Summer Cake Pops Recipe

Snow cones are a beloved summer treat, perfect for cooling off on hot days. These snow cone cake pops bring that same refreshing fun in a bite-sized, mess-free form. With a bright lemon flavor and vibrant colors, these cake pops are a delightful addition to any summer gathering. Using a boxed lemon cake mix, you can easily create these impressive-looking treats that capture the essence of a classic snow cone.

Ingredients

• 1 (15-ounce) box lemon cake mix
• ½ cup melted butter
• ½ cup milk
• 1 lemon, zested
• 3 eggs
• 32 ounces almond bark
• 2 ounces blue sanding sugar
• 2 ounces white sanding sugar
• 2 ounces red sanding sugar

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 325 F.
2. Whisk together the melted butter and lemon zest in a large bowl.
3. Mix the cake batter by combining the box mix with the butter mixture, milk, eggs, and ½ cup water until well combined.
4. Pour the batter into a greased 9×13-inch cake pan.
5. Bake the cake for 35 minutes or until light golden brown.
6. Trim the cake edges immediately after removing the cake from the pan.
7. Mix while still warm by placing the cake into a stand mixer and beating with the paddle attachment until fine crumbs form.
8. Knead the cake dough with your hands until a ball forms.
9. Scoop the dough into balls using a cookie scoop to form 1-ounce balls.
10. Knead the dough balls until they are the consistency of Play-Doh, then roll back into a ball.
11. Chill the dough balls in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour and up to 3 days.
12. Prep paper cups by poking small holes into the bottom of 18 small paper cups using a toothpick.
13. Melt the almond bark in a small crock pot or microwave in 30-second increments until smooth.
14. Add sticks to the cake pops by dipping the end of a lollipop stick in the melted almond bark and pressing it into the cake ball. Repeat with all cake balls.
15. Dip each cake ball into the melted almond bark until submerged, then remove and tap off excess.
16. Attach the paper cups by pulling the paper cup onto the lollipop stick until it is stuck to the cake ball.
17. Sprinkle with red sugar on almost one entire half of the cake ball.
18. Sprinkle with blue sugar on the other side, leaving a strip of white in the center.
19. Sprinkle the center with white sugar, then place in a cake pop stand to harden.
20. Repeat and serve with the remaining cake balls.

Tips for Perfect Cake Pops:

• Mix the baked cake while it is still warm to form the dough quickly without adding frosting.
• Keep the cake pop dough balls slightly chilled or at room temperature when dipping in chocolate to avoid cracking or falling off the stick.
• Heat the chocolate slowly using indirect heat to avoid breaking.
• Measure the cake balls to keep them between 1 and 2 ounces to prevent them from falling off the stick.
• Store cake pops upright in a cake pop stand or other suitable vessels, and avoid freezing or refrigerating them after dipping in chocolate to prevent cracking.

Cake pops can be stored at room temperature once they are dipped and set. You can freeze undipped cake balls and bring them to room temperature before dipping.

Re-reported from the article originally published in TASTINGTABLE.