Rudolph Reindeer Pops

I made reindeer pops.  I love making cake pops. 

I made turkey ones for Thanksgiving.

I made these to add to the cookie trays I give out.  They were so much fun to make, too.  I used the yellow cake recipe and add almond extract to it and the frosting.  I cut up the small pretzel twists for the antlers, used the red cinnamon balls for the nose and cut up mini-marshmallows for the eyes.

Yellow Cake

• 2 1/4 C All-Purpose Flour
• 1 1/2 C Sugar
• 3 1/2 t Baking Powder
• 1 t  Salt
• 1 1/4 C Milk
• Vegetable Oil
• 1/2 C Butter, softened
• 1 T Vanilla
• 3 Large Eggs

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a large mixing bowl combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.  Mix well.

Measure the milk in a 2 cup measuring cup then add enough vegetable oil to bring the liquid up to 1 1/3 C.

Beat the butter and vanilla and add the milk mixture.  Add the butter/milk mixture to the dry ingredients and beat for 2 minutes, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed

Add the eggs, one at a time and continue to beat for an additional 2 minutes.  Pour batter into prepared pan.  Note: I used Baker’s Joy, but you could use Pam or butter/flour the pan.  Of course if you use flour, just use a pinch or two of the flour you have already measured out.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Wedding Cake Frosting

• 1/3 C white Crisco shortening, softened
• 1/3 C butter, softened
• 4-6 T of heavy whipping cream, unwhipped (I actually used half-n-half)
• A pinch of salt
• 1 ½ t almond extract
• 2 ½ C confectioner’s sugar, sifted

In a large bowl using an electric mixer at medium speed beat together the shortening and butter with the cream, salt and almond extract until smooth (about 3 minutes). Add the confectioner’s sugar, beat well until smooth and fluffy. You can add more confectioner’s sugar and cream to achieve the desired consistency but for this use it was just how I wanted it.

Once you have finished baking the cake, let it cool.  Take it out of the pan and crumble it in a large bowl.  Add the frosting, a little at a time, until you get the right consistency to form golf ball sized balls.  I usually use a little more than half of the frosting.  Place the cake balls on a cookie sheet and stick them in the freezer to set.  Once they’ve set, I place them in a Ziploc bag for later.

When you are ready to assemble, take the cake pops out of the freezer and poke them with a lollipop stick.  Melt some almond bark in a narrow, deep container according to the directions on the package.  Dip the pop in the melted almond bark, shake off the excess, and decorate.  I stick the pops on some old styrofoam packing.  Make sure to have everything in hand because the pops set quickly.

Enjoy!