I Have Been To Cake Pop H#@#

Decorating By kblickster Updated 6 Jan 2013 , 9:20am by peanut61062

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kblickster Posted 14 Dec 2012 , 4:39pm
post #1 of 35

I have been to cake pop h#@# and I'm never going back.  Cracking, oozing, colors not coming out right, you name it....it went wrong.  100 of them.  Then I left the last few of them on my kitchen counter last night wrapped and still in the styro and the morning sun melted a few of them.  I wouldn't make these things again if the president ordered them. 

 

I kept envisioning the workers in Asia hand painting millions of ceramic pieces for the Dollar Tree.  And  my salary for them will be about the same as what those poor people make.

 

Never, never, never again.

34 replies
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cai0311 Posted 14 Dec 2012 , 6:14pm
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I have cake pops on several occasions without any problems.  I used Baby Cakes cake pop maker so the cake pops were baked cake, not cake and icing mixed.  Maybe that is why I didn't have any problems with oozing.

 

I dipped the pops in chocolate thinned with paramount crystals.  I have never had any crack.

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jgifford Posted 14 Dec 2012 , 10:09pm
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I've made hundreds of cake pops and finally ate one about a month ago. That little sucker was delicious! 

 

I make them the old-fashioned way but I don't use frosting in the cake and never refrigerate them. I mix the cake crumbs with Torani syrup or chocolate syrup or ice cream topping - I've even used lemon pudding.  You only need something to make them hold together.  Once the pops are rolled they don't go back in the fridge or freezer and I dip them asap.  The cracking comes from cold cake being dipped in warm coating and I've never had anything ooze out of them. 

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kazita Posted 14 Dec 2012 , 11:09pm
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AI also made cakepops the hard way....I feel those taste the best....using the babycakes cooker doesn't make a yummy moist gooey cakepop. I own a babycakes cakepop maker they make dry little cakes not a true cakepop. Just my opion.....here's a video on trouble shooting on how to make cakepops and I highly reccomed using the wilton melting pot like she does in the video http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=qFpQcQ4E92A&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DqFpQcQ4E92A

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mcaulir Posted 15 Dec 2012 , 2:41am
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I hear you, OP. I hate those little things. I did 30 once, and just about covered my kitchen with blue chocolate. You'd have to pay me about $5 each to try those again.

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jgifford Posted 16 Dec 2012 , 12:53am
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I just got a baby cakes pop maker today.  Can't wait to try it out tomorrow - we have a Christmas party Tuesday.

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cai0311 Posted 17 Dec 2012 , 2:16pm
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I like using the baby cakes cake pop maker because I don't like cake pops that are not just cake on a stick with chocolate.  The mushy kind are a terrible texture to me.  I can't stand those.  Also, using the cake pop maker is so fast.  You can make several dozen in a matter of minutes.

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leah_s Posted 17 Dec 2012 , 2:34pm
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I mostly do them the old fashioned way.  But use VERY little icing in the mixture.  Or even ganache.  But not much - just until it holds together.  I think that's the problem with cake pops where people object to the texture - too much binder.  Anyway, I've learned to keep them out of the fridge/freezer.  Once you learn to make them and keep them at room temp for the entire process, you won't have cracking problems.  I have the Easy Roller (pretty much hate it), but I did use it to "finish roll" some of the order this week.  Make a ball, plop it in the grooves of the Roller and give it a quick roll to compact them and round them.  Worked fairly well, and saved a wee bit of time, but mostly it saved my hands. 

I once got an order for 750 of them for a wedding, so I had to get with the Cake Pop Program quick.  Did 93 for a pick up this morning.  I still consider that a small order.  I can sell as many of these things as I can make on the Dessert Truck.  People love them.  Me, not so much.

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jgifford Posted 17 Dec 2012 , 5:40pm
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Well, I must say I'm not terribly impressed with the Baby Pop maker.  My cake pops came out looking more like acorns, even when I overfilled the little dips.  And they're smaller than the pops I make the old-fashioned way.  But they do bake up in about 3-4 minutes so I can make a ton of them really fast. Since they're my contribution to a Christmas party we're attending, they'll do.

