This month's AlphaBakes is hosted by Caroline from Caroline Makes. Its our monthly blogging challenge that we co-host where we randomly pick a letter each month and bake/create something using that letter as the main ingredient or name of bake. I think we've done all the easy letters and we're left with the trickier ones such as 'I' for this month. My first thoughts were ice cream cupcakes which I made a few years ago but I wanted to make something new this month so decided on ice cream cake pops. I also made some donut ones whilst I was at it!
Each time I make cake pops, I think never again and then of course I do. They are quite fiddly and time consuming and I just can't seem to get it right. This time the cake pops fell off the stick but they looked quite nice on my new cake stand (more on that later). I made a Nigella chocolate cake and used caramel and strawberry buttons for the coating.
chocolate cake 
1 batch of vanilla buttercream + crumbled cake 
mix buttercream 1 tablespoon at a time into the cake mixture until it's sticky and binds well together
weigh out 30g of cake mixture and roll them into cone and donut shapes. Chill in the freezer until firm before proceeding to the next step. 
melt candy melts/flavoured buttons. I had some lovely white candy melts with colours in them (right of photo) but unfortunately they didn't melt properly so I didn't use them at all [you can add some vegetable oil to thin the candy melts but I didn't want to do that in this case]
the caramel buttons melted beautifully. have everything ready before you start - lollipop sticks, melted coating, cake pops and a stand. 
dip cake pops into the caramel buttons
allow to dry fully - I had difficulty keeping the donut ones on a stick
dip the ice cream cones in melted strawberry buttons about half way. Add sprinkles and allow the cake pops to set. As you can see they fell off the stick whilst drying but all is not lost... 
finished cake pops minus sticks served on a cake stand
I mentioned earlier that I wanted to talk about my new cake stand which I was sent to review. It's a slate 2 tier cake stand by Apollo Housewares. Apollo Housewares have been specialising in kitchen & homeware products for 24 years and have a great range of baking accessories and cake related products. I served these cake pops at my afternoon tea party and some of my guest comments were that it looks classy and that it fits with any decor.
My verdict - It's quite a sturdy cake stand which is well made and easy to assemble. I love the colour and simplicity of it. I think it made my cake pops look better especially the donut ones!
slate 2 tier cake stand
Disclaimer: I was sent this cake stand to review. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own unless otherwise stated.
Very cute - I especially like the little doughnuts!
ReplyDeleteI love the doughnuts too! :)
DeleteThese look really cute. Pity they didn't stay on the stick but bet they still tasted good! Isn't there some trick to cake pops, like dipping the stick into the melts before you push it into the cake? I may be imagining that, but I'm sure I've read something like it. Not sure I'd have the patience to try them myself! :)
ReplyDeleteI dipped the stick into the melt first but I think the cake pops were too heavy and oddly shaped. They do require a little patience but they are cute!
DeleteWhat a shame they fell down the sticks! They do look lovely though, and very ice-cream like. I have to confess that the fiddle of cake pops has always put me off but yours are great.
ReplyDeleteThanks! I was really upset when they fell off the stick but they still looked good and more importantly tasted good.
DeleteThese are really cute...I really like the doughnuts too. I have to agree that cake pops are pesky little things...I've had the fall down the stick problem before too but yours look just as good served as they are on the cake stand! :-)
ReplyDeleteThanks! I might present cake pops on cake stands next time. Much easier and less stressful!
DeleteWoah Ros, these are so awesome! Love the little donuts and ice cream cones! These would be so fun as part of a themed dessert table!
ReplyDelete