Cake Pop Tutorial

Most of you know that I've been really into making Cake Pops lately :) They have been so fun, because the baking is mostly the same, you just get to have fun decorating them in different ways! My most recent adventure was making Cake Pop Easter Eggs. So the tutorial is how to make those, but if you want to make another kind, follow the baking instructions and then shape/decorate them however you like!

So first things first, you have to bake the cake. I often use a cake mix from the store, because the texture almost always comes out better (and it's super easy and quick!). Bake the cake according to the box instructions. Let it cool. This is very important, because if the cake is still warm, it will not crumble properly. I usually like to bake the cake the day before and then let it sit overnight.

Cut the cake into 4 equal sections. Take one section at a time, breaking it in half and rub the two pieces together. This will give you a nice crumble. Crumble the entire cake into a mixing bowl.

Then add your choice of frosting. For these cake pops I chose dark chocolate cake with dark chocolate frosting (Hm... I may be obsessed with dark chocolate). I usually use one 16 oz. frosting can per cake mix.

Mix small amounts at a time and test it. *Yes, taste it :)* You need enough frosting to hold all the cake together. Add the frosting until you like the texture and it tastes balanced. It will look something like this...

Next start to form your cake balls. I usually make the balls about the size of a golf ball... but amounts will differ depending on the shapes you are making. Since I was forming eggs, I did use a little more cake in order to get the right shape.

Form all of your balls and stick them in the freezer for about 15 minutes. If you can't dip them right away, let them chill in the refrigerator.

While your cake balls are chilling, melt your chocolate dipping candy. I like to use Candy Melts, because they are made for dipping and they come in all sorts of fun colors! Follow the melting directions on the bag. I usually use 2 bags of candy melts per cake. When your cake balls are firm (not frozen), take them out a couple at a time.

Dip your lollipop tip into the melted chocolate (about a 1/2 an inch) and insert it into your cake ball. Make sure not to push the stick more than half way into the ball.

Then dip your cake pop into the chocolate and gently tap the lollipop stick against your hand in order to get rid of excess chocolate. Place your pop in a styrofoam block to dry and repeat until all of your pops are dipped!

After the candy coating dries use a paint brush and some Corn Syrup to paint lines, swirls, anything on your candy egg and immediately apply sprinkles. And decorate your eggs to your heart's content :)

Voila!

Have at it! And let me know how yours come out!

Happy Easter!

Just a quick post to show you how my Easter Egg Cake Pops came out! They are super fun and tasty, too! I'll be posting a tutorial later!

He is Risen!!

Remembering Good Friday

So I posted this same excerpt last year, but it's too good not to share again.

This is how the Apostles saw it. Herod and Pilate, Gentiles and Jews, they said, had together 'conspired against Jesus (Acts 4:27). More important still we ourselves are also guilty. If we were in their place, we would have done what they did. Indeed, we have done it. For whenever we turn away from Christ, we are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace' (Hebrew 6:6). We too sacrifice Jesus to our greed like Judas, to our envy like the priests, to our ambition like Pilate. 'Were you there when they crucified my Lord?' the old Negro spiritual asks. And we must answer, 'Yes, we were there.' Not as spectators only but as participants, guilty participants, plotting, scheming, betraying, bargaining, and handing him over to be crucified. We may try to wash our hands of responsibility like Pilate. But our attempt will be as futile as his. For there is blood on our hands. Before we can begin to see the cross as something done for us (leading us to faith and worship), we have to see it as something done by us (leading us to repentance).

- The Cross of Christ by John Stott

Cupcake Cake Pops

Hi all!

Just wanted you to see how the cupcake cake pops came out! So cute right?! :)

And tasty, too! I made them with chocolate cake and dark chocolate frosting this time! To view my original post on Cake Pops click here.

Easter ones to come!

Mexico Part 4 - Coming Home

Going down to Mexico (or any missions trip) is always great because I get away from the normal things that usually distract me. I don't have my phone, laptop, ipod, anything. All we have is each other, the activities we do, clothes, and our Bibles. It's great.

Being in Mexico can be surprising because the people live on so little. Dan told us that the average person makes $8.50 per day at work. They live off of this money for themselves and their families. That is one hour of work here in the U.S. Crazy! I can't get over it.

It just reminds me that all those things that I think are necessary in my daily life are not necessary at all. They mostly just distract me from listening to God's voice. I think that the people in Mexico have it right. We are always running around being busy and stressed. They live on so much less but their lives are so full. They work just as hard, if not harder than we do. And they are able to find fulfillment in God's love rather than "stuff." Makes me want to live more simply.

I hope the "Mexico buzz" doesn't wear off too fast :)

God, help me to remember all you taught me this week!

Mexico Part 3 - Making Tortillas!

On Wednesday of the trip, the ladies in the kitchen taught us how to make fresh tortillas! It was so much fun. I can't wait to try making them again!

The dough was made of flour, oil, salt, and hot water. She then kneaded the dough into a ball and we made little balls of dough, later to be formed.

We dipped the dough balls into flour so they wouldn't stick and used rolling pins to roll the dough into super thin circles.

Then she put them on the stove top and cooked them! So fun and tasty! I think the true skill is getting your tortillas perfectly round! Way harder than it looks!

The one batch of dough made 200 tortillas! Yummy.

Mexico Part 2 - Stuck Truck

One day on the way to VBS, Bradlee, Alex, Stevie, Shanen, and I were riding in the back of Andy's truck. He was driving crazy fast over all the bumps, making us fly in the air. At one point, Bradlee and I flew up, landing hard (and leaving bruises) - but we were having fun!

At one point, we went off the road and into the almost dried-up riverbed. We hit water and all screamed because we got wet. But then...

we got stuck.

The riverbed was like quicksand! The back of the truck was totally stuck in mud and water.

After jumping out of the truck bed, and Shanen falling in the mud (haha), we waited for the bus to come. It was carrying the rest of our students and leaders.

After the bus pulled over, all the boys got off and eventually got the truck out. Thank goodness!

It was crazy, but lots of fun. And a Mexico memory I'll never forget :)

Mexico Part 1 - Amazing!

Last week, I went on a trip to Mexico with the GBC youth group. It was my first time as a leader and we had a great time! There were 36 people on the trip - 10 leaders and the rest students. We spent our time doing work projects around the remnant center (where we stayed), VBS with the local kids, and team time (including missions training).

*There were so many great things that happened on the trip that I am going to do multiple blogs for the trip*

One of my favorite parts of the trip was team time, whenever we just got to hang out and talk about God and life. We also had time to pray and worship together. Who could ask for more?

God really reminded me of how important our community of believers is. He showed me how much we need each other and how he has placed the right people in our lives for a reason. We did so many projects in a short amount of time that we really had to help each other out. The team really came together as a family. That's what I love most about these trips.

These are just a few snippets of all the fun we had on this trip :) We had an amazing team and God definitely blessed our time down in Mexico.

More to come...