Giveaway Time!

You might remember a couple weeks ago when I made THESE awesome cake pops.

My Little Cupcake was generous enough to send me a variety pack of their cake pop molds to test out!

The verdict? I’m in love…

I also thought it would be a great opportunity to host a giveaway…

An awesome giveaway that includes:

CandiQuik Candy Coatings (4 pounds)

My Little Cupcake Cake Pop molds (2 varieties)

+ a surprise gift in each package! (Hint: this last gift completes the package and complements the other prizes very well.)

Are you familiar with My Little Cupcake?

image source: My Little Cupcake

My Little Cupcake makes these handy dandy little molds that you use to perfectly shape your cake/oreo/cookie dough/etc. POPS. The best part – they come infourfive different shapes!

Here is what I’ve made with the molds so far…

And I’m just getting started…

Check out their website for tons of ideas and inspiration.

Enough of that though, onto the good stuff…the giveaway.

Entering is as easy as it gets. Plus, you can enter your “name in the hat” up to 6 times!

Good luck!

(U.S. Residents only, please)

Pinocchio Cake Pops!

Isn’t he just so dang cute?! I love his facial expressions.

Do young kids even know who Pinocchio is? I sure hope so, otherwise this is going to be a total fail.

These would be adorable to have at a birthday party. In fact, I’m going to make sure my kids see every classic Disney movie. Have to keep them educated, you know (partially joking)?!

My poor kids. Speaking of kids, or lack thereof, I’ve updated my “about me” page. Check it out if you’re as nosy as I am.

My inspiration for these pops came from a pencil sharpener. Yes, a pencil sharpener. The pencil becomes Pinocchio’s nose while the sharpener is his head. Totally not as cute as these cake pops.

If you’ve never made cake balls/pops/truffles/etc…visit this recipe and tutorial.

I used peanut butter cake (from this recipe) and dipped the little Pinnochio’s in Vanilla CandiQuik mixed with a little peanut butter. This mixture produces a really nice light skin colored candy coating.

Gather these ingredients and you will be ready to roll:

Peanut Butter Cake Pop Recipe

2 (16 oz) packages Vanilla CandiQuik + 8 oz Vanilla CandiQuik (for piping)

Lollipop sticks

Americolor Gourmet writer (blue and black)

Black (oil based) food coloring

Gum drops (yellow)

Yellow cake writing icing

Blue cake writing icing

White cake writing icing

Piping bag (or plastic bag)

Twizzler Pull n’ Peels

Directions:

Begin by following the peanut butter cake pop recipe above (without the jam filling). Roll into cake balls.

Melt both packages of CandiQuik according to the package directions. Stir 1 1/2 tablespoons of peanut butter into each tray of CandiQuik. Pour coating into a deep, microwaveable bowl.

Insert the lollipop stick approximately 3/4 of the way into each cake ball at a slight upward angle.

Quickly dip each cake pop in the bowl of CandiQuik, allowing the excess coating to drip off; set on wax paper and position so the lollipop stick is pointing straight out, parallel to the table or surface you are working on (while still wet, you can drag the cake pop across the wax paper if too much coating “pools” around the base).

While the coating is still wet, attach a gum drop to the top of the cake pop (slightly leaning off to one side).

Using the yellow cake writing icing, pipe a rim around the base of the gum drop.

Melt the additional 8 oz. of Vanilla CandiQuik and stir in black oil-based food coloring. Pour into a piping bag (or plastic ziploc freezer bag w/ a tiny corner snipped off) and pipe on the “hair” for Pinocchio.

Using your edible marker, draw a raised eyebrow (directly under his hair part) and use a dab of Vanilla CandiQuik (with a toothpick), or white cake writing icing, to draw on eyes.

Use a blue edible marker to draw on the iris of his eye.

Use your black edible marker to draw the mouth and pupil.

Cut the Twizzler candy into short strips. Use a dab of candy coating to attach to the hat.

Finally, pipe a blue line of writing icing around the middle of the hat.

Happy Baking!

Personal Vanilla Berry Cream Pies

Ok, maybe these aren’t sooo “personal” sized. Instead, you could grab 2 spoons and share - or not. They’re actually not all that much more than a large piece of pie.

You know what, you could probably even freeze these and pull out whenever the time is right. Or bring them to work! Hey, you have to be prepared for Mondays, mid-afternoons,and certain coworkers. What I’m saying is that these are (capital d)angerous…

I’ve been seeing more and more of these mason jars around - & they are being filled with all sorts of goodness. For example - just take a look at these little cheesecakes in a jar. Or Bakerella’s - YUM, or how about this one I found on pinterest. Swoon.

So go ahead, make these in advance, pull out when needed. What’s not to love?!

