These pops have the perfect blend of blueberry which causes them to taste so good. Make hot cocoa cake pops. Sometimes, cake pops just need a little bit of chocolate to make them mouth-watering. Serve these on a cold day, along with some hot chocolate. Make butterfinger cake pops.
What are cake pops made of?
A cake pop is a form of cake styled as a lollipop. Cake crumbs are mixed with icing or chocolate, and formed into small spheres or cubes in the same way as cake balls, before being given a coating of icing, chocolate or other decorations and attached to lollipop sticks.
What kind of stick do you use for cake pops?
You’ll also need cake pop sticks (packaged as “lollipop sticks”). Here are, in my opinion, the best sticks for cake pops. You can find these in any craft store or store with a baking section (WalMart, Target). I prefer the longer sticks (6″or sometimes 8″), but you may use shorter ones.
Do I have to use candy melts for cake pops?
The only substitute for candy melts would be chocolate. If you set out to make cake balls without candy melts, you will need to mix 1 tbsp vegetable oil for every 1 cup of chocolate chips.
What do you use to stick cake pops to dry?
Dip each stick in just a little melted chocolate, and insert it in the center of each ball, pressing just about halfway down into the cake. This helps to secure the stick inside. Remove any excess icing on top, and put back in the fridge for just a few minutes to set the chocolate.
What chocolate is best for cake pops?
Wilton Candy Melts are probably the most readily available option for cake pop coating.
How much are cake pops at Starbucks?
Cake pops at Starbucks start at $1.95 and range to $3.50 per cake pop. You can buy one at a time or in bulk for special occasions. starbucks birthday cake pops. Starbucks does offer a festive selection of cake pops, perfect for celebrating a birthday.
Can I use toothpicks for cake pops?
Toothpicks – I used nice ones I bought at a $1.50 store. I suggest you use something a bit sturdier than normal toothpicks so they hold up the cake pops better, and they look nicer for serving your cake pops. or if you are going to set these cake pops on their head, these cute frilly toothpicks could be fun too.
What size sticks for cake pops?
First things first when it comes to decorating your cake pops – you need to get them onto a stick. You can get your sticks in different sizes, with 4 inch, 6 inch and 8 inch being the most common. I tend to use the 6″ or 8″ sizes.
Can I use cookie sticks for cake pops?
The sticks were perfect for the cake pops. The kids were quite excited to eat them. The diameter of these sticks are too big for cookies unless I made cookies very thick. I found the lollipop sticks are much better because they are skinnier and cookies do not need to be as thick.
What is a good substitute for candy melts?
What can I use to replace candy melts?
Can I use regular chocolate instead of candy melts?
there is a good substitute for candy melt and that is white chocolate. You just need to melt it over water bath or microwave gently with a small amount of shortening or crisco and will work fine like candy melt.
Can I use marshmallows instead of candy melts?
Marshmallows. Marshmallows can also be used in recipes that call for chocolate candy melts. Marshmallows are a great substitute because you can use the same amount of both ingredients. The biggest difference between marshmallows and chocolate candy melts is that marshmallows are a bit softer to work with.
How do I display my cake pops?
The most common way to display cake pops is to use styrofoam blocks / cake dummies. But to make it look neat, you can cover those with pretty paper and ribbons to match it your personal theme and style. Just use a round styrofoam block for example and wrap pretty paper around and secure it with tiny needles.
Will cake pops crack in the fridge?
Dipping Pops
Do allow refrigerated cake balls to warm up and candy coating to cool down before dipping. The closer to room temperature both are, the better. Don’t dip cold cake pops into too-warm candy coating or you’ll get cracks.
What can I use if I don’t have Styrofoam for cake pops?
Can’t find any styrofoam? Use a colander! Only some of the holes on mine fit the lollipop sticks, but it was a great solution for letting the cake pops dry.
Can I use melted chocolate for cake pops?
You can also use chocolate or white chocolate in your melting pot. Both make a great coating! Dipped cake pops decorated with Candy Melts candy can be stored at room temperature for a week. If you used melted chocolate or white chocolate to dip or decorate your cake pops, store them in the fridge so the chocolate doesn’t melt.
Can you make cake pops with a boxed cake mix?
You can make cake pops with your favorite homemade cake recipe; however, there’s no shame in using a boxed cake mix here. Boxed cake mix produces a moist cake crumb, perfect for cake pops. You can also add in your favorite mix-ins to make it feel a little more “homemade” (we suggest mini chocolate chips or sprinkles for a confetti look).
Do cake pops need to be refrigerated?
Dipped cake pops decorated with Candy Melts candy can be stored at room temperature for a week. If you used melted chocolate or white chocolate to dip or decorate your cake pops, store them in the fridge so the chocolate doesn’t melt. Can You Freeze Cake Pops?
Cake Pops 101: A Guide To Homemade Cake Pops
Because I am an Amazon Associate, I receive money when people make eligible purchases.Instructions on how to make cake pops are provided, as well as suggestions and tactics for overcoming difficulties.But here’s the point…
I used to be known as the ″King of Cake Pops″ when I worked at Lucky Duck Cakes.I don’t want to blow my own trumpet, but…Toot toot!
- They were my favorite method to make use of cake crumbs, and they were suitable for a wide range of events and celebrations.
- The use of various tastes and color combinations, as well as vehicles for sprinkles, crumbled cookies, and nuts…
- They’re just a lot of fun.
- I’m going to share with you my favorite way for putting together cake pops, as well as what I think to be the finest cake pop recipe ever, today.
- I’m also included a section titled ″Cake Pop Troubleshooting,″ since, let’s be honest, I’m not the best at troubleshooting.
- It takes some time to master cake pops.
- THE GOOD NEWS IS, after you get the hang of it, making delicious handmade cake pops is a snap (and yes, I make mistakes, but I can assure you that the botched up ones still taste just as delicious)!
- Before we get started, I’d want to point out that my approach is not the only way to do things.
- A cake pop maker is used to create fresh cake balls, which results in what is effectively a ball of cake on a stick, according to some individuals.
- While it is nice and lovely, I have discovered that the approach of making a cake pop that is almost like a truffle texture on the inside is the most popular among my fans (and my personal favorite).
- So…
- I’d like to teach you how to create cake balls from scratch using this recipe.
