St. Patrick's Day Cake Pops

Happy belated St. Patrick's Day!

And, with a lotta love of cake pops, St. Pat's Day spirit, and a recipe from Love From The Oven, I now present to you... St. Patrick's Day Cake Pops!  These are made with green velvet cake, vanilla frosting, white chocolate, and decorated with sprinkles.  However, I couldn't find St. Patrick's Day themed sprinkles anywhere around me, and I was running out of time to make these, so I just used sugary sprinkles instead.

But before the recipe and breakdown, I've got to say a few things.  Yeah, yeah, whatever, scroll past this part if you want... or dare.

First of all, Happy St. Patty's Day several days late.  What with parties and everything, I always seem to be a few steps behind.  So, if you're looking at this and it's less than half a year to March 17th, then make this next year!

Second, I learned quite a few things while making these, which I will now proceed to tell you:

1. DON'T USE STORE-BOUGHT FROSTING.  It tastes really good, and I was happy with the way the cake balls tasted, but the cake will then crumble apart.  Or, go ahead and follow my exact recipe - and then follow my exact directions, or you'll end up with half a batch of cake pops instead of a mostly-full batch.

2. Never skip oil when melting white chocolate!  It will save your life... and your pops.

3. Take the time to let the cake cool before you crumble it - otherwise you get mush.

4. Also take the time to let your cake pops chill in the refrigerator for a day.  They're easier to dip and don't die as often.

5. Brushes are definitely a worthwhile investment.  Check it out down below if you don't know what I mean.

Thank you for your time - your pops will thank you, too.  And now, without further ado, the recipe.

St. Patrick's Day Cake Pops

2 eggs

1 cup oil

1 cup buttermilk

1 tablespoon vinegar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 oz. green food coloring

2 1/2 cups flour

2 cups sugar

1 tablespoon cocoa

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 can vanilla frosting*

24 oz. bag white chocolate chips

oil as needed

50 lollipop sticks

styrofoam block

*If you want to follow my exact, rather confusing directions, then use this kind of frosting (I used this frosting).  Otherwise, use cream cheese frosting like the original recipe from Love From The Oven stated. I just don't like cream cheese frosting; hence, the vanilla.

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Whip eggs in a medium bowl.  Add oil, buttermilk, vinegar, vanilla, and food coloring.  Mix well.
3. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, cocoa, salt, and baking soda.
4. Pour wet mixture into dry; mix thoroughly.  Pour into a nonstick 9x13 pan.  Bake for about 40 minutes.  Insert a toothpick near center of cake and bake additionally if it doesn't come out clean.
5. Let cake cool.
6. Cut into several pieces.  Crumble into a large bowl.
7. Spoon in frosting, then mix gently but thoroughly.
8. Form cake balls with hands or a large cookie scoop.  Place on baking sheet and freeze for 15 minutes.
9. Melt white chocolate chips and oil in a metal bowl over a saucepan of simmering water.
10. Dip lollipop sticks into chocolate and then press into centers of cake balls.
11. Refrigerate pops for a day.
12. Set up the white chocolate melting bowl again.  Take pops out, three or four at a time, and brush white chocolate onto the pops.  Shake excess chocolate off by tapping your wrist.
13. Pour a small bowl of sprinkles over your cake pop, rotating the pop to get even sprinkle coverage.  Have a plate or another bowl catch excess sprinkles, and pour over pop back into the original bowl.  (The reason you do this is because you cannot dip these pops in sprinkles!  They will fall apart.)
14. Stick pop into styrofoam block to harden, and repeat with remaining pops.  Makes 50 cake pops.

And again, if you use cream cheese frosting, you probably don't have to follow all these little rules that I'm posting.  Stupid store-bought frosting...

Breaking it down:

Crack your eggs into a medium bowl...

...and whisk until smooth.

Add oil, buttermilk, vinegar, vanilla, and, obviously, food coloring...

...and stir.

In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, cocoa, salt, and baking soda...

Mix thoroughly.

Pour the wet into the dry...

...and stir well.  Beautiful, huh?  And sooo green!

Pour batter into a nonstick pan...

...and bake for about 40 minutes.  (The reason I say "about" is because the original recipe used round cake pans... so therefore, I estimate.  Use the toothpick trick, though.  Seriously.)

Let cake cool, then cut into pieces...

Crumble into a large bowl...

Then add your frosting...

...and mix well.

Form into cake balls...

...and freeze for 15 minutes.  Then dip your lollipop sticks into white chocolate and oil and stick them in your cake balls.  Refrigerate these for a day/overnight.

After a day/night has passed, set out your sprinkles...

...and melt your white chocolate chips and oil again... (see my brush?)

Then brush chocolate over your pops and decorate with sprinkles to your heart's content!

Mine came out rather lumpy, as they tend to do when you have to chill them upside-down on a baking sheet, but they tasted awesome.  So, as long as you make your own frosting or use a different one, yours will look pretty and taste great!

You can set these up on a styrofoam block covered in wrapping paper, as shown above.  Carry it carefully to the party you've been invited to and everyone will love them!  (I did just that and they were gone in less than five minutes.  One disappeared before I even got through the door of the house! XD)  Ribbons are also a cute touch. :)

Happy St. Patrick's Day again!

-JJ