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CREATIVE CAKE POP

DECORATING

Module 03

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3. Module 03: Baking

Table of Contents

3. Module 03: Baking ............................................................................................................................ 1

3.1 Ready Set Bake! ......................................................................................................................................... 2

3.2 Baking Methods ......................................................................................................................................... 2

3.2.2 Using a Cake Pop Mold ..................................................................................................................... 4

3.3 Classic Yellow Cake .................................................................................................................................... 5

3.4 Ultimate Chocolate Lover’s Cake ............................................................................................................... 7

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3.1 Ready Set Bake!

In this module you will learn easy recipes for cakes and buttercreams that will allow you to create several

different types of cake pops. Always read a recipe through in its entirety before you start mixing. By doing

this you will prepare yourself to always be thinking one step ahead, and you’ll be able to make sure you have

all of the ingredients and tools you need. Follow the recipes very closely. When baking, throwing in “an extra

pinch of this or that” can have a surprising effect on the finished project. Remember, baking is a science!

In Module 2 we will learn the following:

Baking Methods

Classic yellow cake for any occasion

Ultimate Chocolate lover’s cake

Tart and fresh lemon sponge

Buttercream Recipes

Surprise cake pop center

Mixing and matching

Scaling recipes to get the right number of cake pops

Baking time chart

3.2 Baking Methods

As we mentioned in Module 1, there are two ways to make a cake pop.

You can bake cake batter directly in a cake pop pan/mold that will give you the desired shape, so that you

can just stick the lollipop stick in, glaze, and finish.

The other method calls for crumbling the baked and cooled cake and then adding in frosting, or some other

adhesive so that you can roll it into balls and then decorate.

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You might be wondering what the difference is, and which one is better. Each method will appeal to people

for different reasons, so you should consider your needs as a baker as well as what kind of pops you want to

make. Let’s go over some of the qualities of each.

Made with a special cake pop pan/mold

Will be much lighter and fluffier in texture, and less sweet

Do not require making buttercream so you will use fewer ingredients and less time

Are easier for beginners

May have a subtle edge around the middle from the mold

You can find many cool shapes, like hearts, stars, Christmas trees, etc.

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Made by crumbling cake and mixing in buttercream

Are sweeter, denser and more like a truffle than a cake

Require buttercream or another binding agent which will take up more time, but also allows for more flavor

creativity

Do not require a special pan or mold

Are more difficult to make, since you’ll be rolling the shapes by hand

If you’re not sure which method you’ll prefer, why not try both?

In the following sections we will first cover recipes for cake, then buttercream and add-ins and finally a guide

of possible combinations. Please note that if you have opted to use a cake pop pan you will not need to

make the buttercream frosting. Each of the cake recipes in this section will yield a 9x13” (33 X 23 cm) or two

8” (20 cm) or 9” (23 cm) round cake pans or about 40-60 cake pops, depending on size.

3.2.2 Using a Cake Pop Mold

If you’ve decided to use a pan or mold as your preferred baking method, you will still follow these cake

recipes, but instead of adding buttercream, you’ll transfer your cake batter into a piping bag.

You can buy piping bags at almost any grocery store, but if you’re having trouble finding one, you can easily

use a large plastic or Ziploc bag and cut off the tip.

Before you start piping, grease your mold with pan spray or by rubbing a piece of butter in every cup. This

will ensure your cake pops don’t stick to the mold or get a burnt crisp around the edge if you leave them in

too long. Once your mold is greased, you can start piping the batter into each cup. Make sure the batter is

sitting nicely in your bag, and not oozing out the sides or clumping. You want to use one hand to squeeze

the bag and control the pour, and the other to hold the bag steady.

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3.3 Classic Yellow Cake

This is a great recipe for any occasion. It can be mixed up in no time at all and works really well with any

other flavor you can think of!

For this cake you will need the following ingredients:

8 oz (223g) unsalted butter (2 sticks)

14.11 oz (400g) grams sugar

14.11 oz (400g) AP flour

3.5 Tablespoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

4 eggs

1 cup whole milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

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1. Mise en place! Gather all of your ingredients and bowls and measure each ingredient into a

separate bowl. The salt and baking powder can be added directly to the flour and then stirred in

to evenly disperse. Make sure you crack all of the eggs into a bowl and check for little bits of

eggshells.

2. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 ºC) and prepare your baking pans by spraying and/or

lining with parchment.

3. Cream together room temperature butter and sugar until it becomes pale and fluffy. Start mixing

on a low speed and slowly increase to medium until you reach the desired consistency.

4. Return the mixer to the lowest speed and add the eggs one at a time. You should mix the batter

thoroughly between each addition. After the eggs are incorporated, add the teaspoon of vanilla

extract and mix on low.

5. Stop the mixer and use a rubber spatula to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to make

sure there are no bits of butter stuck. Scraping the bowl several times throughout the process

will ensure that you have an evenly mixed batter.

6. Add approximately one-third of the dry ingredients to the mixing bowl. You don’t have to be

exact here. You just want to make sure you are alternating the dry ingredients and the milk, and

finishing with dry ingredients. Turn the mixer on low and mix until there are just streaks of dry

ingredients left.

7. When you just see streaks of flour, pour half of the milk into the bowl in a slow, steady stream.

Mix until incorporated and turn the mixer off.

8. Add another third of the flour mixture. Mix on low speed until you see streaks.

9. Slowly stream in the remaining milk, mix until incorporated and then turn the mixer off.

10. Add the rest of the flour and turn the mixer on low. Mix just until you no longer see any flour.

Do not overmix as it will result in a tough cake.

11. Pour batter into the desired pans and bake until done (see baking chart in section 2.8 for baking

times) rotating halfway through.

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A Note on Baking Times: You will notice that I am giving approximate baking times in the chart in section 2.8 - that is because

baking time will vary depending on a number of variables- most importantly the oven in which a cake is baked. Some ovens bake

hotter than others - if you know your oven is very hot, adjust accordingly by lowering the temperature and checking the cake for

doneness earlier.

The baking time will also depend on the size of pan that you are baking in. Cake pop pans will take the least amount of time and

you should check the cakes as early as 15 minutes into baking. 9x13” (33 X 23 cm) pans will take the longest and can sometimes

take close to an hour. Use the table at the end of module 2 as a guideline, but if you are feeling unsure, it’s best to check early.

You can always add more time but you can’t unbake a cake!

3.4 Ultimate Chocolate Lover’s Cake

This cake is a chocolate lover’s dream! The addition of sour cream makes it rich and moist and keeps the

cake from being too rich. This recipe calls for a cup of hot coffee, which may come as a surprise. You won’t

taste the coffee on the cake once it is baked, but it will enhance the flavor of the chocolate. If you don’t have

any coffee on hand or you just really don’t want to use it, you can substitute hot water or try using a stout

instead. The bitterness of stout is a great contrast to chocolate.

For this cake, you will need

½ cup flavorless oil such as grapeseed

5.29 oz (150 g) sugar

5.29 oz (150 g) brown sugar

2 eggs + 1 yolk

1.5 teaspoons vanilla extract

¾ cup sour cream

1 cup hot coffee

teaspoons baking powder

¾ teaspoon baking soda

¾ teaspoon salt

oz (330 g) AP flour

3.17 oz (90 g) unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted

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1. Measure all of your ingredients into separate bowls. The flour, salt, baking powder and baking

soda can all be stirred together in one bowl.

2. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F ((165 ºC) and prepare your baking pans.

3. Carefully whisk the hot coffee into the cocoa powder until it is dissolved and then add the sour

cream and vanilla extract and whisk until blended. Set aside.

4. Use your mixer to combine the oil and sugars. If the brown sugar has large clumps, mix it on its

own for 30 seconds to break the clumps and then add the granulated sugar and oil.

5. Add the eggs and yolk one at a time and mix until incorporated. Stop the mixer and scrape the

bowl and then mix for another 20-30 seconds to make sure that all the ingredients have blended.

6. Stop the mixer and ½ all of the the dry ingredients. Turn the mixer on to the lowest setting and

mix until there are just streaks of dry ingredients.

7. Stream in ½ of the coffee/cocoa mixture and mix until incorporated.

8. Stop the mixer and add the next ½ of dry ingredients. Mix on low until you only see streaks of

white.

9. Stream in the remaining coffee/cocoa mixture and blend.

10. Stop the mixer and scrape the bowl. Then add the remaining dry ingredients. Mix on low until

incorporated or fold in by hand.

11. Pour batter into prepared pans and bake until done. (See baking chart in section 2.8 for times)