HOW TO ACHIEVE TRUFFLE-LIKE CAKE POPS
I obtain my favorite truffle-like texture by combining a fully cooked cake that has been torn into bits with icing after it has been completely baked.When you bite into it, the texture is sticky, thick, and similar to that of a fudgy brownie.If that gives you any clue of how I prefer my cake pops, I once had a client complain to me that my cake pops were ″underdone″ in the centre, which I thought was hilarious!
As previously said, this is my preferred method, however you are welcome to begin with cake balls prepared with a cake pop machine (what?).
ALWAYS USE STALE CAKE FOR CAKE POPS
Another one of my particular preferences is to work with cake that is stale(ish).Why?Freshly baked cake is drier than stale cake, and while this may be the last thing you want in a piece of cake, it is exactly what you want in your cake pop cake– plenty of space for soaking up frosting and an improved capacity to stay together!
I’ve also used freshly made cake in this recipe, and I’ll include a comment in the step-by-step directions on how to determine the amount of moistness in your cake.Lollipop sticks (also known as cake pop sticks) and a cake pop mold are also required.Here are the cake pop sticks that, in my view, are the best on the market.
- These may be found in any craft store or grocery store that has a baking department (WalMart, Target).
- I prefer the longer sticks (6′′ to 8′′ in length), but you may use shorter ones if you choose.
WHAT TO USE FOR CAKE POP COATING
Last but not least, I prefer to use Wilton candy melts for my coating because they are specifically designed for this purpose and are less expensive. Quality baking chocolate may also be substituted; however, shortening will need to be added to the chocolate in order for the finished product to be very smooth. Candy melts are a fantastic option, and I definitely recommend them.
HOW TO PUT TOGETHER CAKE POPS
To begin, line two baking sheets with aluminum foil or parchment paper and put them aside.
CRUMBLE THE CAKE
Crumble your cake (of any flavor) into little pieces and serve immediately. My preferred method is to use my hands, although I have also used a stand mixer. In either case, you want this crumb to be as fine as possible. This amounted to three cups of cake.
ADD THE FROSTING
After that, you’ll put the icing on top of the cake. If you like, you may use homemade frosting instead of store-bought icing in any flavor. I enjoy decorating my cake pops with flavored frosting (and sometimes fresh zest if I’m aiming for a fruity theme)! If you wanted to spice things up, this is also where you would do it (add 1 teaspoon of spice, taste, and add more as necessary).
CAKE TO ICING RATIO
In order to make cake pops, you must decide on the ratio of cake to frosting and the desirable finishing texture you want for your pops before proceeding.As a starting point, I recommend using three cups of cake and thirteen cups of frosting.Simply going with the flow will allow you to make adjustments as needed.
Because my cake is often fairly dry, I increased the amount of frosting I used to 13 cups (since I use stale cake).If you have a moist cake, start with 3 Tablespoons of frosting and work your way up from that point.This is one of the places where you should absolutely get your hands dirty.
- Work the frosting into the cake by squeezing and pressing it in until it has a homogeneous texture throughout.
WHAT’S THE BEST FROSTING FOR CAKE POPS?
You’re searching for a texture that will let you to roll it into a solid ball with ease (meaning the ball should have a bit of give when you push on it but not squish completely).As a result, you’re aiming for a frosting that’s both strong and not at all watery in consistency.My handmade frosting (which is referenced in the recipe) or store-bought icing should both work quite well for this.
SHAPE THE CAKE POPS
Roll all of the cake into balls that are roughly the size of a tablespoon.If you are unclear about the size of this, a Tablespoon measure will suffice.Make an effort to keep the cake balls on the smaller side.
If they are too large, they will be excessively heavy, and you will very certainly lose track of them throughout the dipping procedure.Place the cake balls on one of the baking sheets that have been prepared.I was able to make around 20 cake balls from my three cups of cake.
PREPARE THE CAKE POP COATING
Placing your candy melts (of any color) in a glass or ceramic dish is recommended (I mention this because I’ve used plastic and the heat distribution makes keeping the candy melts melted a challenge.) I normally use 12 to 34% of a 12oz bag for every 3 cups of cake that I bake.Heating in the microwave on MEDIUM (50 percent) power for 30 seconds at a time, stirring after each session, will take about one hour.Stirring the melts the first couple of times may seem pointless, given that they will not appear to have melted at all, but trust me when I say the melts on the exterior are hotter.
They need to be stirred.It normally takes me around 5-6 sessions of 30 seconds at MEDIUM strength to acquire the texture I’m looking for to get the results I desire.When the candy melts begin to become meltier (?) in the microwave, rapidly swirl them to ensure that the melting process continues outside of the microwave.
- You do not want your candy melts to become scorched.
- When they become too hot, they will crumble and dry out, and this is what you want to avoid.
- Stirring will aid in the distribution of the heat.
INSERT CAKE POP STICKS
Take a look at your cake pop sticks.Make a 12-inch dip in the melted candy, working with a single wooden stick at a time.Insert this stick approximately halfway into a cake ball.
When you push it through completely, the top of the ball will pop out, so be careful not to overdo it.The melted candy will condense into a little mound.This is perfectly OK and exactly what you want to happen.
- Place the cake balls in the freezer for 15 minutes after each round until all of the cake balls have sticks.
DIP THE CAKE POPS
Once your cake balls have had time to firm, it’s time to start dipping them in chocolate!It’s possible that you’ll need to warm your candy melts a little (start with 20 seconds on MEDIUM power), but be careful while working with hot melts!Your coating will break as a result of the temperature changes being too extreme (more on that in the Troubleshooting section below).
Unless you are able to stir your melts and they appear to be in a very viscous state, you will not need to reheat them further.As a side remark…Please accept my apologies for the hazy photographs below.
- It turns out that even when using a tripod, it is quite difficult to get motion photos when your photographic subject is continuously shifting position.
- My guess is that you’ll be able to figure out what I’m demonstrating!
- Working with one cake ball at a time, immerse the cake ball into the melts, being sure to completely cover the candy mound you previously formed (see Troubleshooting section below for more information on what happens if you don’t do this).
- I have a bad tendency of tilting my bowl, but it’s simply because it’s the way I want to do things and it makes things more convenient for me.
- Work rapidly, since leaving the cake ball in the melts for an extended period of time will almost certainly result in it falling off the stick!
- Using a wooden stick, carefully twist the cake ball out of the melts, allowing the excess to drip off.
- I also lightly touch the side of the dish with the end of my stick to assist some of the coating drain away.
