patriotic cake pops

I'm posting today because I know I probably won't be able to tomorrow. I'm helping Charlie get all settled into his new place. Yesterday was a lot of carrying moderately heavy things up two flights of stairs and building Ikea furniture. I was fine before I went to bed last night but woke up super sore today. So tonight and tomorrow will hopefully be minimal lifting and more organizing and arranging. The stuff I love. :)


Last night was my first attempt at making cake pops. Oh boy. I watched this video by Bakerella and thought, "Hey, I can follow simple directions! That looks easy!" False. I don't know if it was the heat or what but these were the most disagreeable little pastries. We had the ac on but I guess the kitchen was still a little warm. I formed the balls and chilled them in the fridge for two hours, which rendered them pretty firm and cold, but when I dipped them into the chocolate they kept falling off the stick! I was about to fling one across the room when I suddenly came up with a different way of going about it.


I dipped the sticks in the chocolate and stuck them into the cake balls as per the instructions, but then I just left them all on the tray and stuck them back in the fridge instead of dipping the balls in the chocolate. I took them out again after about an hour and it worked like magic. Being hardened on to the stick first helped keep them on during the dipping process. The only problem was I was only able to get about ten done before the balls-in-waiting started to get too warm again. So I had to do them in shifts but I eventually got them all done. I don't know what my deal is because Bakerella didn't seem to have such a problem. Oh wells.


The cake is red velvet with cream cheese frosting and the outside is white chocolate colored with blue candy coloring, topped off with white nonpareils. Red, white, and blue! Festive and delish.

I made them to take to my aunt's house today for a 4th of July bbq, but there were plenty of rejects from my little setback that my family have been taking care of before we go. I'm glad they are because I certainly can't. I love the things, but me and sweets, nope. I bit the one for the photo and then stuck it back in the fridge for later because that little dose of sugar was all my tum could handle!

So happy (almost) 4th of July! Go bbq, have a cold one, and watch some fireworks with your favorite people. :) Even if you're not from the US. Go have summery fun!