Jack-O'-Lantern Cake Pops

These cake pops put a sweet twist on pumpkin carving -- it’s a new fall tradition that makes for a perfect Halloween party favor!

This recipe contains XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX, cake mix (yellow), cream, sugar (powdered, confectioners), unsalted butter, milk, vanilla extract, XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX, orange candy melts, cake pop sticks, XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX, sugar (powdered, confectioners), butter, milk, vanilla extract, food color (black), food color (green)

24 - 30 Servings

Prep time: 1 hr +

Cook time: 30 min

Ingredients:

• FOR THE CAKE POPS
• 1 pkg(s) yellow cake mix (or your favorite flavor)
• 8 oz. cream cheese, softened
• 2 cup(s) powdered sugar
• 4 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
• 2 tsp. milk
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• FOR THE DECORATING
• 1 pkg(s) orange candy wafers
• 1 pkg(s) craft sticks or popsicle/lollipop sticks
• FOR THE FROSTING
• 3 3/4 cup(s) powdered sugar
• 1/2 cup(s) butter, softened
• 3 - 4 tbsp. milk
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 pkg(s) black food coloring
• 1 pkg(s) green food coloring

Instructions:

• 1. Cake Pops: Bake cake according to directions. Cool completely and crumble into large mixing bowl; set aside. In another bowl, using electric mixer, combine cream cheese, confectioners'’ sugar, butter, milk and vanilla, blending until smooth. Pour cream cheese mixture over crumbled cake; mix until combined. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours, or overnight. Once cake mixture is chilled, roll into 1 1/2- to 2-inch balls and place into lined muffin pans. Place filled pans in freezer for a minimum of 2 hours.
• 2. Decorating Melt the candy wafers over a double boiler, stirring until all of the chocolate is smooth. Remove cake balls from freezer; insert lollipop stick halfway into center of each ball. Dip the cake pops into the melted candy wafers. Tap cake pop slightly to remove excess chocolate. Allow the chocolate to firm up. Chocolate will harden quickly, so you may want to insert cake pops into piece of foam to dry upright.
• 3. Frosting In a large bowl, with electric mixer at low speed, combine confectioners' sugar, butter, milk and vanilla. Beat at medium speed for 1 to 2 minutes, until creamy. If desired, add more milk until frosting is spreading consistency. Divide frosting into two bowls. Tint one bowl with black food coloring and the other with green food coloring. Spoon black frosting into a piping bag fitted with a 1M piping tip; pipe faces onto each cake pop. Fill piping bag fitted with the #7 tip with green frosting; pipe pumpkin stems on top of each cake pop. The frosting will harden after approximately 2 hours.