Chocolate Cake Pops

Ingredients

Cake

• 8 Tablespoons cocoa powder
• 1 cup boiling water
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened, plus more for greasing
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 2/3 cups self-rising flour, plus more for the tin
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 eggs, at room temperature

Chocolate Frosting

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
• 1 2/3 cups chocolate, melted and cooled

Chocolate Ganache

• 2 cups semisweet dark chocolate chips
• 1/3 cup whipping cream
• 1/4 cup butter, cut into pieces

Garnish

• A variety of cake sprinkles
• (Makes about 12 cake pops)

Directions

Cake

1. Put the cocoa powder in a small heatproof bowl and pour over the boiling water. Stir until combined and then set aside to cool.
2. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
3. Prepare a 10 inch round cake pan by lightly greasing.
4. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
5. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar until fluffy and pale in colour.
6. Add the vanilla and mix to combine.
7. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition.
8. Pour in the dry ingredients. Gently mix until just combined.
9. Fold in the cooled cocoa and gently mix until combined and even in colour.
10. Pour the badder into the prepared cake tin.
11. Bake for 45–60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
12. Once baked, remove the cake from the oven and allow to cool for 20 minutes.
13. Turn the cake out onto a wire rack and cool completely.

Chocolate Frosting

1. In a glass or metal bowl set over a pot of simmering water, melt the chocolate. Whisk until smooth and then set aside to cool.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, cream the butter.
3. Gradually add the confectioners' sugar and pour in the melted chocolate.
4. Increase the speed to high and continue to cream until the frosting is light and fluffy, scraping down the sides if necessary.
5. Put the icing in the fridge and allow to sit for 30 minutes before using.
6. To make the cake balls
7. In the bowl of the stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine chocolate cake and chocolate frosting. Mix well. This will make the cake ball mix.
8. Roll the cake mixture into approximately 20 medium-sized cake balls.
9. Put the cake balls in the refrigerator until chilled and set, about 30 minutes.

For the Chocolate Ganache

1. In a glass or metal bowl set over a pot of simmering water, combine the chocolate and cream. Whisk constantly until chocolate has melted and mixture is smooth.
2. Gradually add the butter to the chocolate mixture and continue to whisk until melted and smooth.
3. Remove ganache from heat and allow to cool for 15 to 20 minutes, whisking often.
4. Remove the cake balls from the refrigerator. Take a cake ball stick, dip one end into the chocolate ganache and poke the stick about 1/2 way into a cake ball. Set aside and repeat the process with the remaining cake balls.
5. Return the cake balls to the refrigerator for 10 minutes, to set the ganache on the stick.
6. Once set, dip each cake pop into the chocolate ganache, covering it completely with ganache.
7. Roll each cake pop into the sprinkles of your choice or drizzle a bit more ganache over the cake pop using a spoon.
8. Stand cake pop upright in a polystyrene block to set.
9. Repeat the process with the remaining cake pops.
10. Transfer the cake pops to the refrigerator and keep cool until ready to serve.
11. Before serving, allow the cake pops to sit at room temperature for 20 o 30 minutes.