I used my super easy, no bake recipe for vanilla cream pie. Then I layered it with fresh strawberries and plump bluberries.

And the crust? No bake as well - I found myself digging all the way to the bottom to get a little bit of crust in each bite.

Next time - double crusting it. Yep, go ahead - add another layer of the graham crust in the middle! Genius.

Hindsight is always 20/20…

Vanilla Berry Cream Pie

Yield: 4 pint-sized cream pies

CREAM PIE:

1 package (16 oz) Vanilla CANDIQUIK® Candy Coating

2 packages (8 oz) cream cheese, softened

1 package (3.4 oz) instant vanilla flavored pudding

1 container (8 oz) whipped topping, thawed

*(4) pint glass jars

CRUST:

3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs

2 Tablespoons butter, softened

1/8 cup granulated sugar

Printable Cream Pie Jar Label

I found these at the grocery store, in the case you don’t have any yet

1. In a medium bowl, mix crust ingredients until well incorporated. Press into the bottom of glass jars; refrigerate until ready to fill. (I used my clean hands to really *press* into the bottom of these)

they also make mini (1/2 pint) jars!

2. Melt CANDIQUIK according to directions on package.

3. In a large bowl, mix softened cream cheese, CANDIQUIK and vanilla pudding powder with mixer, until well blended.

4. Fold in whipped topping, half of a container at a time and mix until well blended.

5. Carefully spoon mixture into a piping bag or a large plastic bag w/ a corner snipped off (easier to handle vs. spooning into the jars) and pipe into each jar – covering the bottom 1/3 of the jar. Add a layer of fresh strawberries and blueberries.

this picture was obviously photobombed by my cell phone.

6. Pipe or spoon another layer of cream pie into the jar and top with berries.

7. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Linked to the following parties: Mrs. Happy Homemaker, Bru Crew Life, Crazy for Crust, Printabelle, DJ’s Sugar Shack

Perfect Peppermint Thumbprints

If you like mint and/or chocolate, this is it.

If you like those little York peppermint patties, this is it.

If you don’t (me) like York peppermint patties, this is still it.

If you’re looking for an easy after dinner treat… you know it.

If you want to make a dessert that requires you to scrub chocolate out of a bowl and end up with it splattered all over your brand new white shirt, this is not it. I will share that one with you later. Ugh.

Perfect Peppermint Thumbprints

slightly adapted from She Wears Many Hats

Ingredients:

12 oz. Chocolate CANDIQUIK Coating

1 pound confectioners’ sugar (about 3 ½ - 4 cups)

4 ounces cream cheese, softened

1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract

+ Green food coloring (If I were you, I would add a little green food dye to the cream cheese mixture - how cute would these look tinted green!? Hindsight is always 20/20, isn’t it?)

Instructions:

In a large bowl, gradually mix the powdered sugar with the softened cream cheese, stir until well incorporated. (Use a spoon or a standing mixer for best results, I began using a hand mixer and it became too thick)

Add peppermint extract and combine well.

Roll dough into tablespoon sized balls. Place in an airtight container and refrigerate for an hour or until firm.

Once peppermints have firmed, create a small indention in the middle of each ball using a 1/2 teaspoon or your thumb.

Melt Chocolate CandiQuik according to package directions. Using a spoon (or a piping bag/ Ziploc freezer bag with the corner snipped), fill each mint with CandiQuik. Let cool.

*Keep refrigerated in an airtight container to prevent mints from drying out.

Featured at the following parties: Bru Crew Life, Crazy for Crust, Mrs. Happy Homemaker, Mrs. Fox’s Sweets

Cinnamon Dessert Nachos

Need vs. Want.

Sometimes I have a hard time decifering between the two. Pinterest doesn’t help.

Overall though, I’d like to say I’m fairly practical. I usually stick to what I need - like these nachos. I need.

You need these too.

Incase you need justification: Cinco De Mayo is right around the corner…

Speaking of, did you see what I stuffed my face with for Cinco De Mayo 2010 and 2011?

Now go make these.

Cinnamon Dessert Nachos

10 small (6”) flour tortillas, cut into 1/4’s

2-3 tablespoons cinnamon-sugar

oil (I used canola, for frying)

2 cups fresh strawberries, chopped

1 1/2 cups diced pineapple (I used canned pineapple)

2 bananas, sliced

8 oz. (1/2 package) Chocolate CANDIQUIK Coating

Directions:

Heat approximately 1/2 cup oil in a large fry pan.

Dice up fruit while oil is heating.

Add 4-5 tortillas to hot oil and fry until golden, use tongs to flip tortillas to brown each side (takes about 30 sec- 1 min).

Place chips into a large bowl and sprinkle immediately with cinnamon-sugar.

