Red Velvet Holiday Cake Pops l Baking with Dana and Myrna

Reindeer Holiday Red Velvet Cake Pops

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One of the best parts of the holiday season is spending time with those we love and appreciate. That also means there's a good chance some delicious, festive food is nearby! Baking during the holidays can be a fun way to bond with family and friends and enjoy some tasty desserts. These reindeer holiday cake pops made with red velvet cake are the perfect treats for family gatherings or to give to your friends for Friendsmas.

Easy Recipe

-Prep Time: 10 mins

-Total Time: ~3 hrs

-Servings: 20-25

Ingredients:

1-2 boxes Red velvet cake mix
Cake mix ingredients (eggs, oil, water)
16 oz container ready-made cream cheese frosting
Food gloves
1 bag Wilton brown candy melts
1 bag Wilton black candy melts
1 bag Wilton red candy melts

Paramount crystals or shortening
Pretzels
Wooden toothpicks
Cake pop sticks
Styrofoam block
3 small bowls

Step 1

Gather all your ingredients to bake the red velvet cake. Follow the instructions on the box of whichever cake mix brand you decide to purchase. Note: Steps 1-5 may be done a day before decorating to save time and waiting!

Step 2

Allow your cake to cool to room temperature. Wear disposable food handling gloves, and use your hands to crumble up the cake into small pieces (The gloves will prevent your hands from turning red from food coloring).

Step 3

Add approximately 1/2 to 3/4 of a container of cream cheese frosting.

Step 4

Step 5

Step 6

Use your hands to mix the cake and frosting together until you get a Play Doh-like consistency, as seen in the photo. Make sure that the mixture is not too wet with too much frosting, or it will be more difficult to form the balls.

Again using your hands, grab small chunks of the cake and frosting mixture and shape them into balls. The cake balls cannot be too large, or the weight will cause them to fall off the sticks. Place your cake balls in a refrigerator for about 2 hours or a freezer for about 20-30 minutes until they’re slightly cold, but not frozen, and can still hold their shape.

Pour 1 package of brown candy melts into a bowl and microwave it for about 30 seconds. Stir the candy melts and add a few paramount crystals (shortening can also be used as a substitute). *The paramount crystals will help to thin out the melted chocolate and improve its consistency, making it easier for dipping and coating. Repeat until the candy melts have completely melted and the mixture has become thin.

Step 7

Step 8

Dip the end of a cake pop stick into the candy melts and insert the stick into a cake ball about halfway through the cake pop. Repeat with the rest, allowing the candy melts to harden in the cake pops. If it looks like there are cracks in the cake, you can dip a toothpick into the melts and fill them in to make the surface of the ball even.

Important: Wait until the melted chocolate has cooled to room temperature. Also wait until the cake pops warm up more to room temperature. If there is too large of a temperature difference, the chocolate coating will begin to crack as it is cooling on the cake pop surface!
Now, dip the cake pops into the chocolate, ensuring that the cake pops are completely covered. Lift and tilt the cake pops to allow any excess to fall into the bowl.

Step 9

Insert the cake pop sticks in the styrofoam block and let the coating dry.

Step 10

Melt the red and black candy melts and allow them to cool to room temperature.

Step 11

To add the antlers, break a pretzel in half and dip the bottoms into the leftover chocolate candy melts and place on top of the cake pops. It may be easier to hold them on the cake pop until it dries.

Step 12

Dip a toothpick into the black candy melts to add eyes and red candy melts to add a nose.