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Whether you’re a fan of Donald Trump’s politics or not, there’s one thing we can all agree on… he’s everywhere! So, it was only a matter of time before he “popped” up in the cake pop world.

Can you blame me for wanting to turn this larger than life character into a cake pop?

From the distinct orange glow of his skin to the questionable style of his hair, everything about Donald Trump that makes him mesmerizing to watch also makes him the perfect subject for a celebrity cake pop.

I’m not sure if it was his hard-to-tame hair or out-of-control mouth that was more fun to recreate. I can tell you that doing a Google search for Donald Trump quotes is definitely good for a chuckle!

The key to creating Donald’s unpredictable golden locks on my cake pops was Candy Corn Cotton Candy. It provided me with the perfect color and texture for the wild look I wanted. However, since I live in a humid climate, it didn’t take long for fluffy poofs of cotton candy to go flat.

Additional supplies needed for making Donald Trump cake pops include the usual lollipop sticks and candy melts. For this cake pop project I also used, Poppy Paint to paint Donald’s facial features and card stock printouts to dress him.

During my cake pop photo shoot, I displayed my Donald Trump cake pops on individual cake pop stands from Cake Pop Stand Co.

What’s your favorite Donald Trump quote?

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If you hear the phrase “death by chocolate” and think to yourself, “Sounds like a good way to go!”, this easy chocolate cake pop recipe is for you. It’s dark, it’s decadent, and it’s guaranteed to satisfy even the most ravenous chocolate craving.

Before gathering the ingredients for your chocolate cake pops, keep in mind that not all chocolate is created equal! Sometimes you can get away with using a lower quality chocolate to coat your cake pops, but since chocolate is the focus of this recipe, you want to use a chocolate that is highly rated for taste.

To keep things simple, I used compound chocolate instead of real chocolate so no tempering was required. Choose the right brand of chocolate, and your compound chocolate will taste as decadent as real chocolate. For help choosing the best chocolate, see The Best Chocolate for Cake Pops – A Dipping, Taste & Price Comparison.

Tools and Ingredients for Dark Chocolate Cake Pops

– 16.5-ounce box of chocolate cake mix
– 1 teaspoon of espresso powder
– 3 eggs, room temperature
– 1 cup of water
– 1 teaspoon of vanilla bean paste
– 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil
– 1 cup of dark chocolate wafers (plus about 1 lb. for dipping)
– 1/2 cup heavy cream
– Food processor
– Cake dough scooper
– Chocolate melting pot (optional)
– Lollipop sticks or colorful paper straws
– Cake pop stand

Individual cake pop stands and colorful paper straws from Cake Pop Stand Co.

How To Make Dark Chocolate Cake Pops

Start by whisking together your cake mix and espresso powder in a large bowl. My personal favorites are this cake mix and this espresso powder. If you’re not a fan of coffee, don’t worry. The taste of coffee will not come through in your cake pop recipe. The small amount of espresso powder simply enhances the chocolate flavor. Mix in the eggs, water, vanilla bean paste, and oil.

Bake your chocolate cake in a 13-inch by 9-inch pan at 350 degrees for about 20 to 25 minutes. Set your baked cake aside to cool completely.

Using a simple ganache as the binding agent for this cake pop recipe takes it to a drool-worthy level! Chop up your dark chocolate wafers into small equal-sized chunks and put them in a medium bowl. My favorite chocolate to use is Chocoley’s Bada Bing Bada Boom Dipping & Coating Formula in dark chocolate.

Heat your cream in a small saucepan over medium-high heat until it bubbles around the edges. Then, pour the heated cream over your chocolate chunks and let the mixture sit for five minutes to melt the chocolate. Stir to mix. If all the chocolate is not melted, heat it in the microwave in 30-second intervals at 50 percent power. Cover the bowl with cling wrap and chill it in the fridge. Bring your chocolate mixture to room temperature before using.

Break your cooled cake in half and pulse each half in a food processor until it is reduced to crumbs. Put the chocolate cake crumbs in a large bowl and mix in 7 tablespoons of your dark chocolate mixture. Use your hands to thoroughly combine the crumbled cake and chocolate, creating your cake pop dough.

Put the dough in a plastic storage bag and knead it until the consistency resembles Play-Doh. Put your cake pop dough in the refrigerator until chilled (or in the freezer if you are in a rush). When you’re ready to roll your cake pops, bring your dough to slightly cooler than room temperature.

Use a medium cookie scooper to portion out your cake pop dough so all of your cake pops are the same size. Roll each portion of dough in the palm of your hands to create round cake balls.

Helpful Hint: Keep in mind that making cake pops is a temperature sensitive process. If your cake balls are too cold when you dip them, they will expand as the come to room temperature and crack your chocolate coating.

Melt your dark chocolate wafers in the microwave in 30-second intervals at 50 percent power, stirring in between each interval. Dip a lollipop stick or paper straw about 1/4″ into the melted chocolate and then insert it half way into a cake ball. Repeat this process with all of your cake balls, then, set them in a cake pop stand until the chocolate hardens.

