What a weekend…I finished up Thanksgiving, and went immediately into preparing for my younger daughter’s birthday party, which was today.  I had a day to do errands, then a day to bake.  The party was a stuffed animal tea party – everyone got to bring a stuffed animal to our house, which then joined them for the tea party – which consisted of a healthy lunch (carrot sticks, cheese and cracker, fruit salad, PB&J or grilled cheese) and then the birthday treats.  I made some cookies, brownies and the cake pops.  Now, I have to admit that these were partially my fault.  Every year my girls comb through the cookbooks, especially the dreaded Hello Cupcake (which I consider food porn, because really?  seriously, is this for real?), and choose something outrageous for me to make.  This year, I really wanted to try making cake pops, so I brought them up on the computer one day and asked her if she would like them for her birthday.  Ok, now what 5-year-old girl would not say yes to adorable Hello Kitties made of cake and melted chocolate?  I knew that as soon as I pulled them up, it was a done deal.

Ok, so I know this was all my fault, so no need to feel sorry for me (unlike when these were chosen) – but I was still stressed about making them.  I made the cookies, made the brownies, and when everything else was done and I had nothing else to procrastinate with – I started the cake pops.  They were actually not THAT bad, although – yes, it did take some skill.  The only way to get Hello Kitty to be nice and smooth is to double dip.  Yes, that means you dip them in the chocolate once, wait for them to cool, then dip them again.  What that also means is that you have to start with a head that is a lot smaller that you think is appropriate – but don’t worry, it will get bigger.  I also stuck the bow on and the nose when the chocolate was still cooling, it was a lot easier than attaching them afterwards with some melted chocolate.  I basically followed Bakerella’s recipe though to a T – aside from what I just described.  I have to post these crazy things every once in a while – and I always say when I do – these are not quick, these are not easy, and they are not healthy – but for your daughter’s birthday – it is more than fine, it is well deserved.  Go have fun with them – and don’t stress too much – hopefully you will have as much luck as I did!

Ingredients

• 1 box cake mix
• 1 can frosting (16 oz.)
• Wax paper
• Lollipop sticks
• Mini Pink m&ms
• White candy melts
• Jumbo Heart Sprinkles
• Rainbow Chip Sprinkles
• Black Edible Ink Pen
• Paper Lollipop Sticks
• Styrofoam Block
• White Chocolate Chips

Preparation

Bake cake according to boxed instructions for a 13×9 size.  After cake is cooked and cooled completely, crumble into large bowl.

Mix thoroughly with 1 can frosting. (Use the back of a large spoon, but it may be easier to use fingers to mix together. But, be warned, it will get messy. Also, you may not need the entire can of frosting, so start out by using almost the entire can and add more if you need to.)

Shape the Hello Kitty heads into a semi-flat oval shape. Melt some white chocolate melts in the microwave in 30-second intervals, stir each time until melted.  Insert tip of lollipop stick into some of the melted candy and insert into the bottom of the Hello Kitty head.

Place them in the freezer for a little while to firm up.

Take two white chocolate chips and dip the bottoms in the melted candy and then place/glue them on the top of Hello Kitty head.

Stand them up in a styrofoam block to dry. When the ears are firmly attached to the head, dip the entire Hello Kitty head in a bowl of the white melted candy. Make sure the bowl is deep enough so you can get it in one dunk. Then remove and gently tap off any extra coating. This will help smooth it out, too.  If you don’t think the heads are smooth enough, once the chocolate has hardened, dip them into the chocolate again.

When the Hello Kitty heads are drying, apply the hearts and m&ms to make a bow and the yellow rainbow chips to make a nose.

Once the heads are completely dry, draw the eyes and whiskers on using an black edible ink pen

For a printer-friendly version of this recipe, please click here:  Hello Kitty Cake Pops