I said I would never make cake pops - something about the multi-step process (of deconstructing a cake and reshaping it with your hands, ew. But that was before I found myself throwing together a last minute contribution to a preschool bake sale after a kitchen fail.
The loaf of Athlete Food carrot banana bread I intended to bring stuck to the pan as I rushed to get it out, leaving behind a crumbled, jagged mess. Instead of pitching it, I got the bright idea to turn the crumbs into cake pops. Not knowing where to begin, I watched a few tutorials online which gave me a good sense of how to salvage my project.
Shifting plans from my idea of a perfectly glazed loaf of banana bread to the world’s best cake pops (I was determined!) required a little ingredient and materials sourcing (melting chocolate, sprinkles, and sticks) and I lot of patience until I got the hang of it.
I’m still slightly grossed out by the process, but I must confess that the end result produced an addictive little treat for the parents and a very happy two year old. The treats might even earn a spot on our Thankgiving table. —Bec
Thanksgiving Cake Pops
What you Need:
- 1 loaf of Athlete Food Banana Bread with Carrots (chocolate chips optional)
- 1 batch of Banana Bread Glaze
- Valrhona Dulcey chocolate baking pieces. This chocolate gives the balls the caramel color. I found these at Whole Foods in the section where they sell bulk baking chocolate. If you can’t find them, white chocolate is a good substitute.
- twigs
- sprinkles
How To:
- Start by making one batch of Athlete Food Banana Bread with Carrots and a batch of the glaze.
- While the cake is cooking, familiarize yourself with the cake pop process by watching a video like this one.
- Allow the cake to cool completely, crumble it, add 2 Tablespoons of glaze (or more if it’s still dry) form balls. dip the balls, and decorate.
Notes:
- I used twigs instead of and buying lollipop sticks. They look better with the autumn theme, don’t you think? You can also make the balls without sticks or twigs.
- Most recipes call for “Candy Melts” but ever since my sisters and cousin worked at MJDesigns back in the day, our family has been collectively off candy melts. Good quality chocolate seems to work just as well for this recipe…but I don’t claim to be an expert!
