Friday Fun Find: Bakerella Cake Pops Set

{Bakerella's Cake Pops Set, $19.99}

A long, long time ago, in 2008, I stumbled awkwardly upon a blog that introduced me to cake pops. Icing and cake rolled together in the shape of a cupcake and dunked in chocolate and various colored candy melts and served on a stick??? My life would never be the same. I would check this blog religiously to see what this magic blogger lady would whip up next: butterscotch cake; pumpkin pie bites; strawberry Oreo panda cupcakes!!! I just couldn't get enough. By this time, I already had a healthy obsession with cupcakes, but I knew far less about baking them. I'd like to think that blog had a lot to do with initiating my interest in learning to bake them on my own, even if she does end up using boxed cake mix from time to time, but I'll let that one slide. This time.

That blog (in case you haven't picked up on it) was Bakerella. I know it's nearly impossible to have an original idea anymore, but dammit, I would fight to the death to uphold the legacy of Bakerella having single-handedly invented cake pops, because I'm pretty sure she did. I mean, she literally wrote the book on it. It's because of her that you can know buy lollipop sticks at Safeway! Back in 2008, though, it was a different story. Bakerella had to get her supplies from specialty baking supply stores, and in some cases, just figure shit out on her own. 

But just as we've done since the dawn of time, we've taken something beautiful, pure, artistic, and devoid of commercialism, and molested it beyond recognition for the purpose of mass production. What I'm saying is, Bakerella sold out and now has a Cake Pop set, hitting a Toys 'R Us near you in September.

Bygones, you guys. I actually think this is totally effing brilliant and can't wait to get my grubby hands on one of these sets, that is ironically being marketed as a toy for kids despite the fact that many adults I know can barely manage to make cake pops on their own, let alone kids with their underdeveloped frontal lobed brains. But whatever.

The set comes with a nesting plate for the pops to hang out while the candy shell hardens, various molds (including the coveted cupcake shape), a few bowls, and a cake grater. It's pretty much the best thing since sliced bread, and despite the fact that the set doesn't hit shelves for a couple more weeks, so many of you were intrigued by the cake pops I made for the book club a couple weekends ago (a commenter even left my a link to this set--even though I'd already seen it--sometimes I'm a hipster, and yes, I hate myself for it), that I've decided to make this my Friday Fun Find of the week!

Does anyone else read Bakerella? Have you tried making cake pops on your own? Do you plan on buying this set??

WARNING: This is Not Paleo (Lemon Cake Pops)

I don't want what I'm about to say to come between us, but I mean it when I say that most "cheat" food isn't worth it. Like, I'm a really good cook. Seriously, have you seen this? Or what about this? And I can't forget this. I mean, the things I can do with paleo ingredients is just...beyond. Consequently, it takes something non-paleo that's really REALLY good to make deviating from the dietary lifestyle I've chosen worth it. These lemon cake pops are worth it.

So if that first thing I said didn't come between us, this next thing probably will: I used a boxed cake mix to make these. Go ahead--SHUN MEEEEEEEE!!!!! I have it coming!! Despite my firm belief that homemade is ALWAYS better than boxed cake mix, which I've vehemently verbalized, I just couldn't bring myself to make it from scratch because I was knee-deep in a variety of other goodies for book club.

In my defense, which believe me, I know I have none, I did make the icing from scratch. You see, to make cake pops, all you do is bake a cake, crumble it up with a fork, and then combine it with icing until it just barely starts to come together. Homemade frosting flavors > boxed cake mix and thus, it all turned out okay.

Because I wanted to be able to eat like, 7 of these myself (and believe me, you'll want to), I wanted a flavor that wouldn't be too rich by the 6th pop, hence my decision to make them lemon.

So, to repeat, that's lemon cake, lemon cream cheese frosting, formed into balls, and then dunked into white chocolate and sprinkled with yellow sanding sugar.

Could you just die? I mean, could.you.just.die???

In case you're living somewhere Starbucks doesn't exist (and by God, I hope that's none of you), and you've never had a cake pop, they basically taste like the moistest cake you've ever had in your life coated in chocolate. 

It's like I said...very few things are "worth" it. These are. Even if you do have to make two trips to the grocery store to get the right white chocolate when the first bag you get seizes up.

For more cake pop ideas, check out Bakerella!

Who else has made cake pops? Do you find them a pain in the ass to make? Do you also like to eat half a dozen in one setting??