Eyeball Cake Pops

Baked chocolate cake is crumbled and mixed with frosting, rolled into pops, chilled, dipped in white chocolate, and finished with simple eyeball decoration. The result is a handheld dessert with a soft center and a snappy shell.

By Julienne

Cook time: 30 minutes

Servings: 12

Ingredients

• 5 ml Neutral oil for greasing the pan
• 188 g All-purpose flour for cake batter
• 30 g Unsweetened cocoa powder for cake batter
• 5 g Baking powder for cake batter
• 3 g Baking soda for cake batter
• 3 g Fine salt for cake batter
• 200 g Granulated sugar for cake batter
• 85 g Unsalted butter melted
• 1 count Large egg room temperature
• 5 ml Vanilla extract for cake batter
• 240 ml Buttermilk for cake batter
• 120 ml Water hot, for cake batter
• 120 g Powdered sugar for frosting
• 45 g Unsalted butter softened, for frosting
• 15 ml Whole milk for frosting
• 2 ml Vanilla extract for frosting
• 450 g White chocolate chips or chopped white chocolate for coating
• 15 ml Neutral oil for thinning the coating if needed
• 12 count Cake pop sticks for assembly
• 1 g Blue gel food coloring for pupils
• 1 g Red gel food coloring for veins

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 175 C. Grease a 9 x 13 inch baking pan with the neutral oil and line it with parchment paper. Oven is fully preheated and the pan is lined.
2. Whisk the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and granulated sugar in a large bowl. In a second bowl, whisk the melted butter, egg, vanilla extract, buttermilk, and hot water. Dry and wet mixtures are smooth and evenly combined.
3. Stir the wet mixture into the dry mixture just until no dry flour remains, then spread the batter in the prepared pan. Batter is level in the pan with no visible dry pockets.
4. Bake for 24 to 28 minutes, until the center springs back when lightly pressed and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out with a few moist crumbs. Cool completely in the pan, then crumble the cake into a large bowl. Cake is fully cool and crumbles easily with no warm spots.
5. Make the frosting by beating the powdered sugar, softened butter, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth and spreadable. Frosting is smooth, fluffy, and holds soft peaks.
6. Add the frosting to the crumbled cake and mix until the crumbs hold together when pressed. Roll into 12 equal balls, place on a parchment-lined baking sheet, and chill for 20 minutes. Cake balls are firm enough to hold their shape when lifted.
7. Melt the white chocolate gently. If the coating feels too thick for dipping, stir in a small amount of neutral oil, a little at a time, until it flows smoothly; keep the chocolate warm and avoid adding water. Chocolate flows smoothly and coats the back of a spoon.
8. Dip the tip of each cake pop stick into the melted white chocolate, insert it halfway into a chilled cake ball, then dip the cake pop into the coating. Let excess drip off, and set the pop upright. Each pop is fully coated with a thin, even shell.
9. While the coating is still tacky, dot the center with a tiny amount of blue gel or black decorating gel for the iris and pupil. Use red gel to draw thin vein lines radiating outward from the iris. Let the pops set completely at cool room temperature or briefly in the refrigerator. Coating is firm and the eyeball decoration no longer smears.