give me liberty or give me cake pops.

I am very thankful for my freedom...and also very thankful for dessert.  But more importantly, I am very thankful for my family.  I was fortunate enough to see everyone in my immediate family (including my nieces and nephew), which is a rare occurrence!  Getting all 20+ of us together at one time is hard enough - but trying to caravan to the fireworks together is even more difficult!  Yesterday we had a big family potluck so it was the perfect occasion and excuse to make cake pops!  I've been wanting to make cake pops for a long time, ever since I saw the famous Bakerella website a while ago.  I also brought them to a work potluck and they were a hit. They are somewhat time consuming and very rich with the candy coating, but they are still fun to eat, decorate, and look at!  


You can use any cake mix and frosting to make cake pops...but I used red velvet cake with cream cheese frosting.  


Ingredients:
1 box red velvet cake mix (cook as directed on box for 13 X 9 cake)
1 can cream cheese frosting (16 oz.)


Directions: 
1. After cake is cooked and cooled completely, crumble into large bowl.
2. Mix thoroughly with 1 can cream cheese frosting. (It may be easier to use fingers to mix together, but be warned it will get messy.)
3. Roll mixture into quarter size balls and lay on cookie sheet. (Should make 45-50. You can get even more if you use a mini ice cream scooper, but I like to hand roll them.)
4. Chill for several hours. (You can speed this up by putting in the freezer.)
5. Melt candy melts (various colors can be found at JoAnn's or Michaels) or chocolate bark in microwave per directions on package.
6. Dip sticks in melted chocolate/candy and stick in balls so that the sticks will stay in the cake balls. Chill again for 10 minutes. 
7.  Dip cake pop into melted candy bark/chocolate until completely covered and stick into Styrofoam upright until cooled completely.  


Serve immediately or keep in the fridge until you serve them.  

....and I just had to include my adorable niece Kaydence getting ready to enjoy the fireworks!

Cake pops: adapted from Bakerella