Instructions

Cake:

1. Preheat oven to 350F.

2. Grease and lightly flour two 9-inch square cake pans; set aside.

3. In medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt. Stir with whisk until well combined.

4. Using stand mixer, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.

5. Add eggs, one at time, mixing well after each addition. Add vanilla and continue blending.

6. Add flour mixture to butter mixture in three batches, alternately with milk and beating well after each addition.

7. Divide batter evenly between prepared pans.

8. Bake for 25–30 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.

9. Cool for 10 minutes. Remove from pans and cool completely on wire rack.Note: Cakes can be wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and stored in refrigerator for up to 2 days.

Cake pops:

1. Add cake to large bowl. Crumble until it resembles fine crumbs.
2. Add frosting in small amounts until cake is moist and can hold ball shape, yet still stays crumbly. Use hands to incorporate frosting into cake crumbs.
3. Using miniature ice cream scoop, remove two balls of cake mixture. Roll into one tight ball and place on plate. Repeat until all of cake mixture has been rolled into balls.
4. Melt 3 ounces white chocolate in small double-boiler.
5. Dip tip of cake pop sticks into white chocolate and insert into cake balls about half way.
6. Freeze all cake balls for approximately 20 minutes.
7. Add remaining chocolate in double boiler, ensuring you have enough to completely submerge each cake ball.
8. Remove cake balls from freezer.
9. Dip cake balls carefully into white chocolate until completely covered. Allow excess chocolate to drip off. Swirl each ball, and tap gently. Roll in sprinkles, if desired.
10. Stick decorated cake pop into styrofoam block to finish setting. Place into freezer to speed up setting time.
11. Clean double boiler. Melt candy melts and divide into two small bowls. Add red food coloring to one and pink (or less red) to other.
12. Using small piping tip, place melted candy melts into two separate bags and pipe red or pink lines in circular motion around each pop.
13. Place back on styrofoam block and continue to cool.
14. Store in single layer in airtight container.