Repeat with remaining tortillas. *Add additional oil if needed.

Melt CANDIQUIK according to package directions. Dip each tortilla in chocolate coating and place on a large serving plate.

Top tortilla chips with fresh fruit and drizzle with additional chocolate coating if your feeling fancy.

Tip: serve with cinnamon-infused ice cream or whipped cream for an extra delicious treat!

Oh my gosh, cinnamon ice cream on top… what the heck - this would be beyond good.

Linked to the following parties: Bru Crew Life, Mrs. Happy Homemaker, Mrs. Fox’s Sweets, Something Swanky

Peanut Butter & Jam (filled) Cake Pops (shh, there’s greek yogurt involved)

Can I tell you the truth about my relationship with peanut butter!? I love peanut butter on apples. However, I’m not the biggest fan of peanut butter cookies (I know, I’m crazy). Plus, I’m totally picky about the brand of peanut butter I use - if it’s with apples, has to be Mara Natha. But please, if you make these, use Skippy. It’s just sooo peanut-buttery and has a strong enough punch of flavor for this cake, am I making sense?! Also, use jam or preserves (please), not jelly preferably.

I have had this vision of peanut butter cake bites filled with raspberry jam for quite some time. I finally fulfilled my vision and it exceeded my expectations, by far!

It is not only a great back to school treat for the kiddos, but I could scarf down more than my share of these.

I will forewarn you though: the aroma of this creamy, peanut buttery goodness seeping out of your kitchen will have you picking at this cake before it is in cake pop form. For your own sanity, you may as well cut a fresh piece to nibble on while transforming the rest into pops. The cake tastes similar to a peanut butter cookie, but 10x better in my opinion. It is a dense, smooth, moist and creamy cake that melts in your mouth.

This peanut butter recipe (originally for cupcakes) was a version created by Martha Stewart. I used the {slightly} adapted version by Brown Eyed Baker and then I ever so slightly adapted it, again. My secret ingredient? Greek yogurt. I was just being health conscious, substituting naughty stuff for good stuff.

Peanut Butter and Jam (filled) Cake Pops

Yield: 48 cake pops

Ingredients:

(cake)

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

¼ teaspoon baking soda

¾ teaspoon baking powder

¾ cup salted butter, softened

1 1/3 cups granulated sugar

2/3 cup creamy peanut butter (I used Skippy)

3 eggs

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup plain greek yogurt

8 oz. cream cheese cake frosting

bamboo fork toothpicks (here, or any wide toothpick/lollipop stick)

wooden dowel (to create indent for adding jam)

(coating)

2 (16 oz) packages Vanilla CANDIQUIK Coating

3 tablespoons creamy peanut butter

(filling)

raspberry jam or preserves (or your choice of flavor)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt; set aside.

With an electric mixer, cream the butter, sugar and peanut butter together until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating until each is well incorporated. Reduce speed to low and mix in greek yogurt and vanilla extract.

Gradually add the flour mixture; beat until just combined.

Pour batter into a greased 13×9″ pan.

Bake approximately 28 minutes or until the center comes out clean and edges are golden brown. Let cool.

Once cool, crumble cake into a large bowl. Add frosting and mix thoroughly.

Roll mixture into 1″ balls and place in the refrigerator until firm (approximately 30 minutes).

Remove mixture and use a wooden dowel to create a deep hole in the center of each cake ball; reserving 5 cake balls.

Using a toothpick or small measuring spoon, spoon a small amount of jam into each hole.

Using the reserved cake balls, pinch a small amount off and use your fingers to smooth it over and seal the hole that you filled with jam.

Here’s a closer look…

Place the jam-filled cake balls in the freezer for 15 minutes.

Melt CANDIQUIK according to package directions. Once melted, stir in 1 1/2 tablespoons of peanut butter into each package of coating. Transfer the CANDIQUIK into a deep bowl (I used a large measuring cup or a deep, wide coffee mug works great, too).

Remove cake balls from freezer (*remove a dozen or so to work with at a time and keep remaining cake balls in the freezer until ready to use – please see tips at the bottom of this post), dip the tip of the bamboo toothpick into the CANDIQUIK and insert about 1/3 of the way into the cake ball. Dip cake pop immediately in the CANDIQUIK, removing promptly. Allow excess coating to drip off and set on wax paper to dry completely.

TIPS!!!

*I typically don’t FREEZE cake pops, but I did with these because of the jam filling. Again, with any cake pops, be careful not to store in the freezer too long – otherwise they may crack after you dip them in the candy coating. These however, I did not have any problems with cracking because they were upright cake pops (sitting on the bottom) and that allows them to expand (through the bottom) without cracking. I do not recommend keeping them in the freezer longer than 20 minutes, prior to dipping.

