Cakesicles

Cakesicles… The fancy popsicle shaped cake pop, will these ever be a bad idea?

As some of you may be aware, this isn’t the first time I’ve made these. I made them on a whim almost 2 years ago and it’s been one of the most successful blog posts and YouTube videos to date.

Back then, I wasn’t aware of how well the recipe would do and it only shows you how to coat them in white chocolate – I thought I would do an updated version, showing you how to coat them in dark, milk and white chocolate.

There are some differences as I make a chocolate cake for the dark and milk chocolate cakesicles and then a vanilla cake for the white chocolate cakesicles, although you could switch things up and have a vanilla cake coated with milk or dark chocolate – the choice is really up to you.

The best thing about making these cakesicles is that they are not only easy but they’re super customisable, so can you make them to suit any occasion pretty easily – I’m only showing you the basics, so take them to the next level for your celebration.

Anyway, let’s get started, shall we?

Ingredients:

Vanilla cake:

250g butter, at room temperature.

250g granulated sugar.

4 eggs.

1 tsp vanilla extract.

250g plain flour.

1 tsp baking powder.

pinch of salt.

milk, if needed (to help with consistency).

 

Vanilla buttercream:

100g butter, at room temperature.

200g icing sugar.

1 tsp vanilla extract.

 

Chocolate cake:

250g butter, at room temperature.

250g granulated sugar.

4 eggs.

1 tsp vanilla extract.

200g plain flour.

50g cocoa powder.

1 tsp baking powder.

pinch of salt.

milk, if needed (to help with consistency).

 

Chocolate buttercream:

100g butter, at room temperature.

180g icing sugar.

20g cocoa powder.

1/4 tsp vanilla extract.

 

Coating:

200g white chocolate.

200g milk chocolate.

200g dark chocolate.

 

Methods:

Before you get started on the recipe, you’ll want to do some prep work. Start by weighing up all of your ingredients, lining your cake tins with parchment paper, preheating your oven to 180˚c/350˚f and get any equipment you need, such as a stand mixer and spatulas.

When it comes to the cakes, I used two different mixing methods. I used the creaming and all in one method, both have varying end results but both are perfect for what we need them for. The creaming method results in a lighter and fluffier sponge cake, as you have allowed the mixture to aerate whereas the all in one method results in a slightly more dense and less aerated cake. It’s a quicker way of making the cake and it’s still perfect for recipe.

To make the vanilla cake, I’m using the creaming method. To start, take your mixing bowl and place in the butter and granulated sugar, then beat the two together until they are lighter and fluffier in colour and consistency – this usually take 5-7 minutes on a medium-high speed.

Go ahead and give the bowl a good scraping down, just to incorporate any bits that may not have been fully worked in from earlier on.

Then add you eggs, one at a time, beating well in-between each addition. As the eggs are incorporated, you’ll notice the mixture change and perhaps look a little scrambled, this is normal. If it’s severely scrambled, you’ll want to go ahead and add in a tablespoon of the weighed out flour, to help the curdling.

Give the bowl another good scraping down, just to incorporate any bits that may not have been fully worked in from earlier on.

Add in the plain flour, baking powder and salt then mix on a medium speed, working your way up to a medium high speed. This is where you’ll know if the batter needs some milk adding to it, to make it a more spreadable.

Split the cake batter between your 2×7 inch cake tins, spread and level it out, then place into the oven and bake for 20-22 minutes (a tester comes out clean, when inserted into the centre).

Now, for the chocolate cake, it’s much easier and quicker. All you need to do is take your mixing bowl and place all of the ingredients into it. Mix all of the ingredients together on a medium speed to start, working your way up to a medium-high speed. This doesn’t take very long but you want to ensure that all of the ingredients have full combined and the cake batter is smooth.

Split the cake batter between your 2×7 inch cake tins, spread and level it out, then place into the oven and bake for 20-22 minutes (a tester comes out clean, when inserted into the centre).

While your cakes are baking, you can go ahead and make the buttercream (which is what binds the cake together, to form the ‘dough’).

For both buttercream, take a bowl and place in the butter. Beat it until its lighter and fluffier in colour and consistency, then go ahead and add in half of your icing sugar (and cocoa powder for chocolate buttercream), beating them together until they are combined, repeat with the other half of your icing sugar.

To make the cake pop filling, it’s really easy. Place the cake into a bowl and crumble it up into a fine crumb then add in the buttercream, a little at a time until, you have a dough that is soft but not sticky and is able to hold its shape well. Remember it’s easier to add buttercream as you can’t take away buttercream.

Take the cakesicle mould and press in a good amount of the mixture. You only want to fill the mould, so its level with the top and compacted in – so press it into place, adding or removing any extra from the mould. Repeat this process with the remaining dough until you have made them all – this mixture makes approx 10 of each flavour.

Into the bottom of the cakesicle mould, there is a small slot, where you can place the stick. Slide the stick into the cakesicle, just until it’s in place. Then place the mould into the freezer for around 30 minutes or until the cakesicle has firmed up enough to handle. I recommend the freezer as it helps firm everything up much quicker.

Once you have all of your cakeicles made, you can go ahead and start the coating and finishing. Start by placing a saucepan with a small amount of water in on the hob over a medium heat, then place your heatproof bowl on top (ensuring the bottom of the bowl isn’t touching the water) and add in the chocolate. Allow the chocolate to melt, the stir until the chocolate is smooth and glossy – I don’t temper the chocolate but you could do that if you’d really like to do so.

I repeat the process with the other chocolates, ensuring they don’t get too hot – otherwise the chocolate won’t work properly.

Take the chilled cakesicle and dip them into the chocolate, ensuring the entire cakesicle has been completely covered with the chocolate, allow the excess chocolate to drip off and scrape the back on the side of the bowl to create a smooth and equal layer on the back. Then place onto a sheet of parchment paper and allow to firm up – this happens quite quickly.

Then for the decoration, you can do whatever you’re like. Coating them in chocolate is a blank canvas and you can get as creative as you’d like – it’s really up to you! I just went with a simple drizzle of chocolate but feel free to decorate them however you like.

That’s all for today guys, I hope you enjoyed. If you did, don’t forget to share this recipe with your family and friends and enjoy it. I’ll be back soon with another blog post and YouTube video, so join me then. In the meanwhile, don’t forget to check out my other social’s – Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube. The YouTube tutorial will be linked down below.