- that's a lot of vitamin A.) And who doesn't add mini chocolate chips to their Raisin Bran? So, back to vanilla. I guess the only time I order vanilla is if it's a bourbon vanilla gelato with bean specks or to top my molten chocolate cake. And thus, after careful consideration, I took the term, 'non-vanilla' as a compliment.

So, when I came across Bake It In a Cake and Cake Spy, I realized there's more non-vanillas out there! Someone like ME with the same 'ailment for enhancement.' Like a Ben and Jerry's of bakers. And my heart beat a little faster that day. We're talking chocolate-chip-cookie-dough-baked-inside-of-glazed-cinnamon-rolls kind of day via "Cake Spy" by Jessie Oleson, page 2. Naturally, I had to attempt Bake It In a Cake's 'pie-in-a-cake' for my son's birthday last week. It's like the Triple Lindy of confections: pie, cake and frosting!

I decided against vanilla but in favor of a banana split cake (bananas, chopped maraschino cherries and chocolate chips) with a rich dense chocolate pie in the center. It was a huge success among the birthday entourage, by the way! A sincere thank you to these culinary rock stars for their inspiration.

Here's my attempt at the process:

Step 1...Bake your favorite pie according to the recipe's directions. Let it cool.

I used a tin pan so it could be easily removed, leaving just the crust.

(Side Note: Please ignore the bubbles that surfaced in my pie. I am sure that's some sort of a baking foul.)

I chose a Springform pan for easy removal again.

Step 2: Grease and flour the sides and bottom of the pan. Pour about a third of the cake batter in the cake pan and place the fully-baked pie in the center of the mixture. Next, pour the remaining cake batter on top. Yes, interesting stuff! FYI, I baked it slightly longer than directed for the cake considering the extra contents. Simply insert a knife and if it comes out clean, it's done. Turn off the oven and let it sit for a few minutes before removing it.


The final product before frosting and sprinkles!

Step 3: Gently glide a butter knife along the rim between the cake and the metal pan to avoid any sticking. Then free the cake from the pan as you undue the side clasp. Once it is cool enough, top it with your favorite frosting and decorate away. Most importantly, enjoy the co-existence of pie and cake in one slice.

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That's Amore! Saucy and Sweet: How to Make Pizza Cake Pops.

2012-03-24T11:04:00.000-07:00

Ahhh, pizza, an American institution revered by adults and children alike. Some say the key to a tasty pizza comes down to the dough: thin crust, deep dish, crispy. You name it. Well, in this case, it's actually cake. Yes, we've secretly replaced your traditional pizza dough with...CAKE! For kids, that may be one of the very few foods that actually trumps the almighty pizza pie.

All that's needed to recreate pizza slices albeit on a stick is the following:

Refrigerated cake balls shaped into elongated isosceles triangles (sounds scientific, huh?)
White chocolate, milk chocolate, and red candy melts (and perhaps a few yellow)
Oreos or chocolate sandwich cookies
Grater

White chocolate/vanilla candy melts

Red and green round confetti sprinkles
6" lollipop sticks

Milk chocolate candy melts

The initial step is blending the candy melts to achieve the right color to mimic pizza crust. This should be predominately white chocolate with some milk chocolate and a few yellow. Start the melting process by placing the container of blended wafers into the microwave for 30 seconds (you could also melt them effectively on a low heat on the stove through a double broiler process). Stir and microwave an additional 15 seconds. The consistency of the melted candy should create a smooth thin stream from spoon to container. Now you are ready to dip and dry them on a wooden or styrofoam block.

Next, it's time to grate "cheese." My favorite part. Take the fine side of a grater and some white chocolate wafers and start shaving away. Lalalalala. Hmm, is it white chocolate or mozzarella cheese, you may begin to wonder...


This is the fun part: grating "mozzarella cheese."

Melt the red candy wafers as above. Take a small amount on your spoon and drape it over the triangle, leaving ample room for the "crust." Quick! Before it dries, sprinkle the "cheese" on the sauce. Let each one dry.

