Cake Pops And Cracks!!!

Baking By dukeswalker Updated 14 Mar 2016 , 3:03pm by TSweetTreats

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dukeswalker Posted 19 Mar 2011 , 12:36am
post #1 of 31

SO frustrating!!! I am making cake pops for the second time and I am having the exact same experience as last time around...

I make a white cake, crumble finely and mix in just enough buttercream to bring it to a consistency that is pliable. I roll/shape and chill in fridge for 15 minutes - I take them out, let them sit for 3-5 minutes and start dipping them in Merckens Rainbow Coating White. All is going well - after 20-40 minutes they start cracking in a random order - some of the ones I dipped 1st crack, some that I dipped last crack and some that I dipped in the middle crack - but not all of them! What in the world is going on??

Its about 80F in the kitchen today - but last time I made it the temp was about 65F and they did the same thing then....

GAHHH!

30 replies
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Marianna46 Posted 19 Mar 2011 , 3:01pm
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Oh, my, when I opened this I thought I had the answer to your problem, but unfortunately I don't. When I make cake balls, I freeze them completely (often for days before I dip them). If I put the chocolate on them while they're still totally frozen, they always crack, but if I let them sit out for about twenty minutes before dipping them, they're okay. Sorry I don't have any good advice to give you, but I hope you find an answer soon.

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CiNoRi Posted 19 Mar 2011 , 3:18pm
post #3 of 31

I get the same problem... its always hit and miss... so when i do an order i always plan for problems and make extras.... its annoying

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dukeswalker Posted 21 Mar 2011 , 2:42am
post #4 of 31

I end up doing the same thing as CiNoRi...making a ton of extras. This last time I also started dipping/drying/dipping for a second time to cover the cracks from the first dip. But then the coating is REALLY thick & heavy. Drives. Me. Bonkers.

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DixieSweets Posted 21 Mar 2011 , 3:09am
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You may have rolled the balls too tightly. Make sure when you roll them just enough to get into a ball shape and hold together. Don't pack them into tight balls because they will want to expand after taking them out of the refrigerator. You should also chill them longer than 15 minutes. I chill mine for at least 2 hours. You can also double dip in order to cover the cracks. Hope that helps.

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SweetTater Posted 21 Mar 2011 , 3:39am
post #6 of 31

That's what I remember reading in bakerella's recipe book: rolling balls to tight can cause cracks and if they're too cold when you dip them. and i think you're supposed to put them in the freezer for 15 minutes, then transfer them to the fridge and work with 2-3 at a time. or chill them in the fridge for 2 hours, and again, just take 2-3 out at a time while dipping.

bakerella has a facebook page, you might try asking your question there too. there are lots of people that comment & post that make cake pops all the time.

good luck!

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Marianna46 Posted 21 Mar 2011 , 4:16am
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Unfortunately, Bakerella has been quite ill and in the hospital lately (I hope she's out by now, but I don't know), so you may not get too much from her Facebook page right now. Here's a link to the thread where I found this out:

http://cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-712084.html

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TwoLittleEs Posted 21 Mar 2011 , 4:20am
post #8 of 31

This always happens to me when my cake balls are too cold and they're coated with candy coating that is too hot. I now freeze the cake balls but transfer them to the fridge an hour before dipping so that they soften. I also try to stir the candy melts as much as I can instead of over heating them in the microwave. It's a fine, frustrating line but that temperature difference helped for me! Good luck!

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jenscreativity Posted 21 Mar 2011 , 5:15am
post #9 of 31

Hello everyone! I got the solution this weekend after so many tries and figuring this problem out.>Make sure your cake balls/pops are a cookie dough consistency..and do NOT FREEZE your pops anymore!! I made my pops with sticks and placed in refrigerator for hours,,then I while I melted my choc..I let a few out at a time to get less cold,,THEN BEFORE I dip my pops/balls, MAKE SURE YOUR CHOCOLATE IS NOT TOO HOT!!! Let it cool down for a little bit,,once cooled, then dip them and decorate and right after, place back in refrigerator over night or for a few hours at least. I did this and NOT ONE cracked on me like my previous batches did. Ppl on here told me to NOT freeze the pops anymore and refridgerate since the pops will crack while warming to room temp..I'm so glad I found my solution,,do this and you should be fine..

