My sister thinks cake pops are stupid. You might recall from two sentences ago that you need cake crumbs to make these cake pops. The phrase "cake crumbs" implies the need to crumble up a perfectly good cake, she says. Not so.
When you decide to make a layer cake, you first bake multiple cakes and stack them up. However, the cakes must be perfectly flat on top so that the stack is even. When the cakes are in the oven, the top usually pops up a little, so before stacking cakes, you have to level it off. You're left with a lovely cake and a nasty-looking, useless, crumbly cake top.
At least, it was useless until the advent of cake pops. Now, you have the perfect excuse to make these--just use those cake tops as your crumbs! Instead of wasting a perfectly good cake, you're actually saving some cake! Genius!
That's reason one for Why Cake Pops Aren't Stupid. Reason two is that they were invented by Bakerella, who has her own amazing blog: http://www.bakerella.com/. Whenever I'm depressed, I go to her blog, because what kind of person doesn't smile when they see cake pops? Bakerella is always so happy and cheerful.
But one day, a while ago, I went to Bakerella only to find some devastating news: her kidneys had failed. She already had had one kidney replacement, and now she would need another. I followed her blog as she went through the procedure and dialysis, and thankfully she recovered. And what did she do next? She made these:
Yep. Kidney cake pops. Now who couldn't love something made by the same person who makes kidney cake pops?
So there you go. Two very good reasons for Why Cake Pops Aren't Stupid. If you come up with any more, feel free to leave them in a comment! And if you're looking for something to do with your cake tops, make some cake pops!
Cake pops are so cute! I love those pooh bear ones. I don't think I would have the discipline needed to make them though. Whenever I bake a cake and have to cut off the top, I just eat it then and there. Maybe I should try saving it and making cake pops.
ReplyDeleteI also enjoy following cooking blogs! You should check out one of my favorites - http://www.howsweeteats.com. Her food looks so delicious.
Cake pops aren't stupid because THEY'RE SO DARN CUTE! Also, they provide the satisfaction of eating a cake, without the guilt of eating an entire slice. Let's be honest here, even if you're satisfied after one bite of a cake slice, the remainder taunts you and calls your name until you just HAVE to eat the rest. Well, for cake pops, there is no more than a bite to eat, so you can enjoy perhaps twenty more cake pops, guilt free :)
ReplyDeleteYour blog post makes me want to make a layered cake, just to make cake pops! Yummm.
-Julia
Those cake pops look good! I wonder how they would fare in any sort of heat. It would be hilarious to see Pooh's face melting on a summer's day, or to see the kidneys as if the transplant went terribly wrong.
ReplyDeleteWhenever my family makes layer cakes, the extra on top is usually taken then and there as a baker's tax, or shared on plates as a preview. Nom nom nom.
The title really grabbed my attention, largely because I enjoy reading things that are somewhat ranty (though I suppose this is sort of an antirant?)
ReplyDeleteWhenever February comes around, I can always count on excessive numbers of cake trimmings because my mom is preparing perfect little layer cakes for her agora days class. I've never tried making cake pops with them; I usually just eat them the way they are. Sometimes I decorate them to make short little cakes that are about equal parts actual cake and frosting. Or slather them with some sort of fruit sauce.
And I love how the kidney cake pops include the renal vein, renal artery, and ureter.
I feel a bit stupid right now -- I never knew that cake pops were made of cake tops! I always assumed people made them like donut holes (shaped into circles then baked), and never really looked beyond the icing of the few that I've tried. I also love stalking food blogs, and failing at trying to bake the delectable creations that they photograph (I too recommend Kathryn's link -- her posts brighten my bleary mornings). This Bakerella thing looks like somewhere I can spend another few hours drooling over beautiful food! Yay :)
ReplyDeleteomigosh. These look amazing, and totally not stupid. Why hadn't people thought of that before?
ReplyDeleteAlso, there's whole foodgroups made up of leftovers. Can anyone say bread pudding? It isn't stupid, it's economical.
Wow, those look delicious! I don't know if I'd be able to bear eating those adorable pooh bear cake pops! They're so cute. Is the stuff used to decorate the pooh bear cake pop just colored chocolate? I've never had a cake pop--but frosting + cake crumbs + chocolate sounds like heaven.
ReplyDeleteHey Vickie!
DeleteThe coating is made of yellow candy melts, and the details are drawn on with edible marker. You can find the full instructions here: http://www.bakerella.com/winnie-the-pooh-and-hunny-too/
Thanks!
I love cake pops! Like Gloria, I never knew cake pops were made out of cake crumbs. I should really try making them some time... Now I have another site to drool over food on.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I love reading your blog, if you haven't noticed already. You cover various areas of the general topic of food. Keep it up!
I am sorry to say that I have never had a cake pop. However, I think they sound delicious and it is now one of my life goals to eat one (or a ton). Seriously, how could anything that is sugar on sugar covered in sugar be called 'stupid'? I worry about what this world is coming to.
ReplyDeleteI love cake pops, but they can be a little hard to make/ shape correctly. But, it does save lost of excess nummy. You can also make pops with other pastries I think. Cookie crumbs might work, but they'd have to be compressed more. Nice blog Petchie!
ReplyDelete