Chocolate Turtle Cake Pops

Related Stories

• Cake pops make a trendy treat

Chocolate Turtle Cake Pops

Makes 50 pops. Recipe is from White Lily.

Nonstick cooking spray

Cake:

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups granulated sugar

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 cup butter

1 cup water

1⁄3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

2 large eggs

1/2 cup buttermilk

11/2 tsps. vanilla extract

Chocolate Frosting:

1/4 cup butter, softened

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

11/2 cups sifted powdered sugar

11/2 tsps. milk

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Coating and Drizzle:

24 ozs. chocolate-flavored candy coating

2 cups chopped pecans

2 cups granulated sugar

6 tbls. butter

1/2 cup heavy cream

Dash salt

Equipment:

Craft sticks, wax paper and foam block

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 13x9-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Combine flour, 2 cups granulated sugar, baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon salt in large bowl. Set aside.

2. Combine 1 cup butter, water and 1⁄3 cup cocoa powder in medium saucepan. Bring mixture to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat.

3. Add cocoa mixture to dry ingredients. Beat with electric mixer at low speed until combined. Add eggs, buttermilk and 11/2 teaspoons vanilla. Beat 1 minute at low speed. (Batter will be thin.) Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool completely.

4. Make frosting by beating 1/4 cup butter and 1/4 cup cocoa powder in medium bowl with electric mixer at medium speed until creamy. Add powdered sugar, milk and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla. Beat at low until blended. Beat at medium until light and fluffy.

5. Crumble cake into large bowl. Add frosting. Mix thoroughly with hands. Roll into 2-inch balls. Insert sticks halfway into balls. Place onto wax paper-covered cookie sheet. Chill 2 to 3 hours in the refrigerator or in freezer for at least 1 hour. Melt chocolate coating according to package directions. Dip cake pops into chocolate coating so that coating covers entire cake pop and part of stick. Sprinkle with chopped pecans. Insert sticks into foam block.

6. Whisk 2 cups granulated sugar in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat until melted. Stir in 6 tablespoons butter until melted. Butter will foam up. Remove from heat. Whisk in cream constantly until smooth. Cream will foam up. Stir in dash salt. Reduce heat to lowest setting. Return pan to heat, stirring 2 to 3 minutes to thicken. Hold cake pop over saucepan. Use spoon to drizzle caramel over cake pop, allowing drips to fall back into pan. Insert drizzled cake pop into foam block to set.