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kblickster Posted 19 Dec 2012 , 2:44am
post #10 of 35

Leah,  I realize they are extremely popular, but how much do you have to charge to profit? They are extremely time consuming.  Much more so than a cupcake.  Am I doing something wrong?  The rolling, tapping, etc. to get rid of the excess chocolate is so slow.  If you have to add ears, eyes, feet it takes even more time.  I can bake and decorate 24 cupcakes pretty fast.  No way I can do 24 cake pops in the same amount of time. 

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Evoir Posted 19 Dec 2012 , 2:49am
post #11 of 35

I made one order this year for Cake Pops.

 

For my son's birthday. Because I love my son.

 

I won't do them for ANYONE else!!

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Norasmom Posted 19 Dec 2012 , 3:00am
post #12 of 35

They get easier for me every time I make them.  The first time I made them took forever and they weren't all that great.  Now, I would prefer to make them more than cupcakes.

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leah_s Posted 19 Dec 2012 , 5:15pm
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AI get $1.75 each. I NEVER will do more decorating than streaking them with an alternate color of chocolate. My pricing works for me.

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mommachris Posted 19 Dec 2012 , 6:14pm
post #14 of 35

I know I'm under-priced...box of five for five dollars.
However they aren't that much work for me having done so many on them I just get on a roll and can do about 8 dozen in one and a half hours.
My binder is flavored coffee creamer, use Wilton melts thinned a bit, never put them in the fridge during the making process.
I'm selling them right and left in my tiny little town.
They have almost paid for half my new stove in just the last month.

Guess they aren't for everyone. I'd rather do them than fondant cakes. So there it is.

 

mommachris
 

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shannycakers Posted 19 Dec 2012 , 8:46pm
post #15 of 35

I had an order for 200 that took me 9 hours total. They were a disaster, please LEAH share how you do them? Here is what i did:

 

melt choc in wilton warmer. Mush cake and mix with icing as binder, roll into balls, stick stick into chocolate and push into ball. Freeze for 30 minutes, then dip in chocolate and wait for excess to drip, add sprinkles. BUT some of mine would not stay on stick and fell into chocolate and it was a mess..how do you do it if you dont freeze them first?

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mcaulir Posted 20 Dec 2012 , 3:13am
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The way I eventually managed to do it was to poke a hole in the ball, then freeze for a few minutes. Dip the end of the stick in chocolate and insert in the cold ball, then dip in chocolate.

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mcaulir Posted 20 Dec 2012 , 3:44am
post #17 of 35

The way I eventually managed to do it was to poke a hole in the ball, then freeze for a few minutes. Dip the end of the stick in chocolate and insert in the cold ball, then dip in chocolate.

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LeslieBruckman Posted 20 Dec 2012 , 10:19am
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I have always dipped the sticks in chocolate, and poke them into the already made cake balls. Then I put them in the fridge for about 20 minutes. Take them out, let the chill come off most of the way, about 10 minutes. Then dip them. I find that way there is less cracking (the cracking happens from the cake expanding as it warms up to room temperature).
Also, after dipping the whole cake pop... I wait 24 hours until decorating them just so I can see for sure if any are going to crack (they will do so by then). Then I just give those ones one quick extra dip. Wait for those to set up and go about decorating... I made super cute Mickey Clubhouse ones recently (no pictures) and double dipped those just to be on the safe side because I was in a time crunch.
I recommend the 24 hours to sit, though.
 

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leah_s Posted 20 Dec 2012 , 11:09am
post #19 of 35

AShanny, if they're falling off the stick there's too much binder. I mix the cake crumbs with a fork and use a portion scoop to get uniform amounts and a basic ball shape. Roll into a compact ball, place on tray and let them dry. Then dip the stick into choc, stick stick into ball, dip, tap and place stick into a block of styro to dry. I do NOT put them in the fridge or freezers as that always caused problems for me.

The key is very little binder. And keeping them out of temp fluctuations. And not using W candy melts. I use Merckens or Peters. And always have Paramount crystals to add if needed to thin the choc. I melt small aamounts in a glass measuring cup.