Dip each cake pop straight down into your chocolate coating, completely covering it. (For help with common problems when dipping cake pops, see 5 Tricks to Stop Cake Pops From Falling Off Sticks.) Pull the cake pop straight up and out of the coating, gently tapping it to remove any excess chocolate.

Helpful Hint: Keeping your chocolate the right temperature throughout the entire dipping process is key to having a smooth coating on your cake pops. To avoid having to repeatedly reheat your coating, a chocolate melting pot is a great tool. If you prefer to heat your chocolate in resealable jars, set the jars on a heating pad to keep your chocolate warm.

As you finish dipping, set each cake pop in your cake pop stand until the coating has hardened. Or while the coating is still wet, use sprinkles, candies, or sugars to decorate your cake pops. I decorated my dark chocolate cake pops with homemade chocolate sprinkles. To learn how to make your own chocolate sprinkles, see How To Make Sprinkles At Home, and use your favorite dipping chocolate instead of royal icing.

Individual cake pop stands and colorful paper straws from Cake Pop Stand Co.

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There’s no such thing as “too cute to eat”.

Until today, that was my firm belief. But if any dessert could make me reconsider, it’s these fuzzy, huggable, and downright adorable teddy bear cake pops that Gaby of Gaby’s Special Treats created.Gaby is a relative newbie to making cake pops, but you would never guess it by the creative pops she designs. To stay updated on Gaby’s cake pop creations, follow @gabzep on Instagram.

Make Basic Round Cake Pops

To make a dozen teddy bear cake pops, you will need to start with 12 basic round cake balls. (To learn step-by-step how to make basic cake pops, please see How To Make Cake Pops.) You can make your cake balls ahead of time, stopping before putting them on sticks, and freezing them (for complete instructions see How To Freeze Cake Pops) or you can immediately turn them into teddy bear cake pops.

If you want to add interest to your cake pops with flavoring, check out the simple trick in How To Make Cake Pops With Unique Flavors.

Now, without further delay, I’ll turn it over to Gaby to take us through the process for making her teddy bear cake pops…

Ingredients and Supplies for Teddy Bear Cake Pops

To make teddy bear cake pops you will need:

• 12 prepared round cake balls
• Chocolate, beige, and black candy melts
• Lollipop sticks
• M&M’s
• Chocolate chips
• Toothpicks
• Small food-safe paintbrush
• Cake pop stand

How To Make Teddy Bear Cake Pops

Set your 12 round cake balls off to the side and start by cutting 12 M&M’s in half to make 24 bear ears.

Microwave your chocolate candy melts in a cup on 50% power for 1 minute, stop and stir. Continue melting for additional 15-second intervals, stopping and stirring after each interval until it is completely melted.

Helpful Hint: All chocolate is not created equal! For help choosing the best chocolate for dipping your cake pops, checkout the results of a side-by-side comparison of six different brands based on consistency, taste, and price, in The Best Chocolate for Cake Pops.

Dip a lollipop stick about 1/4″ into your melted coating then about half way through a cake ball. Place your cake pop in your cake pop stand to let the chocolate harden. Repeat this process for all 12 cake pops.

Helpful Hint: A tall narrow bowl works best for dipping cake pops. Keeping the coating warm (but not too hot) throughout the entire dipping process is key to having a smooth coating on your cake pops. To avoid having to repeatedly reheat your coating, a chocolate melting pot is a great tool.

Using a toothpick, dab a little bit of melted chocolate onto two M&M halves and place them on a cake pop to make teddy bear ears. Then, dab some melted chocolate on a chocolate chip and place the chip on the bear’s face for the nose. Repeat this process for each cake pop. Let the melted chocolate completely dry before moving to the next step.

Dip each cake pop straight down into your melted coating until the cake pop is completely covered. Remove the cake pop from the melted coating, turn the cake pop at an angle and tap off any excess coating.

Using a toothpick, dab all the way around the wet cake pop to give the bear’s fur a fluffy texture. Place your dipped cake pops in a cake pop stand to dry.

Since you don’t need to use a whole bag of beige or black candy melts, pour a small amount of each into separate microwave safe containers and melt them at 50% power, first for 30 seconds and then for 10 to 15-second intervals.

Dip a decorating brush into the beige melts and brush on each teddy bear’s nose and the inside of their ears. Once the chocolate dries, use a clean decorating brush and black chocolate to dab on each teddy bear’s eyes and nose.

Set your cake pops aside in a cake pop stand to dry completely.

Heart cake pop stand from Cake Pop Stand Co.

A special thank you to Gaby of Gaby’s Special Treats for showing us how she makes her teddy bear cake pops! To learn how to make more of Gaby’s cake pop designs see Easy Baby Shower Cake Pops and Graduation Hat Cake Pops.

Want to show off your adorable teddy bear cake pops to the world? Learn how to take amazing cake pop photos!

Do you have a tutorial for a creative sweet that you’d like to share with sugarkissed.net readers? Submit your tutorial for a chance to be featured on the blog!

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“I will never make cake pops again.”

If those words have ever passed through your lips, it was probably due to a discouraging experience dipping your cake pops. Today you will get to take a close look at six popular dipping chocolates that were evaluated based on their consistency, ease of use, and taste. With additional information about their availability and cost, you’ll be able to determine which brand is the best for your cake popping experience.