- While continuing carefully whirling the cake pop around the edge of the bowl, let the bowl to scrape away any extra frosting from the point where its stick hits its cake pop.
- While the coating is still wet, add sprinkles to make it more interesting.
- To dry your final cake pops, you may either set them on a second baking sheet (which will make their tops a little flat) or, as I did above, allow them to dry right side up in a tall glass.
- As an added bonus, I’ve utilized a giant styrofoam block, which is a really simple method of drying several cake pops at the same time.
- Once the popsicles have cooled fully, they are ready to be consumed!
Package them in plastic treat bags or simply serve them on a dish or platter as-is for a festive touch.
TROUBLESHOOTING TIPS
It has already been explained that if your candy melts are too hot and your cake balls are too cold, your cake pop will erupt into earthquake city all over the surface of the cake ball.Keep your cake balls in the freezer for no more than 15 minutes at a time to prevent this from happening!This specific ball had been in the freezer for about a half hour before being used.
In addition, my candy coating was really hot.I did this on purpose so that I could take a shot of the situation.If your balls have been in the freezer for more than 15 minutes, remove them from the freezer and allow them to come to room temperature for a few minutes before dipping.
- As well, if you’ve just warmed your coating, allow it to cool for a few minutes before using it again.
- You will have a cake pop that will do this very charming thing I like to call a ″cake poop″ if you do not cover the mound you created when you pushed the stick into the cake ball.
- It is certain that the cake will find a way through any holes, fissures, or weak points in your covering.
- To avoid this, make sure to cover all of the cake’s surfaces.
- Remove the cake from the hole and ″repair″ it with a toothpick and additional caramel coating.
OTHER PROBLEMS THAT MAY ARISE
It is either your cake ball is too enormous or you are spending too long time in your heated melts if your candy coating comes off the stick when you are coating it with candy coating.Get in and out as quickly as possible!Despite the fact that oil is dripping out of the cake pop and onto the stick, this is totally normal and merely cosmetically displeasing.
If this is an issue for you, choose a cake that is less greasy and avoid using too much icing.When it comes to frosting, a lot of butter is required (especially homemade).If your candy coating is hardening too rapidly, it is most likely because you have overheated your coating.
- You’re well on your way to burning it, so proceed with extreme caution if you need to reheat it after that.
- I hope you now have a better understanding of cake pops and will try creating my simple cake pops recipe for yourself!
- It’s also quite simple to make vanilla cake pops by just substituting the chocolate cake featured here with vanilla cake in this recipe.
- It’s really simple!
DO NOT BE INTIMIDATED BY MAKING CAKE POPS
Throughout all of my years of cake baking and decorating, I had to remind myself on a regular basis that ″cake is just cake.″ Regardless matter whether your cake pop falls into the covering, if your stick pokes through the top of the pop, or whether your sprinkles do not adhere in the most attractive manner possible, the world will continue.Even if practice makes perfect, I still make a few mistakes here and there.And it used to be that I was paid to do it!
So turn on some music, sit back and relax, maybe drink a little liquid courage, and get ready to start cake popping.You’ll be a seasoned professional in no time!
HOW LONG ARE CAKE POPS GOOD FOR?
Cake pops should be stored at room temperature or in the refrigerator. They may be stored at room temperature for up to 2 weeks without going bad. They will remain fresh for up to three weeks if stored in the refrigerator.
Cake Pops 101
Instructions on how to make cake pops are provided, as well as suggestions and tactics for overcoming difficulties. Preparation time: 1 hourTotal time: 1 hour Approximately 20 cake pops per recipe.
PREPARE THE CAKE
- Prepare two baking sheets by lining them with aluminum foil or parchment paper and setting them aside.
- Place your cake (any flavor) in a large mixing basin and break it into tiny bits. My preferred method is to use my hands, although I have also used a stand mixer. In any case, you want this crumb to be extremely fine
- nonetheless,
- Add your icing on the cake. This may be created from scratch or purchased, and it can be made in whatever taste you like. If you’d like to add some zest, do so right away. If you wanted to spice things up, this is also where you would do it (add 1 teaspoon of spice, taste, and add more as necessary). Because my cake was so dry, I decided to use the entire 13 cup of frosting. If you have a moist cake, start with three tablespoons of frosting and work your way up from there.
- Work the frosting into the cake (ideally with your hands) by squeezing and pressing it into the cake until the texture is consistent. A texture that you can roll into a robust ball (meaning that the ball should have a little give when you push on it but not entirely squish) is what you’re searching for.
ROLL INTO BALLS
Roll all of the cake into balls that are roughly the size of a tablespoon.If you are unclear about the size of this, a Tablespoon measure will suffice.Make an effort to keep the cake balls on the smaller side.
If they are too large, they will be excessively heavy, and you will very certainly lose track of them throughout the dipping procedure.Place the cake balls on one of the baking sheets that have been prepared.
INSERT STICKS
- Place the candy melts in a glass or ceramic bowl to prevent them from melting. I normally use 12 to 34% of a 12oz bag for every 3 cups of cake that I bake. Heating in the microwave on MEDIUM (50 percent) power for 30 seconds at a time, stirring after each session, will take about one hour. Stirring the melts the first couple of times may seem pointless, given that they will not appear to have melted at all, but trust me when I say the melts on the exterior are hotter. It normally takes me around 5-6 sessions of 30 seconds at MEDIUM strength to acquire the texture I’m looking for to get the results I desire. Immediately after the candy melts begin to become more smooth, vigorously swirl them to ensure that the melting process continues outside of the microwave. You do not want your candy melts to become scorched. When they become too hot, they will crumble and dry out, and this is what you want to avoid. Stirring will aid in the distribution of heat.
- Take each cake pop stick and dip one end into the melted candy (approximately 12 inches). Repeat with the other end of the cake pop stick. Insert this stick approximately halfway into a cake ball. When you push it through completely, the top of the ball will pop out, so be careful not to overdo it. The melted candy will condense into a little mound. This is perfectly OK and exactly what you want to happen. Place the cake balls in the freezer for 15 minutes after each round until all of them have sticks.
DIP THE CAKE POPS
- Your cake balls will be ready to dip once they have dried out completely. It is possible that you may need to warm your candy melts a little (start with 20 seconds on MEDIUM power), but you should avoid working with really hot melts. You’ll have cracks in your coating because the temperature fluctuations will be too great. In the event if your melts are still able to be stirred and appear to be in a pretty viscous state, warming is not required.
