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3.12.2013

"fake" pops


You're probably raising an eyebrow at the title of this post...

... I didn't want to call them "cake pops" because I didn't actually use ANY cake to make these treats. For my nieice's 1st birthday I volunteered to make cake pops! Soon after, I knew that it was going to be A LOT of work (especially considering that there were 70 people going). My cousin gave me the idea of using donut holes to simplify the process and they were a hit!


The day before the party, I picked up 3 dozen donut holes from our local donut shop. I got plain cake donut holes (no icing). My sister-in-law also picked up a bunch of other goodies: marshmallows, brownies, rice krispy treats, etc. They were all store bought and ready to go. This REALLY cut down on prep time.


Here are some tips I learned about making cake pops (or "fake" pops, if you will). These same tips will apply to regular cake pops if you're daring enough to take on the challenge.

Tip #1:
Melt your chocolate with a little bit of shortening

Pure melted chocolate is delicious, but it can be globby (yes, that's a real word). If you add a little bit of shortening to the chocolate it thins it out a bit and makes your treats easier to dip.


Tip #2:
Stick your stick

Yes, this sounds funny. But I'm serious. You don't want your donut hole to flop off into your chocolate. Pre-poke holes in your treats, dip the stick in the melted chocolate & then put the stick back into the hole. The chocolate will harden and "glue" your treat to the stick. This is a huge time saver and mess preventer.


Tip #3
Let your chocolate dry a bit before decorating

Sprinkles, especially the larger "pearl" kind, tend to slip off the chocolate when it's still wet and drippy. Let your cake pops dry for a few minutes before decorating. It'll help your sprinkles stick for the long haul. I used a piece of styrofoam to keep my pops upright while they dried. It worked like a charm.


So when it was all said and done, I made almost 60 fake pops! It was a lot of fun and they were a big hit at the party. They were also really yummy... which is the most important part.

 

What I learned is that they don't have to be perfect. They don't have to look like cake pops in a magazine. If you have fun and put your little touch on them, they'll be perfect in their own ways.

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[p.s. this post may be linked to any number of these blogs]

15 comments:

  1. Oh Wow!! What a great idea using donut holes for the pops! They really are awesome!! In know mine won't turn out as pretty, but like you said...they don't have to be perfect!!

    Thansk for sharing this great idea!!
    ~ Darlene

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  2. Shannon these are amazing!!! In New Zealand we do not have donut shops, sigh, the things we miss out on! So I will have to try to think of something like that to use. This is such a good idea and so practical. I actually hate cake pop, mushed up cake does not appeal to me at all. But this is fantastic. I love your blog and some ideas like this just POP out at me (ha ha ha). Thanks so much. Karen

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  3. Yum!! I don't suppose you'd want to make six dozen "fake" pops for my daughter's birthday party, would you? ;) They look great, and I love their donut hole origin.

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  4. These look PERFECT!!!! I would have thought they were bought. Love the thought of using items out of the ordinary. Good job Shannon!

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  5. Thanks for all the tips...I have wanted to try this type of "cheat" cake pops, so your tips and tricks are just what I was looking for! Sara

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  6. Hi! Followed you over from Sugar and Dots blog hop. This is a great idea! I am not much of a baker so this is definitely a great fake out. Now following via GFC : )

    Jackie
    www.thenonmarthamomma.com

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  7. I bet that would be yummy with donuts holes I never would have thought that. They turned out great!

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  8. You are quite possibly a genius. I love this. So much easier than the real thing!

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  9. Wow,genius! Using donut holes and rice krispie treats ... so clever! LOVE It

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  10. Wow! What a wonderful idea! And they look yummy too. Thanks so much for stopping by and linking up at Transformed Tuesday.

    Hugs,
    Peggy~PJH Designs

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  11. Love this idea, featuring you on
    http://joyfulhomemaking.com/2013/03/welcome-to-think-tank-thursday-22.html!

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  12. clever idea. I don't think kiddos really care if they are real or "fake".....as long as they are sweet and "cute!"

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