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kblickster Posted 20 Dec 2012 , 10:55pm
post #20 of 35

I baked the cake, shredded it with a fork, added about a cup of icing to a 9x13 pan of cake.  I froze them because I had so many to do and I didn't have time to do them all in one day.  I took them out of the freezer and let them thaw for about an hour and then dipped the stick in chocolate and inserted it into the cakeball.  I proceeded to dip.  I think most of my problem was air in the chocolate.  I don't have a warmer so I melted my chocolate in the microwave in a measuring cup.  I then sat the measuring cup on top of a tart warmer (candle tart).  The measuring cup never got hot to the touch as it was 3 inches from the flame and I don't think the chocolate was to hot.  The temperature change may have been the problem.  I used 2 different kinds of chocolate (Wilton melts and Merkens).  I was having so much trouble that I switched to CandiQuick.  It worked better and I finally got through it.

 

I've just had a bride ask if I do them.  I am hesitant as this will mean doing a lot of them.  I have cake and left over melts to play with.  I guess I will play around with it again.  I've had issues with fondant and didn't quit, I've had other cake disasters and didn't quit. 

 

Can you tell I'm trying to convince myself I can do this.  GET BACK ON THE BIKE.  They are popular......

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leah_s Posted 21 Dec 2012 , 4:43pm
post #21 of 35

AI'd estimate that your still using too much icing. Start with half a cup.

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leah_s Posted 21 Dec 2012 , 4:44pm
post #22 of 35

AAlso, get a bag of Paramount Crystals.

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kblickster Posted 21 Dec 2012 , 7:13pm
post #23 of 35

Thanks Leah.  New batch this weekend.  Will try less icing. 

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SweetNostalgia Posted 21 Dec 2012 , 7:37pm
post #24 of 35

I have to agree with this. For me, I actually start at 1/4 cup and go from there. In some cases even 1/2 cup can be too much. But then, my cakes are usually pretty moist- so much so, that I probably don't even need the icing.
 

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leah_s Posted 21 Dec 2012 , 8:24pm
post #25 of 35

AThe mixture should not form a ball in the bowl. It should only come together when you roll it. BTW, Sam's Club was offering a box of 25/4 flavors of cake balls for $14.99. smh

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shannycakers Posted 21 Dec 2012 , 8:36pm
post #26 of 35

Thank you for your help Leah! def too much icing then, I will try again:)

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kblickster Posted 31 Dec 2012 , 7:41pm
post #27 of 35

What?  25 for 14.99.  Let them have at it.  My time is worth more than that.

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LeslieBruckman Posted 1 Jan 2013 , 7:23pm
post #28 of 35

AI've always done my pops in a food processor. It helps to actually not need any binder at all. And then reading how Leah does hers, with no chilling, I tried it on my last order and had ZERO cracking. Thanks for that tip. They actually do set up, in about the same amount of time, too.

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Annabakescakes Posted 1 Jan 2013 , 8:16pm
post #29 of 35

A

Original message sent by kblickster

What?  25 for 14.99.  Let them have at it.  My time is worth more than that.

And I bet they're made in Bangladesh or china, in a sweat shop, and taste terrible, and are loaded with chemicals to stay mold-free while they ship them over on a barge!!

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lyndim Posted 1 Jan 2013 , 8:52pm
post #30 of 35

AI've many of these, mostly the "old fashion" way.I agree with Leah as far as just a tad bit of frosting or whatever binder your using. I use all kinds of things to bind them together. Kaluha, flavored creamer, any kind of liquour wil do. or just a tad of frosting. I have picked up a few good tips here. Not to freeze or chill them in the fridge. Makes sense. I've also used the cake pop maker. Unless you use really moist dense cake, they usually don't come out that greaat. My sons say there too "boring" when I make them in the poppper. I personally don't like the texture of cake pops, they remind me too much of mushy, squishy cake. Which of course they are! Anywhoo, thanks for all the great tips, I always learn something new here on CC!:grin:

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