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Corrie76 Posted 21 Mar 2011 , 5:33am
post #10 of 31

....and this is why I do not make cake balls or pops anymore...well that, and no one around here wants to pay more than a buck each icon_rolleyes.gif

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TinkerCakes Posted 21 Mar 2011 , 5:02pm
post #11 of 31

The only time I have my cake pops in the frig is when I'm letting the candy on the stick harden...securing it to the cake pop(maybe 5 minutes). I never freeze them or refrigerate them and I have never had one crack.
Although....I am making some this afternoon and I will be willing to bet all of them will crack since I am posting this. icon_smile.gif

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knlcox Posted 29 May 2011 , 9:13pm
post #12 of 31

I used to have this problem. I stopped putting the cake pops in the fridge or freezer at all. I just roll the cake ball, dip the stick in melted chocolate, and push it into the cake ball. I allow it to dry or set that way for about 30 minutes before dipping the entire thing in the melted candy. I then allow them to set at room temperature until they harden. I never use the freezer or refrigerator at all anymore. It works for me. My kitchen is usually around 75 degrees. It's extremely humid here in SC. I found that none of them crack if I do it that way. HTH!

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jubeken2005 Posted 10 Apr 2012 , 2:55am
post #13 of 31

what should be the consistency of the cake to be use for cake pops? I have a chocolate cake recipe that's really moist... I tried to make cake pops using this recipe, but unfortunately my cake pops slides down from the sticks after dipping them in the chocolate and it also cracks! please help!

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Marianna46 Posted 10 Apr 2012 , 4:23pm
post #14 of 31

In that case maybe you DO need to refrigerate or freeze them, jubeken2005. I always freeze mine (and let them thaw for a little while) because I live in a very warm place, and the chocolate coating wont set up at room temp. If I can get the chocolate to harden, like it does with a very cold ball of cake, it's okay after that at room temperature for some reason - it doesn't melt get soft again.

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EmmaHols Posted 20 Apr 2012 , 6:03am
post #15 of 31

Cracks are the bane of my life with pops. I spend several very stressful weeks testing and researching to find an answer. I'm currently at a 90% sucess rate (I make several hundred every week) and this is what I believe is important:
DO NOT CHILL YOUR BALLS!!!!!! Cold is your enemy. SImply roll them and dip them at room temperature inless you live in an extremely hot climate and the chocolate won't set a room tempreature.
Add 2 tablespoons of copha per 500g/1lb melts. It helps the chocolate set up faster, great to hot climates. (Sorry USA, that's a Australia tip!)
Don't pack them too tight.
Double dip them to cover cracks.

Once the balls are coated you can refridgerate or freeze them.
Hope this helps!

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jgifford Posted 20 Apr 2012 , 8:22pm
post #16 of 31
Quote:
Originally Posted by EmmaHols

Cracks are the bane of my life with pops. I spend several very stressful weeks testing and researching to find an answer. I'm currently at a 90% sucess rate (I make several hundred every week) and this is what I believe is important:
DO NOT CHILL YOUR BALLS!!!!!! Cold is your enemy. SImply roll them and dip them at room temperature inless you live in an extremely hot climate and the chocolate won't set a room tempreature.
Add 2 tablespoons of copha per 500g/1lb melts. It helps the chocolate set up faster, great to hot climates. (Sorry USA, that's a Australia tip!)
Don't pack them too tight.
Double dip them to cover cracks.

Once the balls are coated you can refridgerate or freeze them.
Hope this helps!




icon_lol.gificon_lol.gif Always good advice. thumbs_up.gif

I agree. leah_s posted this tip in another foum, so I tried it. I don't use any bc unless the cake just won't hold together without it, and they never go in the fridge or freezer. I don't get my coating super hot either - just enough to get it melted and then I let it cool off a little as well. Works great - I made 13 dozen pops a month ago and not one of them cracked. Yay!

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Marianna46 Posted 20 Apr 2012 , 8:49pm
post #17 of 31

Copha is a brand of vegetable shortening, isn't it? I started adding some to my chocolate when I make cake pops, and it's helped reduce the cracking. The coating also sets harder and has a little crunch to it with the shortening. I haven't made cake balls in so long, I'd totally forgotten about this, but you're right, EmmaHols!

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marya92 Posted 2 Mar 2013 , 3:33am
post #18 of 31

I also found that if my cake is too moist the cake pops will crack. That's what recently happened to me with a red velvet cake that called for a lot of oil. 

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scrumdiddlycakes Posted 2 Mar 2013 , 8:33am
post #19 of 31

I roll them, chill them, and re-roll, just to get them really smooth and round. However, I don't refrigerate them after that.

Too cold and too tightly rolled = cracking.

I put my chocolate in a mini crock pot until just melted, and then turn it off, the residual heat keeps it from hardening, but it never gets hot, that helps a lot as well.