- Make careful to cover the candy mound you produced with the cake ball as you immerse it into the melts, one ball at a time, working in small batches. This is simply the way I choose to tilt my dish and find it to be more convenient for me. Work rapidly, since leaving the cake ball in the melts for an extended period of time will cause it to fall off the stick.
- Using a wooden stick, carefully twist the cake ball out of the melts, allowing the excess to drip off. As well as this, I lightly touch the side of the bowl with my stick to assist some of the coating fall out.
- Excess frosting should be scraped off the cake pop’s stick by allowing the bowl to scrape it off.
- Sprinkles can be added to the cake pops while they are still wet in the coating.
ALLOW CAKE POPS TO SET
- The completed cake pops may be placed on the second baking sheet (which will make their tops a little flatter) or they can be placed in a tall glass and allowed to cool right side up. Another option is to use a giant styrofoam block, which is a relatively simple technique to enable numerous cake pops to dry at the same time. Once the cake pops have completely cooled, they’re ready to be eaten. Package them in plastic treat bags or simply serve them on a dish or platter as-is for a festive touch. Cake pops may be kept at room temperature for up to 2 weeks before going bad. They will keep fresh for three weeks if stored in the refrigerator.
*You may alternatively use high-quality baking chocolate for this recipe. To make 8 ounces of chocolate, use a teaspoon of shortening. When it comes to cake pops, white chocolate does not react well with food or gel coloring, therefore candy melts are the best option if you want colorful cake pops.
How to Make Cake Pops (easy and fool-proof)
- Learn how to create cake pops in the comfort of your own home! This simple and fool-proof cake pop recipe is guaranteed to turn out perfectly every time you make it! These delectable candy-coated cake balls make a wonderful party treat for just about any get-together or event. Whether you’re creating my Starbucks copycat vanilla birthday cake pops, red velvet cake pops, or no-bake oreo cake pops, this straightforward tutorial will have you producing cake pops like a pro in no time at all. To the Table of Contents: What are cake pops composed of?
- What supplies are required to produce cake pops
- Instructions on how to create cake pops
- How to melt the candy melts
- how to keep the cake balls on the stick
- and other helpful hints.
- The easiest way to create cake pops
- what can I use in place of candy melts
- and more.
- What is causing my cake pops to crack?
- Creating cake pops ahead of time
- Keeping cake pops fresh
- Instructions for the entire recipe
What are cake pops made of?
To make cake pops, you just need a few ingredients, including a boxed cake mix cooked in the oven and vanilla icing. They are then coated in melted candy melts, which is a simple and delicious finishing touch (the kind you can pour into molds).
Supplies you need to make cake pops
If you want to make cake balls, all you actually need is a cooked cake prepared from cake mix and icing, as well as sugar melts to coat the outside of the balls.You may form the cake balls with your hands or with a meatballer to ensure that they are the same size and shape each time you make them.Pour the batter into a cake pop mold and set it aside until it hardens.
For cake pops, use the same ingredients as above, but add cake pop sticks and a styrofoam block to keep the pops upright until they solidify.
How to make cake pops
Listed below is a brief explanation on how to prepare these addicting and delectable confections. The entire, thorough recipe may be found at the bottom of this page, on the printable recipe card, which you can download and print.
- Bake the boxed cake according to the package directions, allow it to cool, and then cut away the dry outer layer. Then either trash those portions or set them aside for later consumption.
- Finely crumble the cake and combine it with the vanilla frosting in a large mixing bowl. Create cake pops by rolling the batter into balls using your hands or using a cake pop maker
- Cake pop sticks should be inserted into the cake balls– Before inserting the sticks, you’ll need to dip the ends of the sticks into some melted caramel melts to seal them in place. After that, put it in the freezer for 15 minutes.
- Dip the cake balls into the candy melts– Once the candy melts have been well melted and thinned down with shortening or dipping aid chips, you may dip the cake balls into the candy melts and allow them to set upright on a styrofoam block to dry.
Tips to melt the candy melts
When melting candy melts, take careful not to overheat the candy coating by heating it too quickly.If this occurs, the material will become too hard.To create a smooth candy coating that will ensure that your cake balls have a beautiful exterior shell, you must thin it down a little bit at first.
If you want a runnier consistency, you can add Crisco shortening, coconut oil, or EZ-thin dipping aid to the recipe.
How to Keep the cake balls on the stick
To keep the cake balls from slipping off the stick, make sure you have enough icing on the cake balls and flatten down the sugar coating before putting them on the pole.If the chocolate coating is too thick, it will be heavy and will cause the cake balls to sink to the bottom of the pan.TIP: If you don’t want to use the stick, you may just bake cake balls instead of using it.
Right here on my blog, you’ll find a simple recipe for red velvet cake balls as well as a no-bake oreo cake ball recipe.
How to make the EASY version of cake pops
Try my no-bake oreo cake pops if you’re searching for a super-fast and quick variation of my original vanilla cake pops. They’re delicious! (VIDEO). All you need are Oreos, cream cheese, and candy melts to make this dessert. That’s all there is to it!
- Combine the Oreos and cream cheese in a food processor and mix until smooth.
- Roll the dough into cake balls and insert the melted candy-dipped stick into the center of each cake ball. After that, put it in the freezer for 15 minutes.
- Now dip the cake pops into the melted candy melts and carefully place the sticks into a styrofoam block to allow the candy to harden. If the candy melts are too thick, you may thin them out with dipping aid chips.
What can I use instead of candy melts?
The only thing that could replace candy melts would be chocolate. To produce cake balls without the use of candy melts, you will need to combine 1 tablespoon vegetable oil for every 1 cup of chocolate chips in your recipe.
Why are my cake pops cracking?
The majority of the time, there are two causes for them to break.Prior to dipping the balls in the chocolate, you should freeze the cake pops for 15 minutes to solidify the stick.If you dip them in candy melts that are excessively hot, the candy melts will fracture as a result of the quick temperature difference.
If you kept the cake balls in the freezer for more than 15 minutes, they may have become too cold.The cracking effect can be caused by a sudden temperature shift in this case as well, as was the case previously.
Make them ahead of time
Prepare them several days in advance and store them at room temperature in an airtight container.
Storing cake pops
- You may store them already dipped at room temperature for up to a week
- however, refrigeration is recommended.