Saucy!

Finally, the toppings! Small bits of Oreos were used to simulate black olives while red confetti sprinkles served as "pepperoni." Break up dark green confetti sprinkles for green peppers or light green for pepperoncinis.

Confetti sprinkles.

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"'Fore' the Love of Cake and Flour, er, Flowers"

2012-03-17T18:58:00.000-07:00

"Fore" the love of cake

And for my next trick, I will write Titleist in cursive in chocolate after 2 large cups of coffee. With a toothpick. Hmmm. Perhaps, decaf next time?

Considering the unseasonably warm and balmy weather lately, I imagine tee times are multiplying faster than the bunnies, buds and flowers of cherry blossoms lining our street. I, too, am bursting with Spring fever and felt like sharing the sights and sounds of Spring...in, um, cake.

For the golf balls, the end of a round pastry tip created perfect pock marks or indents. Use it immediately after the cake pop is dipped in white chocolate and before the candy coating dries. The Tootsie Roll tees are edible too!

A butterfly and a Black-Eyed Susan cake popping flower in my Cake Pop Stand by KCBakes.

The flowers and butterflies were inspired by a cupcake idea by Bakerella that was published in the latest hardcopy issue of Woman's Day magazine. In the article, she demonstrated how to make flower petals and butterfly wings out of white chocolate by using a plastic spoon. A modern day culinary MacGyver! The pistons on the lilies added a little flair of my own with a thin pretzel stick and yellow and orange white chocolate. A little sweet and salty.

Lilly cake pops

Finally, the colors of pink and green mixed in with some golf balls just scream crisp, clean and Spring! Very simple but with a preppy feel.

Preppy Party!

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Add a Twist of Lime to Your Next Bridal Shower

2012-03-10T11:02:00.001-08:00

Fact: Me + jalapeno peppers = hiccups. Caliente!

It's not quite May yet or Cinco de Mayo, but with margaritas and festive chili peppers, there's always cause for celebration. Cue the mariachi music. (Beach sand and fun umbrellas not included).

How do you like yours? Salt/no salt. On the rocks or frozen?

Another clever idea from a client. These peppers and margaritas cake pops were party favors for a bridal shower with a Mexican theme to honor the couple's upcoming Cancun honeymoon.

Here's what you'll need:
- cake balls (fully baked cake, cooled, crumbled and mixed with frosting)
- lollipop sticks
- green, red and pink, white vanilla candy coating
- a few Airheads (watermelon flavor=green)
- Wilton white sparkling sugar sprinkles
- lime fruit slices*
- clear plastic wrappers and ribbon

*I improvised with a homemade version of fruit slices since the tub of of them at the grocery store looked a tad shabby with only about 2 lime slices among the many other flavors. So instead, I found the pre-wrapped lime Sunkist Fruit Gems in the bulk candy section. Just cut them in half, line the outer half circle with white chocolate with a toothpick and make sections.

For the margaritas, simply shape the cake balls into a triangle, wider at the brim. Dip in green or pink depending on if you want traditional margaritas or strawberry. Make a horizontal line at the top with white chocolate and sprinkle liberally with sparkling sugar. Later, take the same margarita color and with a toothpick, apply the melted candy to the bottom of the "lime." Attach it to the top right of the margarita. Wrap and tie with fun colored-ribbon like light green.

(Note: this same technique can be used to make other "drinks" like martinis or cosmopolitans. For the cosmo, substitute lemon Sunkist Fruit Gems or for the martini, dip the cake pop into white chocolate and garnish with an olive by shaping green Airheads for olives with a bit of red for the pimento).

For the peppers, it's more free form. Google images of peppers, if necessary, as a guide. Dip in red candy coating and let dry. Pieces of Airheads make great stems. Again, use the red candy coating to glue the stem to the pepper and there you go!

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Cake pops so good, you'll BLUSH! An Ode to Make-up

2012-03-05T16:15:00.001-08:00

Cake pops so good, you'll BLUSH!

