Pumpkin Spice Cake Pops

We're going to go on a journey- this journey is called "adventures in cake popping". My mom and I have been experimenting with these little magical treats for the past two weeks. I gotta say, Bakerella makes it look so easy but I have learned that it takes a lot of practice. It's usually smooth sailing until we get to the chocolate dipping part- at which point many angry faces are made. I thought about making pumpkin cake pops and when I googled them I didn't find any. I think that EVERYONE needs to try these- they were om-nom-nomy (yeah it's a strange word, it's said as it is written).

You will need:

One box of Spice Cake mix

One can of Pumpkin

One container of cream cheese frosting

Around 2 packages of white chocolate candy melts

A package of candy / lollipop sticks

You start out by mixing the cake mix with the can of pumpkin. Mix those two ingredients and then bake in a 13x9 inch pan as per the directions on the box. To be clear- only those two ingredients get baked, don't put in the eggs the oil or the water- I don't know why but people are really skeptical about that part ( I promise you it will work!). When the cake is done, let it cool COMPLETELY. Then crumble the cake into fine pieces into a bowl so it looks like this: 

Then mix in 3/4 of the container of frosting (if you put in the whole thing then it comes out too moist). 

When it's all nice and mixed and doughy, take little clumps of the cakey-dough and roll them into little balls. Put the balls onto a cookie sheet covered with parchment paper and put them in either the refrigerator for several hours OR the freezer for about 15 minutes. (Yeah, I know you'll opt for the second option just like I did) 

As they're getting nice and chilly, melt your chocolate. Now, Bakerella says that you should do this in a large bowl in the microwave but every time I do that I either burn the chocolate or they don't dip right. I can't even accurately describe to you how difficult it is to dip these things, it really shouldn't be. Whenever I watch a video on cake pops, they simply dip and the chocolate just pours off.......not so for me. Whenever I dip them they get stuck in the chocolate like a vat of quicksand where they fall apart or the chocolate is kinda clumped on causing me to make this face----------> (-_-) 

I have found a way to a happier face. I started using my little dipper mini crock pot.You have to stir the chocolate a lot more but it stays hot and it's a lot smoother. I've also been adding about a tablespoon of Crisco (which I hate to do but hey, we already know that cake pops are not a "healthy choice" to begin with)

When your chocolate is melted and you take your cake balls out of the freezer, it's time to put them on sticks and dip them. You just dip the stick in the chocolate and then put it just over halfway through the ball. 

Then you dip it in the chocolate..................this is the part where everyone is SILENT so that you can focus and not go into "rage mode". 

This one is actually pretty cute. To decorate them it's probably a good idea to dip them all the way. My aunt Franny surprised me with this cool, state-of-the-art, spectacular cake pop holder (aka a cardboard circle with holes in it.). 

They only take a few minutes to harden and then people will come and steal them =)

I've been told they taste like a cross between pumpkin bread / pumpkin pie / gingerbread / magical- life-giving-deliciousness. At any rate, I'm going to go out and buy up all of the cans of pumpkin before the Autumn rush.