Oh, you probably want that printable cake pop tag, too?! Click and print the jpeg image below or save the pdf. Simply print on cardstock, cut out and you’re ready to go!

Printable PB&J Cake Pop Tags

Happy Baking!

Homemade Snickers Bars

I amaze myself, I really do.

And not in a overly confident kind of amaze.

I am seriously surprised that I pull off some of the treats I make. Like these adorable bunnies and lil’ chicks for example.

Anyone that really knows me, knows that I am not always the most graceful person.

I have been known to pour chocolate candiquik all over white pants, vanilla all over black pants, you get the drift…

The good news is, these bars require no tedious decorating, no drawing on cute little faces, no crazy assembly, nada.

If you can make almond bark, you totally got this.

There is no excuse in the world not to make these.

Unless you don’t like caramel, chocolate, and Snickers. If that’s the case, I don’t even know where to begin.

I found these over at how Sweet it is. Her photography, recipes, everything…beautiful.

Homemade Snickers

printable recipe

lightly adapted from How Sweet It Is who received it from Nikki, who lightly adapted it from an old Taste of Home recipe

yield: one 9×13 pan (approx 24 servings)

bottom layer:

10 oz Chocolate CandiQuik (5 squares)

1/4 cup peanut butter

Line your baking pan with aluminum foil and thoroughly coat with non stick spray. Melt CandiQuik according to package directions (*reduce heating time since we are not heating the entire tray); stir in peanut butter, then pour into the baking dish and spread out evenly. Place in the fridge to let cool and harden completely.

nougat layer:

1/4 cup unsalted butter

1 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup evaporated milk

1 1/2 cups marshmallow fluff

1/4 cup peanut butter

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/2 cup salted peanuts chopped, roughly chopped

Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add in sugar and milk, stirring until dissolved and bring to a boil. Let boil for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add in marshmallow fluff, peanut butter and vanilla, stir until smooth. Remove from heat and fold in peanuts, then pour over the bottom chocolate layer. Return to fridge to cool completely.

caramel layer:

1 14-ounce bag of caramels

1/4 cup whipping cream

Combine ingredients in a saucepan over low heat. Let melt, stirring occasionally, until smooth (about 10 minutes). Pour over nougat layer and let cool completely.

top chocolate layer:

10 oz Chocolate CandiQuik (5 squares)

1/4 cup peanut butter

Melt CandiQuik in 30 second increments until smooth; stir in peanut butter, then pour on top of the caramel layer and quickly spread out evenly. Place in the fridge to let cool and harden completely.

Refrigerate for at least one hour before serving and cut into squares.

I would store them in the fridge. They can be kept at room temperature but they do get gooey!

Linked to these parties: Bru Crew Life, Crazy For Crust, Mrs. Fox’s Sweets, Something Swanky, Mrs. Happy Homemaker, Dwell on Joy, Kitchen Fun w/ my 3 Sons, The Sweet Spot

Patriotic Oreo Pops

Happy Friday, friends!

Forecast here for the next couple of days: 90 degrees and sunny.

In other words, I really didn’t feel like turning on the oven. But I still wanted something sweet and satisfying.

Whoever said you can’t have your cake and eat it too?!

Speaking of ‘having your cake and eating it too’, who ever came up with that? It doesn’t even make sense.

Your going to give me cake and I can’t eat it!? Please, correct me if I’m missing something.

Sorry, moving onto more important things:

Oreo Lollipops! (you may recognize these, I like dipping Oreo’s)

I used the cool mint oreos and they were amazing dipped in the Vanilla CandiQuik. But don’t let me influence you, feel free to use the original if you’re more of a traditionalist.

Ingredients:

Yield: approx. 18 Oreo lollipops

1 package (16 oz) Vanilla CANDIQUIK Coating

1 package (15.25 oz) Cool Mint Oreo® cookies

18 lollipop sticks

Red & blue sugar sprinkles

large star-shaped sprinkles

Instructions:

1. Insert a lollipop stick into the center of each Oreo cookie. If you find that it is not secure, use a dab of CandiQuik to hold the stick between the cookie halves.

2. Melt CANDIQUIK according to directions on package.

3. Dip Oreo lollipops in melted CANDIQUIK; allow excess coating to drip off; place on wax paper to dry.

4. While the coating is still wet, sprinkle with red & blue sugar sprinkles and attach star sprinkles.

P.s. I have a NEW addition to the printables section of my blog, these tags are pretty specialized, but all of the recipes for the tags are below:

Party Mice

Rocky Road Clusters

S’more Pops (made with lollipop sticks vs. pretzel rods)

Lemon Cake Pops/Bites (simply cake pops made with lemon cake & cream cheese frosting)