Why is it that my cake balls crack after the candy melts has dried?
I form the balls, take a stick, dip it into the candy melts, poke the cake ball, then dip the whole thing into candy melts, then turn it right side up and stick into styrofoam so it dries. Once it dries, the candy melts CRACK!!!
(

I use callebaut chocolate instead of candy melts and i dont have a problem. Sorry I couldnt be of more help.

Add a little shortening to your melts, they are less brittle that way and maybe won't crack?

I find that if I let the cake ball sit in the fridge/freezer too long before coating with the chocolate, once it comes to room temperature, the cake releases and spreads out, therefore, busting through the chocolate.

So, I let them sit a few minutes on the counter before coating.

Also, I use Almond Bark (from Kroger) and Walmart sells Candy Coating/Chocolate Coating...can't remember what it's called. But, I've found that candy melts from Acmoore/Micheals won't spread as easily. I guess the shortening would work, but I havent' had much luck with it.

Thanks a lot guys. Im going to give all those suggestions a whirl tonight. I'll let you know how it turns out.

I agree - try different chocolate. Merckens is pretty good. I personally won't even look at Wilton. (just my own taste!)

niccicola - I use the same almond bark from Kroger and I love it. I think my favorite part of it is being able to use small pieces at a time instead of waiting for big amounts to melt.

I've also found that if my center isn't moist enough, then the chocolate will crack. It took me a few tried to get that down.

Double post sorry!!O

Yes! I love the bark that is in the bricks. So much easier, as you said, to do a little at a time. I've also found that 1 package of bark will coat appoximately 35-50 cake pops depending on the size. I make mine about golf ball size (I sell them at $2 a piece and try to make them cake slice serving size) and can coat about 35 easily, 40 if I really dig it out!

And what about an unmoist center would cause cracking? The cake can't hold itself up within the chocolate?

So. After testing the two suggestions I came to the following conclusion.
1. Adding shortening only loosens the melts and keeps the exterior softer than the usual hardening - not very desirable.
2. Dunking frozen cake balls in the melts leads to the exterior cracking. Leaving them out for a few minutes after removing them from the freezer is key for them not to crack. The tricky part is knowing how long to leave them sit.