Remember the Lip Smacker lip balm with flavors like bubblegum, chocolate-covered banana or Grape Crush from elementary school years ago? The kind you carried religiously in your back pocket in fifth grade and were tempted to eat? Yes, eat. OK, maybe that was just me. Their scent was so much like the flavor described on the label in that oblong glittery dispenser that I'd almost mistake it for the real deal. Now they offer Girl Scout Cookie flavors? What?! Now that's just trouble.

Well, this "make-up" you can actually eat without getting sent to the principal's office, the school nurse or both. (Disclaimer: I really didn't actually try to eat any lip balm back then. Swear. May have thought about it though. Don't judge.)

Our first try at lipstick Cake*Stix ran just a little.

These were so fun to make. I adapted cupcake ideas from the latest book in the Hello Cupcake! series: Cupcakes, Cookies and Pie, Oh My! into cake pop designs. Who knew a mini marshmallow could serve almost perfectly as an eyeshadow applicator? Or that Jimmies on a the end of a chocolate-covered pretzel stick could double as mascara? Genius. Very inventive on the part of the authors.

"Nail polish bottles" for a tween birthday.

Nail polish bottles was an clever idea from one of our customers who distributed these as party favors.

Cake*Stix will be at Salon Olivia's Spring Make Up Event. If you would like to join us, please call the Salon to schedule an appointment between 3-9 p.m. Thursday April 12th and Friday April 13th.

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Here's to you, Dr. Seuss

2012-03-02T16:00:00.001-08:00

We improvised a bit with a "truffula tree."

Happy Birthday, to Dr. Seuss, who would have been 108 today! In honor of this special day and "Read Across America," in schools, I thought I would attempt The Lorax and some Bar-Ba-Loots. Today also marks The Lorax Movie premier in theaters.

My dad read "The Lorax" to me over and over when I was young. It was my absolute favorite childhood book. I remember the impact its environmental theme had on me back then and it's still so very relevant today. "Go Green" wasn't even in the English vernacular back then.

My favorite childhood book.

Here's how to make the small but sage character: shape a cake ball like an egg. Here's the tricky part. He's orangish-tan. My version is a tad on the light brown side. Mix white chocolate, milk chocolate, some yellow and orange candy melts in the microwave about 30 seconds until you achieve the desired Lorax hue. Stir and heat another 15 seconds. Dip and let it dry on a Styrofoam block or a wood cake pop stand stand.

Heat some yellow candy melts and with a toothpick, make a healthy, bushy mustache about one-third of the way down from the top of the cake ball. For eyes, melt white chocolate and make a squarish shape for the bottom of the eye and round it out on the top. Black white chocolate is great for pupils. For feet and arms, place a square of caramel in its wrapping in the microwave about 8 seconds for softness. Shape feet and arms with his hands on his hips and secure it with the same melted candy used for his body. Once it's dry, wrap them in 4-inch plastic wrappers and tie with fun, colored ribbons.

Just an observation. I'll be honest, having made his cake pop likeness, I look at The Lorax and can't help but wonder if Mr. Potato Head is a distant cousin. Hmmm. Something to think about.

Distant relative of The Lorax? You tell me...

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Dear Punxsutawney Phil, It's Over and I Want My Cake Pop Back!

2012-02-28T19:34:00.000-08:00

Punxsutawney Phil*, big mistake!

Attention Mid-Atlantic Summer Refugees: Despite the Groundhog Day prediction, winter is hereby POSTPONED until next year! Major faux pas on Phil's part. Whoops.

An open letter to Punxsutawney Phil:
It's over. Sorry, Phil. It's not you, it's me. OK, okay, I'll be honest, it's you. (Awkward). I'm with Spring now. You lost me with your stubborn '6 more weeks, blah, blah, blah.' I guess I just lost respect. I mean, the crocuses. The daffodils. The epidemic of tiny pretty lavender flowers (some call weeds) all over our lawn. Even they saw it coming. The 50 degree weather in, um, February? Hello? Yes, I heard, the whole 'shadow rule' story...Well, you can take your shadow where the sun don't shine.