***As a special bonus, I have a coupon code to share with you for a discount on my favorite dipping chocolate for cake pops. So make sure you scroll through to the end of the blog post to take advantage of the limited time offer before it’s too late!***

What Is Compound Chocolate?

If you think the best kind of chocolate for coating cake pops is real (or couverture) chocolate, it’s time for you to learn about an easier alternative called compound chocolate.

The main ingredients of real chocolate are chocolate liquor and cocoa butter, which require a special melting process called tempering. In compound chocolate, the chocolate liquor is replaced with cocoa powder and the cocoa butter with oil. As a result, the compound chocolate can be melted easily in the microwave. If you choose the right compound chocolate, your coating will be delicious and you will not feel like you are sacrificing taste for convenience.

Chocolate Dipping Comparison

Much like the consistency of your royal icing determines how much trouble you have decorating sugar cookies, the thickness of dipping chocolate is a major contributor to your success when making cake pops.

To ensure that the dipping comparison between our six compound chocolates was fair, each was heated using the same process. A 14 oz. glass was filled to the top with chocolate wafers or cubes (depending on how the chocolate is packaged). Each glass of chocolate was heated in the microwave for 30 seconds on regular power, stirred, and then reheated in 15-second intervals at 50% power until melted, stirring in between each interval.

Helpful Hint: It is important not to overheat your chocolate. Doing so will result in chunks forming in your chocolate making it unusable. Keeping the coating warm throughout the entire dipping process is key to having a smooth coating on your cake pops. To avoid having to repeatedly reheat your coating, a chocolate melting pot is a great tool!

Chocolate #1 – Wilton Candy Melts

The Wilton Candy Melts took a total of 75 seconds to melt completely. It was obvious before I even dipped my first cake pop that the coating was way too thick. The thickness weighed down the cake pops, resulting in a number of them falling off the sticks. When I attempted to tap the excess coating off of the cake pops, the thick coating clung to the cake pops instead of dripping off. I had to use a fork to wipe the excess off of the pop. In the end, my cake pops dipped in Wilton Candy Melts dried with a lumpy coating. This brand definitely requires an additive for thinning if it is going to be used to coat cake pops.

In addition to the issues I had dipping my cake pops, I ran into some troubles when trying to get the temperature of the Wilton Candy Melts right. They cooled and started to thicken sooner than the other coatings so they required more frequent reheating. I also found them to be a little to easy to overheat. I burnt one batch and had to restart from scratch.

On a scale of 1 to 10 for dipping consistency, I give Wilton Candy Melts a 4 when unaltered.

Helpful Hint: Since one of the goal’s of this comparison was to find the easiest dipping chocolates to use for coating cake pops, nothing was added to the chocolates to alter their consistency. However, when making your own cake pops, if you find your coating is too thick, you can thin it using paramount crystals, Wilton Candy Melts EZ Thin, vegetable shortening, or vegetable oil.

Out of curiosity, I added 3 teaspoons of vegetable oil to the Wilton coating to thin it and found the consistency much improved. More experimenting would likely yield even better results. Little Miss Cake Pops is an amazing cake popper who uses Wilton Candy Melts, proving that the coating can be made to work. However, I highly recommend that beginners (or anyone who has had trouble making cake pops) consider using an alternative.

The below picture shows a cake pop dipped in unaltered Wilton coating (on the left) next to a cake pop dipped in Wilton coating mixed with vegetable oil (on the right).

Chocolate #2 – Make ‘n Mold Candy Wafers

The Make ‘n Mold Candy Wafers also took a total of 75 seconds to melt completely. The resulting coating was not as thick as Wilton’s but was still too thick for cake pop perfection. An improvement, none of the cake pops I dipped in the Make ‘n Mold coating fell off the sticks. However, I did have to tap them rather aggressively to get the excess coating off. My end result were cake pops with a slightly lumpy look.

On a scale of 1 to 10 for dipping consistency, the Make ‘n Mold Candy Wafers scored a 7 when unaltered. Adding paramount crystals, vegetable shortening, or vegetable oil would liking yield much improved results.

Chocolate #3 – Chocoley Bada Bing Bada Boom, Dipping and Coating Formula

The Chocoley Coating took a total of 45 seconds to melt completely. The wafers were smaller in size than the Wilton and Make ‘n Mold wafers, possibly contributing to the quick melting time. Once melted, the coating was perfectly smooth, dripping right of the fork that I stirred it with. The coating was completely trouble-free and a pleasure to work with. It smoothly and completely coated each cake pop. After removing the cake pops from the coating, minimal tapping was required to get the excess off. One of my favorite things about the Chocoley coating was that it stayed thin even as it started to cool so it required less reheating than any of the other brands. The coating dried to a smooth flawless finish.

On a scale of 1 to 10 for dipping consistency, the Chocoley Bada Bing Bada Boom, Dipping and Coating Formula scored a 10.

Chocolate #4 – Guittard A’Peels

The Guittard A’Peels took a total of 60 seconds to melt completely. The consistency of the melted coating was slightly thicker than the Chocoley. The excess coating did not drip off the cake pops effortlessly but only minimal tapping was required. The Guittard coating dried perfectly smooth. I had no trouble working with it and I think it would be an excellent dipping chocolate for beginners or to use.