- Refrigerator– Store the undipped cake balls in a tightly sealed jar in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Freezer– Alternatively, you may preserve the cake balls without the icing in the freezer for up to 6 weeks. Don’t forget to defrost them in the refrigerator before using them.
Full Recipe Instructions
- 24 cake pop sticks
- a cake pop former 11/4 inch in diameter or a small cookie scoop
- white nonpareils (optional)
- a Styrofoam block (to lay the dipped cake pops)
- a cake pop former 11/4 inch in diameter or a small cookie scoop
- Cake pops should be formed by trimming off the outside golden layer of the cake once it has cooled to room temperature as recommended on the boxed cake mix.
- By crumbling the cake into fine crumbs with your hands, place it in a large mixing basin. Mix in 2 tablespoons of vanilla frosting with a spoon or your hands until well combined.
- Form the cake into balls and set them in the cake pop mold. Repeat with the remaining cake. Make sure the cake ball is slightly larger in diameter than the size of the pressing machine. Once the cake ball has been pushed tightly together, remove any excess cake from the edges and roll the ball with your hands to smooth out any faults that may have occurred. This step is completely optional. You can always simply finish it off with your hands if you want to.
- Place the sticks in the appropriate positions – In a small basin, heat 1/4 cup of candy melts until completely melted. Heat in 30-second intervals to avoid the candy from being overheated
- dip the tip of each cake pop stick into the melted candy and put it into the cake ball about halfway through
- cool completely before serving. Each cake pop should be placed on a baking sheet and placed in the freezer for about 15- 20 minutes before serving. Keep them there for no more than a few minutes or they will become too cold, causing the hot melted candy to break once you have dipped them.
- Thin out the candy melts before dipping them– In the meantime, melt the remaining candy in a separate basin. Make careful to melt them in 30-second intervals with frequent mixing in between each one. Once it’s completely melted, add 1 1/2 teaspoons Crisco shortening or melting aid chips (whatever you like) and stir until thoroughly combined. Then, using a tall narrow cup, pour the melted candy into it.
- Remove the cake pops from the freezer and dip each one into the cup, tilting the cup carefully to the edges to ensure that the entire cake pop is coated with frosting. Then gingerly lift the cake pop out of the pan. Using one hand, hold the cake pop and tap your wrist so that all of the additional melted candy drops off
- (do not twirl the cake pop)
- While the candy coating is still wet, garnish the cake pops with sprinkles or nonpareils while they are still warm. This will ensure that the sprinkles adhere nicely.
- Prepare your Styrofoam block and set it aside for approximately one hour. Refrigerate or store at room temperature
- Is it possible to prepare them ahead of time? Yes, I prefer to prepare cake pops a few days ahead of time and store them at room temperature in an airtight container. Making candy melts smoother and thinner I strongly recommend that you use dipping aid chips to make the melted candy melts more smooth and thinner in consistency. 88 calories | 19 grams of carbohydrates | 1 gram of protein | 1 gram of fat | 1 gram of saturated fat | 152 milligrams of sodium | 13 milligrams of potassium | 1 gram of fiber | 10 grams of sugar | 47 milligrams of calcium | 1 milligram of iron Take a picture of it and tag me on Instagram @simplyhomecooked or use the hashtags simplyhomecooked so that I may see it and showcase it. Recent Posts by the Author
Hello, my name is Dina, and I’m delighted you’ve dropped by!I feel that life is too short to waste time drinking lousy coffee and eating dull meals.You’ll be astonished at how fast a clean and tasty supper can be put together with my simple step-by-step recipes, which are easy to understand and follow.
I hope you are able to discover something you like!Dina’s most recent blog entries (see all)
How to Make the Best Beautiful and Easy Cake Pops
Cake pops are one of the most lovely sweets you’ll ever touch.They’re more visually appealing than brownies, prettier than cupcakes, and more tiny than pie.Also included is one of the most delectable desserts you’ll ever taste!
Cake pops are unlike any other dessert in that they make me smile and giggle uncontrollably with an excessive amount of enjoyment when I see them.Beautifully decorated with bright frosting and sprinkles, they’re just stunning!And it’s a lot of fun!
- Due to their ability to be readily personalized with vibrant colors and decorations, they are the ideal sweet conclusion for a variety of occasions, particularly those with a theme.
- In addition, because they’re bite-sized, one pop is the ideal serving amount to keep you partying and enjoying without feeling weighed down.
- For those of you who want to create these small treats for a party but need a little help, you can find instructions on how to make them right here!
- Despite the fact that they appear to be simple to prepare, a time-consuming process is really necessary to do it well.
- And if you’re not careful, it may get quite disorganized very soon.
- If you want to create beautiful portable desserts without destroying the kitchen in a confetti jimmy explosion or melting chocolate smears, this article will teach you all you need to know about making them.
- I’ve been there myself.
- Up until this day, I’ve been tripping over small rainbow nonpareils…
- Prevent making the same errors I did by following my photo guide, which explains each stage of the process in detail.
- Everything from becoming organized and nice at the beginning to adding that final sprinkle on top is covered in detail in this article, so keep reading for more information!
Description
- Do you want to impress your guests with perfectly formed cake pops? Do you require assistance with the process? Foodal’s step-by-step tutorial will teach you all you need to know about making them. 2 8-inch cake rounds that have been cooked and cooled (any flavor)
- A half-cup of frosting in any flavor
- Chocolate candy wafers in an assortment of colors
- vegetable shortening
- sprinkles and decorations in an assortment of colors
- 3 12-ounce packages chocolate candy wafers
- 20–30 slim wooden lollipop sticks (about)
- A large piece of foam board
- Crumble the cake rounds in a big mixing basin or the bowl of a stand mixer until there are no large parts of cake left.
- By hand or with the paddle attachment, incorporate the icing a little at a time, starting with a couple of teaspoons and working your way up. Continue to mix until you have a thick, but still crumbly, dough that can be formed into balls with your hands. Make sure that the mixture does not get too mushy and wet throughout the cooking process. It is possible that you will not need to use all of the frosting. Refrigerate the mixture for 30 minutes, or until it is completely cooled
- and
- Roll the cake mixture into a tight, consistent ball with your hands using approximately 2 teaspoons of the batter each ball. Prepare a baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper and placing the balls on it. When you’re ready to dip the balls in chocolate, take them from the refrigerator and allow them to remain at room temperature for about 5 minutes before dipping them in chocolate.