So, anyway, I'm moving on. To the grill. To the balmy days. The boardwalk of shimmering shorelines. To the French fry-chasing seagulls. And yes, yes, I'll just say it. The SUN! Well, I just glow in the warmth of the sun. It brings out the best in me...and you? You're just plain cold. And bitter.

Best Wishes,
Dawn

Burger bites

That said, I bring you two of our Cake*Stix inspired by warmer days, flips-flops, the scent of fresh-cut lawns and the chatter and wafting smoke of backyard barbecues.

The cheeseburger makes me smile. It's perfect for Superbowl Sunday parties too. And if you have patience, it's simple to make. Take a cake ball. Dip the lollipop stick into melted white chocolate and insert it into the center.
For the "bun," I melt mostly white chocolate, about 2-3 yellow candy melts, and about 2-3 milk chocolate candy melts for approximately 30 seconds in the microwave. Stir. And melt another 15 seconds. It's a blend to achieve that golden bun color. Dip the entire cake pop in the warm candy mixture. Allow it to completely dry. That's key to the cheeseburger. Then about 1/3 of the way, dip the cake ball into melted milk chocolate (to resemble burger patty) and allow it time to dry fully. Next, dip it into green white chocolate just enough below the burger. Dry. Prepare to lightly sprinkle real sesame seeds. But wait, not yet! Dip into the reheated "bun" mixture. Add a little 'oomph' to the green section with a toothpick. The goal is to appear crinkly like lettuce. Then just add a little orange "cheese" here, a little red ketchup there with a toothpick. Now, the sesame seeds. Sprinkle away. Beware, your guests may mistake them for real sliders. Consider it a compliment.

Sweet corn

I actually saw this on a cupcake and instantly thought 'cake pop!' Take a cake ball and shape it into a curved sort of rectangle. Ahead of time, cut in half or smaller a lot of Jelly Belly jelly beans in light yellow, dark yellow, yellow with brown specks (banana flavor), white (coconut or marshmallow flavor) and white with yellow specks (popcorn flavor, yes, I know...). That's a variety of different flavors but it really does make it look authentic. Dip and line the jelly beans in rows. Top it with a yellow Starburst candy for "butter" and secure it to the corn with a dab of melted white chocolate. Enjoy!

*For those outside of the United States, we, in America, for some reason, have a tradition of predicting the length of our winter with an oversized rodent.

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A Chocolate Covered Ambush Makeover

2012-02-26T12:48:00.002-08:00

Leprechaun hat but where's the leprechaun?

Maybe Irish eyes were smiling the day I made these because they were so simple. I detached a vanilla sandwich cookie from its "better half" and affixed it to a square shaped cake pop with melted white chocolate. Then I dipped the "hat" in green white chocolate, allowing time for it to dry. Next, I cut a strip of black sugar paper to line the bottom and attached a cute yellow flower sprinkle. Some hats I've seen just have a square or circle shaped sprinkle as an accessory. But I figured if Frosty the Snowman is secure enough in his masculinity to wear a flower then so is this leprechaun.

Homemade Irish potatoes prior to the chocolate plunge

Next, homemade chocolate covered Irish potatoes! Pure. Decadence. I rolled the mixture (see recipe from "Bite Me, I'm Irish") into round shapes and dusted cinnamon on a plate. Then, each one was immersed in a layer of cinnamon. Once the milk chocolate was heated, I dipped a lollipop stick into the chocolate and secured it into the center of the Irish potato. Make sure they are cool and firm enough to withstand dipping. Refrigerating them or even freezing them for 10 minutes will work.

Before the Irish potato ambush makeover.

After: the cinnamon layer surrounds the Irish potato in a chocolate embrace.

All under wraps and ready to go!

Dip, tap off any excess and place chocolate side down on wax paper. Then serve as you like and watch your guests' faces light up after just one bite.