On a scale of 1 to 10 for dipping consistency, the Guittard A’Peels scored a 9.

Chocolate #5 – CandiQuik Candy Coating

The CandiQuik Candy Coating took a total of 60 seconds to melt completely. It was not as thin and smooth as the Chocoley or Guittard but was no way near as thick as Wilton or Make ‘n Mold. It coated the cake pops well and the excess coating dripped off easily when the cake pops were tapped. The coating dried mostly smooth with a small amount of visible lumps.

On a scale of 1 to 10 for dipping consistency, the CandiQuik Candy Coating scored an 8.

Chocolate #6 – Merckens

The Merckens wafers took a total of 60 seconds to melt completely. The coating was a little thicker than is ideal for dipping. Thinning it with a little bit of paramount crystals, vegetable shortening, or vegetable oil would be beneficial. In the end, the Merckens coating dried perfectly smooth.

On a scale of 1 to 10 for dipping consistency, the Merckens wafers scored an 8.5.

Chocolate Taste Test

Since taste preferences vary from person to person, please keep in mind that the below taste ratings are simply a matter of opinion. For each chocolate, an average was taken of the scores given by two sweets enthusiasts doing a blind taste test. All of the brands offer at least two different flavors of coating; the chocolate option was used for this taste test.

Chocolate #1 – Wilton Candy Melts

The Wilton wafers had a flavor that I would not describe as chocolate. Words used during the taste test, such as “strange” and “unpleasant”, are a strong indicator that this is not my top choice for coating cake pops. On a scale of 1 to 10 for taste, Wilton Candy Melts scored a 6.

Chocolate #2 – Make ‘n Mold Candy Wafers

The Make ‘n Mold wafers had an enjoyable chocolate flavor. There were several mutterings of “Mmmmmm…” while enjoying the wafers during the taste test. On a scale of 1 to 10 for taste, Make ‘n Mold Candy Wafers scored a 9.

Chocolate #3 – Chocoley Bada Bing Bada Boom, Dipping and Coating Formula

The Chocoley wafers stood out as having a true chocolate flavor. They dissolved quickly, literally melting in your mouth. On a scale of 1 to 10 for taste, Chocoley Bada Bing Bada Boom, Dipping and Coating Formula scored an 8.

Chocolate #4 – Guittard A’Peels

The Guittard wafers had an enjoyable chocolate flavor that was described as “light”. On a scale of 1 to 10 for taste, Guittard A’Peels scored a 7.5.

Chocolate #5 – CandiQuik Candy Coating

The CandiQuik coating had a sweet enjoyable flavor that unfortunately didn’t taste too much like chocolate. On a scale of 1 to 10 for taste, CandiQuik Candy Coating scored a 7.

Chocolate #6 – Merckens

The Merckens wafers had a chocolate flavor that was also described as “light” when compared to others. On a scale of 1 to 10 for taste, Merckens scored a 7.

Chocolate Pricing Comparison

The retail prices listed below were collected from my local area and will vary slightly from location to location. Since online purchases include the additional cost of shipping, all website pricing listed below includes estimated shipping charges. Also, please note that not all chocolates are packaged by the same weight. For comparison purposes, the below prices are all calculated at a per pound rate, not a per package rate.

Chocolate #1 – Wilton Candy Melts

Wilton Candy Melts are probably the most readily available option for cake pop coating. You can find them at Michael’s in a wide variety of colors. They are packaged in 12 oz. bags, which are 3/4 of a pound. The pricing per pound for Wilton Melts is approximately $3.30 to 4.00.

Chocolate #2 – Make ‘n Mold Candy Wafers

Make ‘n Mold Candy Wafers are available at Hobby Lobby locations in a variety of colors. They are sold in 14 oz. bags, which are 7/8 of a pound. The price for Make ‘n Mold is approximately $3.40 per pound.

Chocolate #3 – Chocoley Bada Bing Bada Boom, Dipping and Coating Formula

Chocoley Bada Bing Bada Boom, Dipping and Coating Formula is available at chocoley.com for approximately $5.70 to $9.75 per pound (including shipping, depending on how much you purchase at once). It comes in white, milk, dark, and extra dark varieties.

***For the next ten days only, you can try Chocoley at 15% off. Simply use the coupon code SUGARKISSED at checkout.***

Chocolate #4 – Guittard A’Peels

Guittard A’Peels is available for purchase online in a handful of colors in addition to chocolate. The best pricing I have found is at gygi.com for $3.00 to $5.00 per pound (including shipping, depending on how much you purchase at once). The website has it available in quantities of 2.5, 5, and 25 pounds. You can also get it online at Stover and Company, Busy Bakers Supplies, and Global Sugar Art. Some cake poppers have also reported that they can get Guittard chocolate at Winco, however, I do not know if it is Guittard real chocolate wafers or the A’Peels compound chocolate.

