Hi There,

I have tried making cake pops 3 times now, and every time I have the same problem. I use Wilton candy melts to coat them, but after a while, grease starts to drip out from the bottom of the cake pop. I am assuming that it's the butter from the cake or buttercream. Has anyone else had this problem, or have any advice for me?

Thanks
Pauline

Yes, that has happened to me and probably most people that have made cakepops at one time or another. Are you using box cake mixes? I do not have that problem when I use scratch cake. So, it must have to do with the oil added into the cake. Also, make sure the cakeball is completely coated so there is no way for the oil to leak out...that being said those little suckers do have a tendency to crack. I admire people who can make these perfectly round, smooth, non-blemished cake pops. They are NOT as easy to make as they look!!

It has never happened to me after hundreds of cake balls. I always use doctored cake mixes, so I doubt it's that. I DON'T use icing or creamer in my cake balls, so I'll bet that has something to do with it.

I use frosting to hold my cake balls together, and I've never had a problem with oil or grease :/ I've heard people have issues with oil when they use Wilton candy melts to make modelling chocolate; are your cake balls getting warm? The most likely culprit does sound like oil in the cake mix though - the first ones I made were from a cake mix, and sat in mini cupcake wrappers instead of on sticks, and when I lifted them up after a day or so they'd left small, oily marks on the paper casing (as I'd only covered the top/sides). If you're making your own mix it could also be from the amount of butter in the cake, if you're using any more than usual?

I think that the amount of frosting called for in the recipes for cake balls is way too much and makes them sploochy and not appetizing. I use only enough frosting to hold the crumbs together; I use a scant tsp. at a time. I don't have a problem with grease.

I made tons over christmas. I only had a couple get greasy . Im.not sure . But I believe it was the coating didnt completly cover the bottom and oil or butter pooled and leaked out .I baked them.all from scratch . I dont know why maybe they did get warm ?

If you just use cake you won't have that problem. Just knead and squish your cake until it's the consistency of cookie dough. It takes a little while and you want to use cake that's been dried a little. At the bakery I worked for this is how she made cake balls and they were the most popular thing she sold. Trimmings off other cakes work great for this. It makes a very dense rich ball of cake that's not too sweet. We would use meatballers to portion and then roll smooth.

Diane, what do you use to hold your cake together? I only Use a tiny bit of icing and sometimes I use a liqour (bailys) but only enough for the cake to bind together.

I'm kinda protective of my recipe since I've turned so many of my customers and friends into cake ball snobs. They only like mine.

But, since I first learned of this technique at a DOS, I feel a sense of obligation to pass it on.

The secret ingredient in my cake balls is melted chocolate. I'm going to respectfully refrain from giving quantities or instructions.

I made them once and I had a similar problem. It wasn't grease, but the actual cake portion that seeped out around the lollipop stick. It happened after the candy coating was hard.


So, if you do a 9x13 amount of cake, how much icing is correct to add? Also, I noticed Bakerella uses cream cheese icing a lot. It's ok to use buttercream, right?

I have never had this problem but i also just use enough icing to get my cake like dough. and i make sure the whole thing is covered. i use butter cream as well, works great.

Thanks for replying! I have a lot of cake pop questions, and I really haven't found a good reference source.

So does anyone add flavoring to the white candy melts? My customer wants creme bouquet flavor for the pops. I'm going to do creme bouquet cake, with buttercream for the inside. I guess I will just use the white candy melts plain?

If you do want to flavor candy melts, will regular extract mix in, or will it seize up?

I've had this problem before and find it has nothing to do with using icing, which I always do. For me, it was using cake recipes that have oil in them. I only bake from scratch - never use box recipes. I have just adjusted my recipes - I use butter instead of oil. It takes a little tweeking to get the perfect flavor, but it has helped.

Also, make sure the cake pops or cake balls are cool when you're dipping them - not too cold or the chocolate will crack once it dries. You can leave them in the refrigerator and take a few out at a time while you're dipping. I put them all on parchment paper on a large cookie sheet, then sit the cookie sheet on top of a pan full of ice. This way I'm not running back and forth to the fridge. Works great!

Good luck!

I would flavor the cake - not the candy melts. I make peppermint flavored cake pops over Xmas and they turn out amazing with the extract in the cake mix. (Just a tiny bit!!)