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Bite Me, I'm Irish

2012-02-22T18:19:00.000-08:00

Cake*Stix "Bite Me I'm Irish" Ice Cream Cone pops

Everyone is Irish on St. Patrick's Day! How will you celebrate? I remember in elementary school celebrating by wearing green, a glittery shamrock sticker on my cheek (OK, I still do that) and sharing a tray of mom's emerald-colored cupcakes with my classmates. Back then, let's just say, green food coloring in cake wasn't as widely accepted among the pre-teen set compared to the cultured and sophisticated kids of today.

Well, I needed the luck of the Irish to think of a design that was different and fun. And who doesn't enjoy ice cream cones? Even if they appear "melted." These just scream, "Bite me, I'm Irish!" with the green and white sprinkles and shamrocks.

Here are some more traditional pops that can add to any event.

"With Love and Shamrocks" traditional cake pops

Future designs include a leprechaun hat and some shamrocks. I cannot wait to try these. However, the leprechaun hat instructions include a Ritz cracker. And while Ritz is a tasty slightly sweet, little salty, buttery cracker, probably one of the most coveted crackers in my immediate family, it's remains just that: a cracker. This calls for a cookie, a really good one. To be continued...

Oops, I almost forgot, I decided to offer a fun, seasonal confection: homemade chocolate-dipped Irish potatoes on a stick. Um, not the vegetable kind. But, the super sweet and dusted with cinnamon kind! I figure why should chocolate-covered bacon have all of the glory?

Irish Potato Candy

1/4 cup softened butter

4 oz. softened cream cheese

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 package (16 oz.) confectioner's sugar

1 package (7 oz) sweetened flaked coconut (2 1/2 cups)

1 Tbs. ground cinnamon

1. Cream together butter and cream cheese in a large bowl.

2. Add vanilla and confectioner's sugar and beat until the mixture forms a ball.

3. Stir in coconut.

4. Use a small scoop or roll the mixture by hand to resemble a round ball.

5. Place cinnamon in a shallow dish.

6. Roll each ball into the cinnamon then place on wax paper on a cookie sheet. Cover and chill for about 1 hour until firm.

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Love Big in Small Bites: A Wedding Story

2012-02-20T20:14:00.000-08:00

Our mini wedding Cake*Stix in white chocolate.

Wedding cakes on a stick? That is exactly what Cake*Stix created for Jessica and Geoff's beautiful fall wedding reception held at Bourbon Blue, a rustic stone New Orleans-style restaurant and venue in Manayunk.

Our bite-sized vanilla chocolate chip mini wedding cakes complimented the lighter fare cocktail-style atmosphere of finger foods and appetizers on a stick. Cake pops in lieu of cake or simply for party favors are a viable option for guests who just want a few bites of decadence without the heavy feeling on the dance floor. Traditionalists, don't fret -- there is a full-sized individual wedding cake in their freezer as we speak awaiting their one year anniversary celebration.

A stunning bride! Congratulations newlyweds Jessica and Geoff!

All of the planning and anticipation for this special day required one thing: these minis must be perfect. The practice run of six pops revealed that two-tiered wedding cakes look best with a precision set of circle fondant cutters. Funny, I've never even used fondant. The two circles of frosting-infused cake and chocolate chips were stacked on top of each other, secured with a lollipop stick and dipped in the warm white chocolate. After tapping off any excess and letting the cake pop dry briefly, I looped white chocolate on each layer with a strategically placed candied pearls between the loops. A pink heart atop each pop added the final touch before they were individually wrapped and tied with ribbon. The day went off without a hitch. So well, in fact that...

We made 150 mini wedding cakes displayed in a variety of glass vases.

En route to the venue, I encountered a first. It was downright shocking. An achievement that foreshadowed the joyous day that lie ahead for all involved. You, yes, you may even have been an indirect beneficiary of this monumental accomplishment. Something that left me beaming for the remainder of the day. Ready? I successfully parallel parked in close proximity to the restaurant in...Manayunk! For those not familiar with this popular, populous, trendy section of Philadelphia, well, parking is tight. Some find bliss getting married. I get excited parking parallel.