Chocolate #5 – CandiQuik Candy Coating

CandiQuik Candy Coating is available at Target and some grocery stores, such as Kroger, in either chocolate or vanilla. It comes in 1 lb. packages for approximately $3.75. Each package also comes with a tray that can conveniently be used for heating chocolate and storing melted chocolate. It is worth noting that CandiQuik comes in block form, not wafers.

Chocolate #6 – Merckens

Merckens is available for purchase online in a handful of colors in addition to chocolate. The best pricing I have found is at gygi.com for $3.40 to $5.40 per pound (including shipping, depending on how much you purchase at once). The website has it available in quantities of 2.5 and 50 pounds. Your can also order it online at Busy Bakers Supplies and Global Sugar Art.

The Final Results

Chocolate #1 – Wilton Candy Melts

Dipping Grade: F (much improved when thinned) | Taste Grade: D | Price Range: $ – $$

Chocolate #2 – Make ‘n Mold Candy Wafers

Dipping Grade: C | Taste Grade: A | Price Range: $

Chocolate #3 – Chocoley Bada Bing Bada Boom, Dipping and Coating Formula

Dipping Grade: A | Taste Grade: B | Price Range: $$$$

Chocolate #4 – Guittard A’Peels

Dipping Grade: A | Taste Grade: C | Price Range: $ – $$$

Chocolate #5 – CandiQuik Candy Coating

Dipping Grade: B | Taste Grade: C | Price Range: $

Chocolate #6 – Merckens

Dipping Grade: B | Taste Grade: C | Price Range: $ – $$$

*************************************************************************************************

For the next ten days only, you can try Chocoley at 15% off.

Simply use the coupon code SUGARKISSED at checkout.*

*************************************************************************************************

(As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases made through below links.)

Making a bite-sized version of a full-sized treat instantly amps up the cuteness factor. Put it on a stick and you run the risk of making it too cute to eat! That’s exactly what Christine, the baker behind ChriztyCreationz has done with her birthday cake cake pops.

Christine caught Cake Pop Fever back in 2009, when cake pops were first becoming popular as dessert table must-haves. As a self-taught baker, she learned how to make cake pops by watching YouTube videos. Fascinated with the treat, she perfected her cake popping skills through trial and error. Now she makes them, in addition to a variety of other treats, for personal events and occasional customer orders.

Make Basic Round Cake Pops

Birthday cake cake pops start with basic round cake pops. To learn step-by-step how to make cake pops using a cake mix, please see How To Make Cake Pops.

If you want to get creative with the flavor of your cake pops, check out How To Make Cake Pops With Unique Flavors, Key Lime Cake Pops, and Cherry Cheesecake Cake Pops.

Now, without further delay, I’ll turn it over to Christine to take us through the process for making her birthday cake cake pops…

Ingredients and Supplies for Birthday Cake Cake Pops

To make birthday cake cake pops you will need:

• Prepared round cake pops
• Chocolate wafers (in the color of your choice)
• Toothpicks
• Bling sticks (or plain white lollipop sticks)
• Sparkling sugar (in the color of your choice)
• Birthday candles
• Dragees
• Cake pop stand

How To Make Birthday Cake Cake Pops

Make cake balls by following the steps for making cake pops and stopping just before the step instructing you to insert your sticks into the cake balls.

Start by microwaving your chocolate wafers in a cup on 50% power for 1 minute. Stop and stir, then continue melting for an additional 30 seconds. Stop and stir again. Continue microwaving in 30-second intervals, stopping and stirring after each interval, until your coating is completely melted.

For each birthday cake cake pop, use half of a cake ball to make the top tier of the cake and one and a half cake balls to make the bottom tier. Use your hands to mold your cake balls into column shapes, making them as thick and as high as you like. Keep in mind that your bottom tier needs to be wider than your top tier and your top tier will be holding a birthday candle.

Insert a bling stick or lollipop stick into the bottom of your birthday cake’s widest tier. Push the stick all the way through the cake so that it is sticking out of the top about half the height of your top tier.

Using a toothpick, apply some melted chocolate to the top of the cake in a circle around the protruding stick. While the chocolate is still wet, slide the top tier of your cake onto the stick and into the chocolate. Hold the two cake tiers together for a few moments while the chocolate hardens and acts as glue.

Slowly slide the stick back out of the bottom of the cake.

For extra reinforcement, use a toothpick to apply additional chocolate around the seam where the two cake tiers meet. Allow the chocolate to harden.Set the two-tiered cake upside down on a flat non-stick surface, such as a cookie sheet lined with wax paper. Dip the tip of your stick into melted chocolate and insert it back into the hole in bottom of the cake. Do not push the stick in further than half way through the top tier, leaving room for your birthday candle to be inserted on top. Allow the chocolate coating to harden to secure the stick.

How To Decorate Birthday Cake Cake Pops

Check your melted coating to make sure it is warm with a smooth consistency, but not hot. If it is too thick, it will weigh down your cake and the top tier will fall off. Reheat your chocolate if necessary by microwaving it in 30-second intervals at 50% power. If your coating is the right temperate and is still too thick, add some paramount crystals or vegetable shortening to thin it out.

Dip each cake pop straight down into your melted coating until the cake pop is completely covered. Remove the cake pop from the melted coating, turn the cake pop at an angle and gently tap off any excess coating.