- Melt the chocolate candy wafers in the microwave according to the package directions. If the mixture appears to be too thick for dipping, add one teaspoon at a time of vegetable shortening to thin it down. Allow the cake to cool somewhat, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Dip a lollipop stick in the melted chocolate and put it into the cake ball, pressing it halfway into the middle to stop it. To finish, allow the chocolate to firm at room temperature for a few minutes or place it back in the refrigerator for a few minutes. Dip the cake ball into the chocolate until it is thoroughly covered. Excess chocolate should be gently tapped off the stick against the edge of the bowl to prevent it from setting. If you’re placing decorations on the base layer, put them on right away before the coating hardens.
- Placing each pop upright in the foam block will allow it to harden and solidify faster. Allow for a 15-minute cooling period before applying another layer of embellishments. Allow for complete cooling before serving immediately or keeping in the refrigerator until ready to serve. These may be kept in the refrigerator for up to one week.
- Preparation time: 2 hours
- preparation time: 5 minutes
- Cake falls within this category.
- Recipe Type: Baking, No-Cook Recipe
- Cuisine: Dessert Recipe
Cake, frosting, and sprinkles are some of the keywords to remember.
Decorating by the Numbers…
Step 1 – Bake
If you want to make your own cake foundation, feel free to use your favorite recipe in any flavor you choose.Vanilla and chocolate are my go-to tastes when it comes to making crowd-pleasing popsicle varieties.You may experiment with other recipes, such as carrot or banana, to create interesting variants.
More ideas may be found by browsing through all of our recipes and selecting one that appeals to you.Alternatively, you may use our homemade yellow cake mix.However, you may also use a prepackaged mix from the grocery store.
- Just as I did.
- I’m with my father.
- Even after all these time, it still tastes fantastic!
- Always make sure that the recipe is straightforward, regardless of whether you’re starting from scratch or taking a few shortcuts.
- When little components, such as nuts and dried fruit, are tightly rolled together to create balls, they will be just good.
- I would not, however, use any upside-down cake recipes since the result would be a sticky mess in the form of balls of dough!
- Once they’ve been cooked, let them to cool fully before disintegrating and topping them with sprinkles.
Step 2 – Gather and Prep
- This step is really necessary! Take the time to gather and arrange all of the equipment and supplies that you’ll need for each stage before you begin. If you want to be sure you have everything you need, I recommend using the checklist below: Check to see that there is enough space in your refrigerator to chill the pops
- Prepare a sheet pan by lining it with parchment paper.
- Prepare your Styrofoam block by drilling holes in it that are the same size as the sticks.
- Place the prepared cake and frosting on a serving platter.
- Prepare a large mixing dish, or your regular mixing bowl, for forming the balls.
- Make a station with mixing spoons, spatulas, and scoopers for dividing the ingredients
- For melting, place your candy wafers in microwave-safe containers and set them.
- Put your sprinkles or other decorations in bowls on a dish and set them aside.
- Put your candy sticks in a jar and set it aside.
- Make sure you have additional plates on hand to put dirty spoons and other random objects on
- Prepare a wet washcloth and a dry washcloth for cleaning and wiping purposes
Make no mistake about how adorable and little they are — a great deal of upkeep and care is necessary to keep them looking so flawless! Work more swiftly and efficiently if you prepare your work area, utensils, and materials in advance of your cooking session. All hail the cake pop king or queen!
Step 3 – Mix Together
When it comes to frosting, you have the freedom to experiment with different flavors to get the flavor profile you like.Try any of my icing recipes: traditional fluffy frosting, Swiss meringue buttercream, or cocoa fudge frosting will all be delicious options for your next cake or cupcake.Vegan?
Try our non-dairy frosting instead of regular icing!There is only one extremely essential rule to remember: DON’T.ADD.
- TOO.
- MUCH.
- ICING.
- There is only one rule to remember: DON’T.
- ADD.
- TOO.
- MUCH.
- ICING.
- You just need a small amount to wet the cake enough to mold and shape it into balls.
- Because the foundation itself has a high fat level, you won’t need to add much additional icing to make up for it.
- Using too much icing will result in the pops being too softer.
- This results in a slew of issues, including: They will not maintain their form properly, they will fall off the sticks when you dip them, and they will cause the chocolate to split after it has hardened…
Simply put, no.As someone who made the mistake of dumping in a huge bowl of icing on my very first attempt at preparing these, please heed my words of wisdom: Please, please, please use little scoops of frosting to create your masterpiece!Crumble your cake in a large mixing basin or the bowl of a stand mixer until it is crumbly.In a stand mixer, you may use the paddle attachment on a low speed to break it up, if you have one.By hand or with the paddle attachment, incorporate the icing a little at a time, starting with a couple teaspoons and working your way up.Mix until a solid yet crumbly mixture forms, which may then be shaped into balls with your hands if you want.
Step 4 – Form the Balls
Allow the cake to cool in the refrigerator for approximately 30 minutes after the frosting has been thoroughly absorbed into the foundation.Using a tablespoon or a tiny cookie scoop, measure out about 2 teaspoons of the cake mixture for each cupcake.Roll the mixture into a tight, uniform ball with your hands, giving mild pressure to press the mixture together so that there are no cracks or gaps.
Prepare a baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper and placing the balls on it.This is something I would absolutely do with parchment paper rather than a silicone baking mat in the future.You’ll need to wipe off all of the oil from each pop before covering them in chocolate since the nonstick coating accumulates all of the oil from each pop at the bottom.
- You may skip this step if you like!
- It is this excess oil that is absorbed by the parchment paper that makes each ball.
- Refrigerate for about 1 hour before coating to allow them to firm and cold more completely.
- When it comes to decorating these delicious treats, one of the most important considerations is avoiding extreme temperature swings in order to guarantee that the melted chocolate covers smoothly and settles without any complications.
- Before you dip the cake balls, you don’t want them to be too cold or too warm; you simply want them to be firm and cooled enough.
- It is possible that the chocolate will set early and crack when it settles if they are served too cold.
- As soon as they get too warm, they will become far too mushy to effectively dip into the melted chocolate.
Step 5 – Melt the Coating
When it comes to covering the cake balls with chocolate, chocolate candy wafers are the most convenient and readily available option.Candy melts, as they are often called, may be bought in the cake decorating section of most grocery shops and craft stores, as well as online retailers.These confections, which are commonly made with sugar and vegetable oils rather than cocoa butter, do not include any cocoa butter.
