Monster Elmo Cake Pops

by Amy Tong
(Anaheim Hills, CA, USA)

These Elmo cake pops are the cutest monsters out there! My kids love Elmo. They love these Elmo Cake Pops even more! What can I say. They are super cute, and super yummy. I made these for my kids this Halloween. Maybe I’ll have enough to give out when the kids from the neighborhood come to trick or treat this year.

Ingredients and materials:

1 box cake mix (cook as directed on box for 13 x 9 cake)
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate chips (for ganache)
1/3 cup whipping cream (for ganache)
1/2 teaspoon instant coffee (for ganache)
1 pound package red candy melts (for coating cake balls)
lollipop sticks
toothpick (to apply candy melts to create Elmo’s fur)
white decorating dots (or any round, white candy you can find, for example Sixlets)
orange jelly beans (for Elmo’s nose)
round sprinkles (for Elmo’s mouth)
edible ink pen (to draw mouth and eye)
a block of foam board, to hold the lollipop sticks/cake pops when finished

Instructions:

Follow the instructions on cake mix box to bake the cake for 13 X 9-inch pan. Let the cake cool and crumble the cake with a fork.

Heat up the cream to a simmer, pour onto the bittersweet chocolate chip and instant coffee, stir until melted and smooth. Then, mix the ganache with the cake crumb until they become the texture of wet sand.

Roll the cake mixture into quarter size balls and place on parchment paper lined cookie sheet (should make 45-50). Place in freezer for 15 minutes to firm up.

Melt the red candy melts in microwave according to package instructions. Insert a lollipop stick into the cake balls (about half way). Carefully dip the cake balls into the melted candy melts coating. While coating is still wet, decorate with eyes, nose and mouth. Use a toothpick and dip the candy coating to create the furry look all around.

Stick the lollipop sticks of the cake pop on the foam board until ready to serve (if you can resist biting into one).