Helpful Hint: A tall narrow bowl works best for dipping cake pops. Keeping the coating warm throughout the entire dipping process is key to having a smooth coating on your cake pops. To avoid having to repeatedly reheat your coating, a chocolate melting pot is a great tool.

Act fast to add your sprinkles and candle before the coating hardens. Hold your cake pop over a bowl and sprinkle with sparkling sugar, covering as much of the surface as desired. Insert a birthday candle into the top of the cake pop and place dragees around the seam where the cake tiers meet. If your coating hardens before all the dragees are in place, simply use a toothpick to dab wet chocolate in spots as needed.

Set your birthday cake cake pops in your cake pop stand and let the cake pops dry completely.

Add extra interest to your birthday cake cake pops by attaching flowers, numbers, hearts, or initials as additional decorations!

A special thank you to Christine of ChriztyCreationz for showing us how she makes her birthday cake cake pops.

Now that you know how to make the perfect cake pops for your next birthday party, you need a unique way to show them off! Head over to Cake Pop Stand Co. for a wide selection of cake pop stands. From simple rectangle stands to multi-tiered collapsible stands, they offer stylish ways to display cake pops for every kind of dessert table.

Do you have a tutorial for a creative sweet that you’d like to share with sugarkissed.net readers? Submit your tutorial for a chance to be featured on the blog!

(As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases made through below links.)

Bite-sized and adorable, cake pops make the perfect baby shower treat!

Whether you display them in a cake pop stand on your dessert table or wrap them up as party favors, these Pregnant Belly Cake Pops will be the hit of the party. To take all the mystery out of how to make them, Gaby of Gaby’s Special Treats is here today to take us through the process step-by-step. Gaby fell in love with cake pops when she started making them for family events. She takes a few orders here and there, but describes herself as someone who makes cake pops mostly just for fun. “I’ve tried my hand at other treats,” Gaby says, “but I always seem to go back to cake pops!!” To tag along on Gaby’s cake pop adventures, follow @gabzep on Instagram.

Make Basic Round Cake Pops

Pregnant belly cake pops start with basic round cake pops. To learn step-by-step how to make cake pops using a cake mix, please see How To Make Cake Pops.

If you want to get creative with the flavor of your cake pops, check out How To Make Cake Pops With Unique Flavors, Key Lime Cake Pops, and Cherry Cheesecake Cake Pops.

Now, without further delay, I’ll turn it over to Gaby to take us through the process for making her pregnant belly cake pops…

Ingredients and Supplies for Pregnant Belly Cake Pops

To make pregnant belly cake pops you will need:

• 12 prepared round cake pops
• 24 mini round cake balls
• Pink and white chocolate wafers
• Bow silicone mold
• Baby feet silicone mold
• White nonpareils
• Toothpicks
• Piping bags or sandwich bags
• Cake pop stand

Bling Flower Cake Pop Stand from Cake Pop Stand Co.

How To Make Pregnant Belly Cake Pops

Start by microwaving half a bag of white chocolate wafers in a cup on 50% power for 1 minute. Stop and stir, then continue melting for an additional 15 seconds. Stop and stir again. Continue microwaving in 15-second intervals, stopping and stirring after each interval, until your coating is completely melted.

Once completely melted, pour the melted white chocolate wafers into a piping bag or sandwich bag, cut the tip off of the bag and squeeze the white melted chocolate into each cavity of your bow mold and baby feet mold. Tap the mold on the counter gently to settle the melted coating into the cavities. Then, place the mold in the refrigerator for a few minutes to help the chocolate set and harden quickly. Repeat this process until you have 12 bows and 12 baby feet. Make 24 mini cake balls by following the steps for making cake pops, and using about 1/4 the amount of dough for each cake ball. Your mini cake balls should be about the size of a malt ball (3/4 of an inch in diameter). Do not insert sticks into the cake balls.

Microwave your entire bag of pink chocolate wafers in a cup on 50% power for 1 minute. Stop and stir, then continue melting for an additional 15-seconds. Stop and stir again. Continue microwaving in 15-second intervals, stopping and stirring after each interval, until your coating is completely melted.

Working quickly, use a toothpick and dab a line of your pink melted coating along the top of your naked cake pop, dip a mini cake ball into the melted coating, then pressing together with another mini cake ball, place them both on top of the pink line on the naked cake pop. Hold them in place until the coating starts to harden.

Dab a little bit of melted coating on the side of the naked cake pop where you will be placing the baby foot. Hold the baby foot in place until the coating starts to harden. (Tip: For added support melt some pink chocolate coating in a pipping bag and pipe extra coating between the mini cake balls and the cake pop.)

Before you dip your cake pops you want to make your pink chocolate coating a nice thin consistency, you may need to add some paramount crystals to thin out the coating. If it’s too thick, the weight of it will pull the mini cake balls off the cake pop.

Dip each cake pop straight down into the pink coating until the cake pop is completely covered. Remove the cake pop from the melted coating, turn the cake pop at an angle and gently tap off any excess coating. Set your pregnant belly cake pops in your cake pop stand and let the cake pops dry completely.