The colors of Fall in Manayunk.

The leaf-lined streets were no match for this once parallel parking-challenged baker.

Newly-engaged? Look us up under "favors" at PartySpace, the most comprehensive wedding and event site for all of your fun planning. Check out Catering by DiFabio's for their latest event menus and Salon Olivia for your stylist, make-up and manicure needs.

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Papa Was a Rolling Stones Fan

2012-02-18T19:05:00.000-08:00

Say "Ahhh" cake pop from Cake*Stix Confections

And so the initial conversation goes something like this: Records. Sure. Guitars. No problem. Rolling Stones lips logo in cake?! Uh...

Let's just say Papa was a Rolling Stones fan. And I am better for it. A good challenge is often the most rewarding. Not to mention, there's something about the lips logo that makes me feel cool...well, by osmosis anyway.

I set out on my journey (no pun intended) to create the party rock trifecta birthday basket for my client. Records were simple: large, thin, buttery, chocolate wafers attached to the front of the cake pop. A white candy melt in the middle and one yellow circle confetti in the center of the candy melt. Then, the tricky part: Stones song titles short enough to fit on a "cookie record" written in milk chocolate with a toothpick as a medium. Now that's a college course I should have taken! But, after writing a cursive "Titleist" in black chocolate on a pocked-marked, vanilla-dipped golf ball cake pop (after coffee, mind you!), anything's possible.

The party rock trifecta basket

The key to white chocolate guitars is a candy mold fill-refrigerate-wait-and-pop process. Free form guitars? Fail. Nothing adds professionalism like a clean cut mold, whenever possible. Black chocolate was added to the guitar design for emphasis.

Lips, however...lips are intimidating. So much has been drawn and written about their shape, fullness, crimson color, and anticipation of their kiss. ("My lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready stand to smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss." -- Romeo to Juliet by William Shakespeare.)

The curves had to be just so. And the Airhead tongue must resemble a sexy woman, not a panting pooch. Most importantly, the rock icon that has transcended time, deserves justice. Rock on. Enough said.

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From Finance to Flour...

2012-02-17T15:49:00.000-08:00

The reluctant blogger...that's me, Dawn. English major. Former trading firm documentation specialist. Journalist. Foodie. Mom. I've written published articles about local, individually-owned restaurants, The Jersey Shore (the place), and covered school boards and municipalities for local newspapers since 2003. One article even made the front page. So what's so challenging about a blog?

Well, it's the journalist in me I guess that can't fathom putting the "I" or "me" in the mix. Major faux pas. It's always been about them: the texture of the toasted roll, the faint scent of sweet basil or golden brown caramelized creme brulee. The owner's history and why they opened a cafe? Interesting. Or what resolution was passed and by what margin, who opposed it and why. Interesting stuff. I'm never in the scene and I liked that. The impartial observer? Yes. Again. So me.

And the writing. Succinct. To the point. Proper grammar, spelling, punctuation and transitioning. Check. Blogging? It's like an English teacher's nightmare, writing hilly-nilly any which way. And so here I am.

The initial blog...blogging about not blogging. Very compelling stuff.

Join me for Sweet Tweets on Twitter!

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Puppy and Paw Pops are Top Dog

2012-02-17T15:37:00.000-08:00

A wedding anniversary order included brides, grooms and Retriever pops!

Man's best friend. Nothing loves so unconditionally and loyally quite like a dog. Maybe that's why our puppy pops are the most requested design to date. One order, in fact, was for a wedding anniversary. The order was somewhat unusual, however. The request? Brides, grooms and Golden Retriever cake pops! It's simple, pets are family.

Well, honestly, who can resist big puppy eyes? Or that sweet face? And sweet it is...Aside from the actual dark chocolate cake pop covered in milk or white chocolate, we use tootsie "ears" in vanilla, chocolate or even caramels. Can you guess which delicious chocolate candy some of the noses are made from? Yummy gummy "collars" in cherry or lime add a fun element too.