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amstout10 Posted 1 Apr 2013 , 4:21pm
post #20 of 31

If you freeze them, do you add the decoration before or after? Im throwing a baby shower in a few months and there are a lot of people coming so I would like to start doing some things here and there so im not overwhelmed when the day gets here. How long can they stay in the freezer?

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Kalpic65 Posted 3 Sep 2013 , 3:34pm
post #21 of 31

@EmmaHols: Your cake pop is beautiful! I have one question, if you do not put your pops in the fridge, how do you keep them from falling off the stick when you dip them? I dip the end of the stick in the chocolate first before putting them in the pop but mine still fall off if they aren't cold. What am I doing wrong?

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Kalpic65 Posted 3 Sep 2013 , 3:40pm
post #22 of 31

EmmaHols:

PS: what kind of melting chocolate do you use? icon_biggrin.gif

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KsCakes09 Posted 22 Oct 2013 , 1:27am
post #23 of 31

First time making cake pops & BOY I never dreamed it would be this difficult!!  I'm having trouble with cracking & leaking oil.  I haven't made a single one that hasn't cracked.  I've tried fridge method, freezer method, no chill method, nothing seems to prevent cracking.  Maybe its how I'm rolling them??  Some say if you roll it too tight they will crack...how do you NOT roll them tight?  If I try to not roll them tight the cake seems to have cracks & I'm afraid the cracks will show through the chocolate or even break apart & fall off the stick.  Its frustrating because you see so many beautiful smooth cake pops & and I can't make a single one. PLEASE HELP!!

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trista4120 Posted 23 Oct 2013 , 3:16am
post #24 of 31

ATry www.creativeediblesbyyuki.com she is also on FB.. Under Cake Pops creative edibles by yuki... Love her work!! Hope this helps.

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AnnieCahill Posted 24 Oct 2013 , 3:13pm
post #25 of 31

When you say cracking, are you talking about the chocolate cracking?  I break up and make my cake crumbs as fine as possible, then use a couple of tablespoons of buttercream to bind it.  I really have to work it in my hands to get a ball going.  Everything is at cool room temperature for me (like 68).  I never ever refrigerate before dipping.  I dip the stick in the chocolate then insert it in the pop, then when that firms I dip it.  I have the Wilton melting pot and it works great.  I use the chocolate from Hobby Lobby.  I really hate the Wilton Candy Melts.  The key with getting it to not leak oil is to dip the entire pop and make sure it's sealed to the stick.  That is, dip the whole thing and make sure you get a good seal where the cake ball meets the stick.  Any time I've had leaking it's been from an area which wasn't covered with chocolate. 

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Molomom Posted 17 Apr 2014 , 6:58pm
post #26 of 31

THANK YOU!\

  I have been freezing mine, i have not had major problems until now..I had to re do an entire order of baby cake pops  due to cracks, and almost had a melt down with the easter eggs..  Starting now I will NOT be freezing my pops

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pattyamezola Posted 29 Apr 2014 , 3:47pm
post #27 of 31

hello ladies   last  week  searching and reading   for hours   looking here and there   finaly   got  here  :-D

i read all  and single one of your post  and   follow  all of the tips  ;-D  ......

mi cake  pops  come out  perfectly ..no single one crack or oil dripp  :D......

1.-  little more  buttercream  for  cookie dough consistency..

2.-  not compress the   cake  too much  ...

3.-  not freeze mi  cake pops  or refrigerate at all  ( and  l have to say  i was so worried   for mi cake pop to fall in to the chocolate and  ruin  it

 all ...  but  nothing  happend         ;-D...  so i keep going  )   

4.-   l do doble  dipp in chocolate     

l hope this will help  as a  provent test  and l do whant  so say thanks very much  for all of you  ladies  who took  time to post  and answerd    ans you experiment   and get  any results on you test  

..................................................   again thanks    ..miss tupsy  cakes  <3 

*

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johannagilday Posted 18 Jun 2015 , 8:28pm
post #28 of 31

I always freeze my pops and my chocolate doesnt crack the reason is because i temper my chocolate so the cold pop doesn't shock the hot chocolate. Hope this helped!

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cookie-lady67 Posted 29 Jan 2016 , 11:37pm
post #29 of 31

I have the same problem with my cake pops cracking.Thanks for the tips.One thing that I do

is instead of using oil or butter in my cake recipe I use the same amount of heavy cream.That way the oil from the cake and the oil from the chocolate will not seep through.

works every time.

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jessiejamez Posted 11 Mar 2016 , 10:04pm
post #30 of 31

I am curious, how do you substitute the heavy cream for oil and/or butter in the cake recipe?  I already use buttermilk instead of water for the cake recipe.  Thanks!!!


Jami

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