Helpful Hint: A tall narrow bowl works best for dipping cake pops. Keeping the coating warm throughout the entire dipping process is key to having a smooth coating on your cake pops. To avoid having to repeatedly reheat your coating, a chocolate melting pot is a great tool.

Put the remaining melted white chocolate coating in a pipping bag and pipe a Y-shaped line between the mini cake balls and a horizontal line underneath the mini cake balls. Quickly spoon white nonpareils onto the white lines while the chocolate is still wet. Pipe a dab of chocolate coating on the belly to use as glue to attach a white bow.

Set your cake pops aside to dry completely. I hope you enjoy making these as much as I do!

A special thank you to Gaby of Gaby’s Special Treats for showing us how she makes her pregnant belly cake pops. I can’t wait to see more of your amazing cake pop creations, Gaby!

Custom Logo Cake Pop Stand from Cake Pop Stand Co.

Now that you know how to make the perfect cake pops for your next baby shower, you need a unique and adorable way to display them! These Teddy Bear Cake Pop Stands are the finishing touch that will put all the guests into cuteness overload!

Want to show off your stylish pregnant belly cake pops to the world? Learn how to take amazing cake pop photos!

Do you have a tutorial for a creative sweet that you’d like to share with sugarkissed.net readers? Submit your tutorial for a chance to be featured on the blog!

(As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases made through below links.)

Whether you’re a big kid who never stopped dressing up or a baker who likes the chance to get a little spooky, I think we can all agree that the approach of Halloween promises a little fun for everyone! And what could be more fun than baking a cake, completely destroying it, and rolling it into little cute balls on sticks?!

This collection of Halloween cake pops comes complete with a step-by-step tutorial for each cake pop design. So, pick out your favorite designs and start rolling!

Happy Vampire Cake Pops by Bakerella

Spider Web Cake Pops by sugarkissed.net

Googly Eyed Cake Pops by The Partiologist

Zombie Cake Pops by The Cake Girls

Eyeball Cake Pops by Heavenly Cake Pops

Candy Apple Cake Pops by Season of Sweets

Take your Halloween cake pops to the next level by displaying them in Halloween cake pop stands!

Sparkly Spider Cake Pops by sugarkissed.net

Candy Corn Cake Pops by Bakerella

Spider Web Cake Pops by Heavenly Cake Pops

Colorful Ghost Cake Pops by The Partiologist

Eyeball Cake Pops by sugarkissed.net

Sparky Cake Pops by Bakerella

Vampire Cake Pops by Moms & Munchkins

Monster Cake Pops by The Bearfoot Baker

Cauldron Cake Pops by The Partiologist

Want a stylish way to display your Halloween cake pops? Checkout this Bling Pumpkin Halloween Cake Pop Stand!

Halloween Cupcake Cake Pops by Love From The Oven

Jack Skellington Cake Pops by The Sugar Turntable

Jack O’Lantern Cake Pops by Art And The Kitchen

Witch Hat Cake Pops by The Partiologist

Dangling Spider Cake Pops by Bakerella

(As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases made through below links.)

I never thought I’d turn into a stalker. I have no excuse, I just couldn’t help myself. As soon as I heard that my copy of the Cupcakery: Party-Perfect Cupcakes in a Flash book was headed my way, I had to track my mailman’s every move.

If you follow the blog, Make Bake Celebrate, I’m sure you understand. Toni, the author of both the book and the blog, is nothing less than a cupcake genius.

(3-tier collapsible cupcake stand pictured by Cake Pop Stand Co.)

I knew before Cupcakery even arrived that it would be filled with Toni’s usual vibrant cupcake photographs and drool-worthy cupcake recipes. Once I held the book in my hands, I realized it was much more than that. From descriptions of essential tools and ingredients to step-by-step instructions for different decorating techniques, Cupcakery supplies you with all the knowledge you need to be successful at making stylish, mouth-watering cupcakes. Plus, all of the recipes in the book start with a box cake mix, so you don’t have to be Martha Stewart to get them right and you can easily tweak them to make other baked goods.

To take Cupcakery out for a test run, I used Toni’s recipe for Cherry Cheesecake Cupcakes to make cake pops.

Ingredients & Supplies

To make cherry cheesecake cake pops, you will need:

– Cheesecake cake balls (continue reading for the slight modification to the Cupcakery recipe)

– Cheesecake frosting (continue reading for the slight modification to the Cupcakery recipe)

– Maraschino cherries (approx. 40)

– Yellow and red candy melts (or white candy melts and candy coloring)

– LorAnn Oils cheesecake flavoring

– Lollipop sticks or colorful paper straws

– Cake pop stand

a Rafflecopter giveaway

*Giveaway is open to US entries only. Proof of purchased or entry validation may need to be provided by winner upon winning. Winner will be chosen at random on July 08, 2015. Make Bake Celebrate, and all participating bloggers have the right to display winner name(s) on all electronic publications including but not limited to; blog posts, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest. If for any reason a prize is unavailable Make Bake Celebrate has the right to replace said prize for another similar item of equal value.

(As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases made through below links.)