Because of their microscopic wafer forms, they are simple to melt and remelt over and again.You may also personalize your sweets using a selection of colors that are readily accessible for purchase.Melting processes should be followed exactly as specified on the box.
- I prefer to use a mug for my melted chocolate since the handle allows me to manage the amount of chocolate I use to dip each cake pop.
- Enable the chocolate to sit, stirring regularly, for around 5 minutes, to allow it to cool somewhat before using.
- Again, we want to minimize any dramatic temperature discrepancies, so we let the coating cool for a few minutes before dipping it into the cake pop.
- This brings the temperature of the coating closer to that of the cake pop.
- Is your chocolate a little too thick?
- Stir in the vegetable shortening a few tablespoons at a time to achieve a thinner consistency that will make it simpler to dip the cake pops in the dipping sauce.
Step 6 – Insert the Sticks
Put a little amount of melted chocolate on the end of each stick and push it into the middle of each ball, pressing it down approximately halfway into the cake. This aids in the retention of the stick within. Remove any extra icing from the top and place the cake back in the refrigerator for a few minutes to allow the chocolate to set.
Step 7 – Troubleshoot
Are you discovering fractures in the cooled cake balls?Don’t go dipping them in melted chocolate just yet, though!Cracks in the cake are almost certain to result in cracks in the covering as well.
One quick and simple option is to use a small amount of melted chocolate on a stick or your finger and use it to fill in the crack, much like you would a pothole.After you have allowed the chocolate to set completely, go to the following step.
Step 8 – Dip
Take the cake pops out of the refrigerator.Allow them to sit at room temperature for approximately 5 minutes so that they may gradually come to temperature without becoming too soft.Once the chocolate has had a chance to cool somewhat, dip each cookie in it one at a time, swirling it around to fully cover the surface.
Gently tap the cake pop against the edge of the bowl to remove any excess melted coating, guiding the excess melted coating back into the bowl if necessary with your fingers or a toothpick if necessary.Continue to tap and twirl the stick until all of the extra chocolate has been removed and you have a nice, uniform coating of chocolate on the surface.If the chocolate becomes too thick or too cold to deal with, reheat it in the microwave for a few seconds, then whisk in a bit more vegetable shortening until it is workable again.
Step 9 – Decorate and Set
If you’re using sprinkles, do it as soon as possible while the chocolate is still wet and has not yet set.Because the chocolate will set rapidly, you must work swiftly to ensure that the sprinkles adhere to the chocolate.To set the coating, place the dipped cake balls upright in the foam block that has been created.
Please wait until the coating has completely hardened before serving or adding another layer of embellishments.
Step 10 – Apply Optional Second Layer of Icing/Decorations
If you want to add another layer of icing and embellishments after the initial layer has dried, you can do so at this point.Allow your imagination to run wild – I like to use chocolate drizzles and additional sprinkles to dress up my cupcakes.Replacing them in the foam block and allowing the second layer to cure undisturbed until totally firm is recommended.
Fun Tip: If you want your pops to stand up on their own, you don’t have to bother about using a plate, jars, or cups.Place one additional chocolate wafer on top of each pop and drizzle with a little amount of melted chocolate to provide them with a level surface to rest on before serving!
Step 11 – Serve and Store
Once the chocolate has completely set, your bite-sized treats may either be enjoyed right away or kept in the refrigerator for up to a week in the refrigerator before serving.You may carefully wrap each individual treat in cellophane and place them on a big tray to be stored in the refrigerator.Alternatively, you may leave them upright on the Styrofoam block and carefully cover them with a wide sheet of plastic wrap or aluminum foil to prevent them from drying out.
Serve as soon as you’re ready to bring all of the delicious delight to the celebration!
A Sweet Treat Like No Other
- It is absolutely correct! Baked cake pops are a fun and festive dessert that can be used as a party favor as well as a pleasant treat. The process of putting together this dish will take longer than other desserts
- nonetheless, it will be well worth your time and work if you want to make an amazing finale at your next party. In order to become comfortable and confident with the method, I recommend beginning with a simpler base, such as store-bought marshmallows. Our recipe for chocolate-covered marshmallow pops, which uses the same techniques, is available online. It’s a simple, yet endearing, approach to get things started. Once you’ve mastered the fundamentals, you can go ahead and personalize your decorations and patterns as you like! Profit from the cake supplies department of your grocery shop or craft store – there are several alternatives for frosting and decorations that can be customized to meet any theme or seasonal celebration. Do you want to go even further in the DIY direction? You may also make your own sprinkles and embellishments with my stiffened royal icing recipe, which you can get here. Have you ever attempted to make these little desserts? Do you have any recommendations for individuals who are attempting to make them for the first time. Make sure to provide us your best advise in the comment box below, and please review our recipe as well! Would you want them to be more tailored to certain seasons? Take a look at some of the other cake pop decorating instructions we have available: Halloween, Christmas, and Valentine’s Day are all celebrations.
Photographs courtesy of Nikki Cervone, Ask the Experts, LLC DISCLAIMER: ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.For additional information, please see our Terms of Service.Dietitians did not prepare or submit the nutritional information for testing since it was obtained from a database of well-known generic and branded foods and ingredients and it was not compiled by a licensed dietitian.
It should be regarded as a best-guess estimate.
About Nikki Cervone
Nikki Cervone is a cheesemonger and specialty foods buyer based in Pittsburgh who works full-time as a cheesemonger.An Associate of Applied Science (AAS) in baking/pastry from Westmoreland County Community College, a Bachelor of Arts in Communications from Duquesne University, and an MLA in Gastronomy from Boston University are among Nikki’s qualifications.Nikki likes a healthy amount of yoga, wine, hiking, singing in the shower, and chocolate when she isn’t snacking on her favorite cheeses or putting together a batch of cupcakes for her family and friends.
Plenty and lots of chocolate.
The Best Chocolate for Cake Pops – A Dipping, Taste & Price Comparison
(As an Amazon Associate, I get commissions from qualifying purchases purchased via the links provided here.) ″I’m never going to make cake pops again.″ If you’ve ever said those words out loud, it’s most likely because you had a disappointing experience dipping your cake pops.In this article, you will get an up-close and personal look at six popular dipping chocolates that have been tested based on their consistency, convenience of usage, and overall flavor.Following the receipt of more information about their availability and pricing, you’ll be able to select which brand is the most suitable for your cake popping experience.