Candy melts can be flavored just like anything else - - just make sure you're using oil-based flavorings, not water or alcohol based.

Scratch or box doesn't matter. If you coat your pops completely, everything is sealed inside and you won't get anything leaking out.

What are you using to make them? OP said cake pops, those don't have frosting in the mix - they are baked in cake pop pans. Cake balls are rolled with frosting...or melted choc in Dianne's case! (thanks for sharing )
I haven't had this problem, I've used the babycakes and the bake pop pans with scratch mix and wilton candy melts.

I have flavored the chocolate and it was super yummy! One batch I did raspberry swirl cake and put some raspberry extract in the chocolate, delicious! The other one was chocolate cake with mint extract in the chocolate- even better! I did rainbow cake pops once, and flavored the chocolate to match each color...yellow-lemon, red- strawberry.....that was a lot of work, but it came out so beautiful!!

Last question today, I promise!

I have seen people on youtube add a teaspoon of shortening to the candy melts as the were heating. Is this necessary? What does it accomplish?

To me, cake pops are balls of cake on sticks, with or without frosting added. That has been my understanding. Didn't Bakerella come up with the term? She definitely adds frosting.

My bad, I just assumed cake pops were made with the cake pop maker..... I figured the 'balls' were manually shaped, which I haven't tried yet- but I like that they can be shaped into different things -rather then just a standard round ball. I have some frozen cakes that I will probably never use...someday I am going to make cake balls with them!

Not a problem. I'm still trying to get the dipping thing down without the stick. All the websites and tutorials I've checked out say it's "so easy and fun" to make them. They lie. I've made hundreds of pops and balls and have never eaten one. By the time I get through dipping and decorating, I don't want anything to do with them - until the next time.

I've had to dig a few out of the bowl, but I must admit not for a while. I am getting better at them. yay.

I started making these about four years ago when someone on CC posted what she did with the scraps from her cakes and a bit of the back then "new" flavored coffee creamers.
Big discussion on what to call them. Purist said they weren't a real truffle so balls won out.
The lady said her husband called them Reindeer droppings...well...I'm not sure if that is what they call them in her hometown.
Suddenly their was a huge craze about a year later when people caught on, Bakerella made them cute and added a stick and now you can buy a pan that makes them round for you.
What ever you call them, I've made hundreds of dozens to raise funds for mission trips. I have quite a few addicts that call me a month in advance to see if I'm making them every year.
As time consuming as they are, they are here to stay.

As for the liquid that escapes, I only get that when I make them with an add-in that breaks down inside the ball. Heath bits are the biggest trouble maker.( I add those to a Creme Brulee flavored cake and they go like hotcakes.) With those I really need to be sure the ball is sealed or they turn into a mess in about 12 hours.
Never have any trouble with mini chocolate chips.

By the way, those recipes that tell you to dump a whole tub of icing into the crumbled cake. I just know there are women who would like to throw the whole batch of it in the trash can.
That must make the sloppiest dough in the world. Ewwww.

mommachris

Dipping the balls I.tried several utensils including toothpick and skewer . A regular dinner fork worked best . I see that they do make 2tined fork for dipping . I was also thinking a seafood fork might work ? .
I only add enough icing so it stick together well.

Dipping the balls I.tried several utensils including toothpick and skewer . A regular dinner fork worked best . I see that they do make 2tined fork for dipping . I was also thinking a seafood fork might work ? .
I only add enough icing so it stick together well.

How many time can I reheat the candy melt if I have some left from one week to another for example ? Actually, I don't use all the candy melt I've heated.

I also have sometimes the sweating pb, a drop of grease on the outside of the pop. My cake doesn't have oil in it and the candy melt is clearly sealing the cake, I usually don't add fat to thin the candy melt.

Any ideas ?

I've recently started making cake pops this is my third attempt. .

They usually come out great. although they are usually kept in the fridge. . I have made about 100 cake pops for a friend's gender reveal, and I let them sit out to avoid condensation before wrapping them in cellophane. .and I went to start and they aren't melted completely, but they slide down the stick! ugh! 

I used wilton candy melts and I did dip the stick before adding the balls. . can anyone help me with this issue? I hope the issue is that it's just because it's fairly warm in my home as I'm in Guam.. 

Anyway. . will putting them back in the fridge save them? I'd hate for all of them to be ruined. .and gender reveal is tomorrow!  Noooooooo :(