Nutella Cake Pops

Raise your hands if you’ve ever quietly approached the pantry more than usual because that week you had brought Nutella home and you couldn’t resist but had to open that jar when no one else was looking. Then you quickly dip the spoon into the jar pulling all that gooey hazelnut spread on the spoon that is going straight into your mouth. My hands are sure raised on that one!

Now let’s combine this delicious spread with cake crumbs and put it on a stick for a bite size experience that will rock our taste buds. Shall we?  When I first heard about cake pops a few years ago, I knew I had to try making them. I couldn’t believe that you actually crumbled a perfectly good cake, mix frosting with it, and make truffle-size balls on a stick.

Wow! I was impressed. If I only knew that before, when I had bad cake days, which there were many of during my first year living in Colorado.The high altitude messed me up so much that I lost 7 delicious cakes in less than a year. They would have been perfect candidates for cake pop transformations, and no one would ever had known how ugly those cakes were.

Cake pops are sure cute, but the experience I had in the kitchen when I first tried making them was rather frustrating.  Almost none of them stayed on the stick– they fell apart and I had a big mess that was eaten by my kids. They didn’t care if the ball stayed on the stick or not, in fact they didn’t even care about the shape or size, they knew it tasted good and they ate my big bad mess anyways.

I was so puzzled and I had to find out what went wrong! After a few hours of research, I discovered the freezing step was one of the most important steps when making cake pops. After that I confidently made cake pops with no problems and the results were always a success. I will do my best to explain to you how these should be done so that you can have a fun time making them.

Nutella Cake Pops

 Makes 35 to 40 cake pops

1 box cake mix (bake as directed, using a 13 X 9 cake pan. For this recipe I used a chocolate mix)

13 oz Nutella jar

16 0z  Candy Melting Coating Chocolate

Parchment paper

35 to 40 straws or lollipop sticks

Look at this perfectly normal cake and tell yourself its okay to crumbled it into pieces. It is all for a good cause.

 Melt the chocolate in the microwave. Follow the package directions.

 This is how the perfectly baked cake should look like after you pulse in the food processor or crumble it with a fork.

Add the delicious Nutella spread to the bowl and don’t lick the spoon until you are finished.

 Start forming small balls, use a tablespoon to measure, and they should all have the same size. Place the balls on the parchment paper (use a baking sheet).

 Dip the tip of the lollipop stick or straw into the melted candy coating and insert it into the cake ball, just passed half way in.

 Let the chocolate cool down completely. Best if you place in the freezer for 10 to 15 minutes.

 With the cake balls nice and firm, but not frozen,  immerse the cake ball in the  chocolate coating until covered. Once covered remove, softly tap, and rotate until the excess chocolate falls off. Don’t tap too hard or the cake ball will fall off.

Have fun decorating your cake pops.

If you want to go beyond spreading Nutella on a toast, here are a few interesting suggestions that were not tested by me but I have read them online: Nutella with french fries,, Nutella bacon and peanut butter sandwich, Nutella Ravioli, and for you beauty needs… a Nutella facial mask! Well, I think I will stick to the Nutella Cake Pops for now.

Have a fantastic week!

Nutella Cake Pops

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Ingredients

• 1 box cake mix (bake as directed, using a 13 X 9 cake pan. For this recipe I used a chocolate mix)
• 13 oz Nutella jar
• 16 oz Candy Melting Coating Chocolate
• Parchment paper
• 35 to 40 straws or lollipop sticks

Instructions

1. In a food processor pulse the cake pieces until all crumbled and transfer them too a large bowl. You can also crumble your baked cake into a large bowl using a fork.
3. Mix in the Nutella until mixture is all nice and smooth.
5. Start forming small balls (use a tablespoon to measure, and the balls should have the same size).
7. Place the balls on the parchment (use a baking sheet).
9. Melt the chocolate in the microwave. Follow the package directions.
11. Dip the tip of the lollipop stick into the melted candy coating and insert the lollipop stick into the cake ball, just passed half way in.
13. Place them in the freezer for a little while to firm up. The chocolate will serve as the glue between the cake balls and the lollipop sticks or straws. When you place them in the freezer, they are still on the wax paper with the cake balls down, and the stick or straw up.
15. With the cake balls nice and firm, but not frozen, immerse the cake ball in the chocolate coating until covered. Once covered remove, softly tap, and rotate until the excess chocolate falls off. Don’t tap too hard or the cake ball will fall off.
17. Place sticks in a Styrofoam block to dry or a colander,if you are using straws, gently place them in a jar. Now they are standing beautifully and ready to dry. If planning on adding sprinkles, it should be used before the chocolate hardens.
19. Once dry, if not using sprinkles, decorate as desired.