***As a special bonus, I have a coupon code to share with you for a discount on my favorite dipping chocolate for cake pops. So make sure you scroll through to the end of the blog post to take advantage of the limited time offer before it’s too late!***
What Is Compound Chocolate?
If you believe that genuine (or couverture) chocolate is the greatest type of chocolate to use for coating cake pops, it’s time to learn about compound chocolate, which is a simpler alternative to real chocolate.Real chocolate is made up of two major ingredients: chocolate liquor and cocoa butter, both of which require an unique melting procedure known as tempering in order to be consumed.In compound chocolate, the chocolate liquid is substituted with cocoa powder, and the cocoa butter is substituted with vegetable or olive oil.
As a consequence, melting the compound chocolate in the microwave is a simple process for most people.Choosing the correct compound chocolate will ensure that your coating is delectable and that you do not feel as though you are compromising taste for convenience.
Chocolate Dipping Comparison
It is important to note that, just as the consistency of your royal icing dictates how much trouble you will have decorating sugar cookies, the thickness of your dipping chocolate is a significant contributor to your success while producing cake pops.To ensure that the dipping comparison between our six compound chocolates was as fair as possible, each was cooked using the identical procedure as the others.A 14-ounce glass of water The chocolate wafers or cubes were stacked to the brim of the glass (depending on how the chocolate is packaged).
Using ordinary power, each glass of chocolate was heated for 30 seconds on regular power, then swirled, and then warmed in 15-second intervals at 50 percent power until melted, stirring in between each interval.The importance of avoid overheating your chocolate should not be underestimated.As a result, pieces of chocolate will develop in your chocolate, rendering it unfit for consumption.
- Maintaining the temperature of the coating during the whole dipping procedure is critical to obtaining a nice coating on your cake pops.
- A chocolate melting pot is an excellent tool for avoiding the need to reheat your coating over and over again.
- A total of 75 seconds were required for the Wilton Candy Melts to thoroughly melt.
- Before I even put my first cake pop into the coating, it was clear that the coating was far too thick.
- The cake pops were weighted down by their thickness, which resulted in a lot of them slipping off their sticks.
- Despite my attempts to tap off the extra coating from the cake pops, the thick coating adhered on the cake pops rather than trickling off.
- Using a fork, I was able to brush away some of the excess from the pop.
- Finally, my cake pops that had been coated in Wilton Candy Melts had dried with a bumpy covering on them.
- In order to utilize this brand to cover cake pops, it will very certainly require the addition of an additive to thin it down.
- In addition to the difficulties I encountered when dipping my cake pops, I encountered difficulties when attempting to get the proper temperature for the Wilton Candy Melts.
- They chilled and began to thicken more quickly than the other coats, necessitating more frequent reheating than the others.
- In addition, I found them to be a little too susceptible to overheating.
I burned one batch and had to start over from the beginning.Wilton Candy Melts receive a 4 on a scale of 1 to 10 for dipping consistency when they are left unchanged.As a helpful hint, since one of the goals of this comparison was to determine the most easily dipped chocolates to utilize for coating cake pops, no additives or other modifications were made to the chocolates.You can thin your coating if it becomes too thick when making cake pops from scratch by using paramount crystals, Wilton Candy Melt EZ Thin, vegetable shortening, or vegetable oil when making your own.I experimented with adding 3 teaspoons of vegetable oil to the Wilton coating to thin it out for curiosity’s sake and discovered that the consistency had significantly improved.Even more experimentation would very certainly produce even better outcomes.
It is possible to make Wilton Candy Melts work with cake pops, as demonstrated by Little Miss Cake Pops, who is an amazing cake popper who uses the coating.However, I strongly advise beginners (or anyone who has had difficulty making cake pops in the past) to consider using an alternative method.The image below shows a cake pop dipped in Wilton coating that has not been altered (on the left) next to a cake pop dipped in Wilton coating that has been mixed with vegetable oil (on the right).Chocolate2 – Make ‘n Mold Candy Wafers It took a total of 75 seconds for the Make ‘n Mold Candy Wafers to completely melt.Despite the fact that the resulting coating was not as thick as Wilton’s, it was still too thick for cake pop perfection.A significant improvement was that none of the cake pops I dipped in the Make ‘n Mold coating fell off their sticks during the process.
However, I had to tap them quite hard in order to get the excess coating off of them.My final product was cake pops that had a slightly lumpy appearance.When left unaltered, the Make ‘n Mold Candy Wafers received a 7 out of 10 for dipping consistency on a scale of 1 to 10.
Incorporating paramount crystals, vegetable shortening, or vegetable oil would favorably produce significantly better results.Dipping and coating formula for Chocolate3 – Chocoley Bada Bing Bada Boom, Dipping and coating formula for Chocolate3 The Chocoley Coating took a total of 45 seconds to completely melt.The wafers were smaller in size than the Wilton and Make ‘n Mold wafers, possibly contributing to the quick melting time.Once melted, the coating was perfectly smooth, dripping right of the fork that I stirred it with.The coating was completely trouble-free and a pleasure to work with.
It smoothly and completely coated each cake pop.After removing the cake pops from the coating, minimal tapping was required to get the excess off.One of my favorite things about the Chocoley coating was that it stayed thin even as it started to cool so it required less reheating than any of the other brands.The coating dried to a smooth flawless finish.On a scale of 1 to 10 for dipping consistency, the Chocoley Bada Bing Bada Boom, Dipping and Coating Formula scored a 10.
- Chocolate4 – Guittard A’Peels The Guittard A’Peels took a total of 60 seconds to melt completely.
- The consistency of the melted coating was slightly thicker than the Chocoley.
- The excess coating did not drip off the cake pops effortlessly but only minimal tapping was required.
- The Guittard coating dried perfectly smooth.
- I had no trouble working with it and I think it would be an excellent dipping chocolate for beginners or to use.
- On a scale of 1 to 10 for dipping consistency, the Guittard A’Peels scored a 9.
- Chocolate5 – CandiQuik Candy Coating The CandiQuik Candy Coating took a total of 60 seconds to melt completely.
- It was not as thin and smooth as the Chocoley or Guittard but was no way near as thick as Wilton or Make ‘n Mold.
- It coated the cake pops well and the excess coating dripped off easily when the cake pops were tapped.
- The coating dried mostly smooth with a small amount of visible lumps.