Emily was the "leader of the pack" with these puppy and paw birthday pops!

Puppy pops make unique birthday party favors especially for celebrations that include a dog theme. Disclaimer: When displaying Cake*Stix in a clear glass container, do not try to be creative and secure the sticks in homemade butter cookies shaped as dog bones/biscuits or use real store-bought dog treats. Guests may become confused and think the cake pops are not party favors for people. Trust me.

Cake*Stix was happy to provide some puppy pops for Wagmore Quality Pet Care's display at an event recently. Note: Wagmore provides a loving environment and peace of mind while you're on vacation as well as dog walks, dog runs and pet taxis, among other pet services.

Wagmore Quality Petcare, LLC presented our poodle and puppy cake pops at their latest event.

We also completed an order for a client who was attending a fundraiser for Best Friends Animal Society. The event collected pet food for local dogs in need. We love a good paws cause!

How to make Dog "Ears"

The "ears" for these Poodle and Cocker Spaniel cake pops consist of white chocolate and milk chocolate candy melts cut in half. Secure the ears with melted chocolate to both sides of the confection. Coat the "ears" lightly and shake either white nonpareils or jimmies (we on the East Coast call "sprinkles" jimmies) on the front and back. For the Poodle, attach a small white minty melt (you know the pastel minty candy that Grandma kept in the crystal container when you visited) with the same method described earlier. Two small pink confetti hearts with a dollop of pink white chocolate would also make an excellent Poodle accessory if you are so inclined.

And if these sweet faces don't make you smile, one of my favorite dogs videos,
Prosecuting the Poodles, certainly will! Enjoy!

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The Accidental Business

2012-02-12T17:02:00.000-08:00

I've always been an excellent baker. Maybe it started with my Holly Hobbie Easy Bake Oven. Or, when my mother volunteered as homeroom mom in second grade? Or, perhaps, it was thumbing through Gourmet or Sunset magazines at an early age? I'm not certain. But one thing is for sure -- cooking real food? You know, the kind...with nutrients. Like dinner? The food pyramid? Yep. Let's just say it's more of a strict, follow-the-recipe, no ad-libbing process. I can do it but it's more contrived. But baking...BAKING has always come as second nature. A natural fit.

Cake*Stix's first attempt at chick pops!

Well, OK, I'll be honest. It's more accurately described as a self-professed dessert 'problem.' The usual suspect: chocolate. Chocolate chip cookies, dark chocolate cake, chocolate buttercream frosting, magic cookie bars, brownies, tiramisu, molten chocolate cake, flourless chocolate cake, chocolate pie, Hershey's homemade hot chocolate over the stove. Wait. Apparently, I'm having a Bubba Shrimp moment. Oh, I could go on... I also, sadly, have an affinity for perfecting creme brulee, apple crisp as well as a rich, dense cheesecake in a variety of flavors and cookie crusts. As I said: dessert PROBLEM.

Auctioning chick pops for charity April 2011

Our charity raffle and fundraiser at Brownies 23 East to benefit The Sandy Rollman Ovarian Cancer Foundation.

Merging Flour with Fundraising
So, when I signed up for The Sandy Sprint 5K in April 2011 to benefit ovarian cancer research, I encountered another 'sort of' problem: I lacked fundraising skills. My email requests for donations were as awkward as writing a blog! But I needed an avenue to make a difference. Funding cancer research was important to since my Pop-Pop succumbed to pancreatic cancer soon after retirement. I almost forgotten how I raised more than $600 for the PurpleStrides 5K in November by auctioning and delivering homemade pumpkin muffins and chocolate chip cookies. Success!

I thought, "cake pops for the good of humanity; a higher purpose! Now that's an idea!"
It was a sweet equation. Cake pops and Facebook. I uploaded a photo of some cute homemade chick cake pops to social media with a link to the charity page. And viola, donations began and chocolate dipped confections delivered. A win-win. More warm fuzzies. What I did not expect were calls for additional orders and that is how Cake*Stix Confections began.

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