Graduation season is upon us and celebrations are under way to honor the achievements of those marching across stage in that iconic black cap and gown. Whether you own a cake pop business or have a special graduate in your life, knowing how to make graduation themed cake pops will come in handy this time of year. To make sure you are armed with that knowledge, Gaby of Gaby’s Special Treats will be showing us step-by-step how to make graduation hat cake pops. Gaby was first introduced to cake pops about a year ago when she ordered them for her son’s birthday party. She fell in love with them and started making cake pops for herself and for family events. She takes a few orders here and there, but describes herself as someone who makes cake pops mostly just for fun. “I’ve tried my hand at other treats,” Gaby says, “but I always seem to go back to cake pops!!” To tag along on Gaby’s cake pop adventures, follow @gabzep on Instagram.

Make Basic Round Cake Pops

Graduation cap cake pops start with basic round cake pops. To learn step-by-step how to make cake pops using a cake mix, please see How To Make Cake Pops.

If you want to get creative with the flavor of your cake pops, check out How To Make Cake Pops With Unique Flavors.

Now, without further delay, I’ll turn it over to Gaby to take us through the process for making her graduation hat cake pops…

Ingredients and Supplies for Graduation Hat Cake Pops

To make graduation hat cake pops you will need:

• 12 prepared round cake pops
• White, chocolate, red, and yellow candy wafers (or customize using your own school colors)
• Square candy mold
• Piping bags or sandwich bags
• Parchment paper
• Cake pop stand

How To Make Graduation Hat Cake Pops

Start by microwaving your entire bag of red candy wafers in a cup on 50% power for 1 minute. Stop and stir, then continue melting for an additional 15-seconds. Stop and stir again. Continue microwaving in 15-second intervals, stopping and stirring after each interval, until your coating is completely melted.

Pour about half of the melted red candy wafers into a piping bag or sandwich bag, cut the tip off of the bag and squeeze the red melted candy into each cavity of the square candy mold. Tap the mold so that the melted chocolate will evenly spread out in the square. Place the mold in the refrigerator to harden the candy.

To create the skin tone color, microwave your white candy wafers and add your chocolate wafers a little at a time until you achieve the skin tone color you want.

Dip a lollipop stick about 1/4″ into your melted coating then about half way through your cake ball. Place your cake pop on parchment paper until the coating hardens.

Then, dip each cake pop straight down into the melted coating until the cake ball is completely covered. Remove the cake pop from the melted coating, turn the cake pop at an angle and tap off any excess coating. Place your dipped cake pops in a cake pop stand to dry.

Helpful Hint: A tall narrow bowl works best for dipping cake pops. Keeping the coating warm throughout the entire dipping process is key to having a smooth coating on your cake pops. To avoid having to repeatedly reheat your coating, a chocolate melting pot is a great tool.

Take your square candy mold out of the refrigerator and turn it over onto a piece of parchment paper. The red squares should pop out easily. Set the squares aside while you re-dip your cake pops to create the bottom of the graduation cap.

With the remaining melted red candy, re-dip your cake pops to cover the top 1/4 of the cake ball. As you pull each cake pop out of the coating, keep it upside down and straight while gently shaking off any excess coating. Place a red candy square on top of each cake pop while the coating is still wet. Gently place your cake pops in your cake stand and let the coating harden. Before dipping each cake pop, shake your cup of red melted candy. This will even out the coating and help you get a straight line for the bottom of your graduation hat.

To create the tassel on your graduation caps, melt a small amount of yellow candy wafers. Place the candy wafers in a cup and microwave on 50% power for just 30 seconds. Stop and stir, then continue melting for an additional 10 to 15 seconds. Stop and stir again. Continue microwaving in 10 to 15-second intervals, stopping and stirring after each interval, until your coating is completely melted.

Pour the melted yellow coating into a piping bag or sandwich bag, cut the tip off of the bag and draw a tassel on top of each square.

Set your cake pops aside to dry completely before enjoying or packaging. For an added fun detail, draw different faces on your graduation hat cake pops.

A special thank you to Gaby of Gaby’s Special Treats for showing us how she makes her graduation hat cake pops! I can’t wait to see more of your amazing cake pop creations, Gaby.

Want to show off your stylish graduation cake pops to the world? Learn how to take amazing cake pop photos!

Do you have a tutorial for a creative sweet that you’d like to share with sugarkissed.net readers? Submit your tutorial for a chance to be featured on the blog!

(As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases made through below links.)

In my home, when someone pops the lid off of a jar of maraschino cherries, it’s safe to assume that there’s a bowl of ice-cream nearby in need of a topping. At least that was the case before I baked and tasted these mouth-watering cherry almond cupcakes.

In this cupcake recipe, chunks of maraschino cherries team up with LorAnn Oils Cherry Flavoring to create a delicate cherry taste that pairs perfectly with fluffy almond buttercream frosting.

To keep this recipe simple I started with a box of white cake mix. To ensure the cupcakes tasted tickle-your-tastebuds amazing, I completely ignored the directions on the cake box. Instead I turned to the “Master Recipes” section of my Cupcakes, Cookies & Pie, Oh, My! cookbook and used the tricks for making a boxed cake mix taste homemade.