This morning Kendall and I attempted to make cake pops. I got this idea in my head when I started to brainstorm ideas for her Easter basket and saw some really cute ideas on Bakerella. Who am I kidding? Would you ever NOT find a cute idea on her site? Anyways…my problem was trying to find a dairy free candy coating that I could make any color I wanted, since all chocolate chips I could find for this purpose in stores contains milk. So I asked on Facebook where to find a good vegan white chocolate chip and they came through! I ended up purchasing from The Vegan Store which is a huge online vegan market. I was a bit skeptical on how this white chocolate would melt and stand up. But golly gee did it work! I melted the chips in the microwave and added a bit of canola oil to help thin it out. At first I tried rice milk but that seized up the chocolate instantly, so don’t do that. But then after the chocolate is melted, add in your favorite food coloring and voila! A dairy free coating that even passed the hubby test!
Kendall had a blast decorating the pops with rainbow sprinkles, white pearls and edible glitter from The Bakers Confections. I used icing to write her initial but next time I’ll try edible pens so it doesn’t get on everything.
Below are the recipes I used and links to some allergen-free ingredients.
Dairy, Egg and Nut Free Chocolate Cake (recipe from Food Allergy Mama)
Yield: One 9-inch layer cake or one 13×9-inch cake.
1/2 cup dairy-free shortening (I use plain Crisco)
11/2 cups dairy-free buttermilk (Mix 1 1/2 cups soy milk with 1 1/2 tablespoons white vinegar)
2 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups cake flour (I used regular flour and it came out fine)
11/2 cups granulated sugar
2/3 cup cocoa powder
11/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine shortening, buttermilk, water, and vanilla until thoroughly mixed. In a separate medium bowl, combine cake flour, granulated sugar, cocoa, baking soda, and salt with a wire whisk. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the shortening mixture, and beat on high speed 3 to 4 minutes, occasionally scraping sides with a rubber spatula.
Preheat oven to 350ºF, and spray two 9-inch round cake pans or a 13×9-inch glass baking dish with dairy-free baking spray. Pour batter into prepared pans, and bake 25 to 30 minutes, or until cake tester comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting.
Chocolate Frosting (recipe from Food Allergy Mama)
Yield: 2 cups
1 cup dairy-free margarine (I use Earth’s Balance. The one in the tub, not the sticks)
1/2 cup cocoa powder
2 cups confectioners’ sugar
1/4 cup soy or rice milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the margarine and cocoa powder until smooth. Add soy milk, vanilla, and salt, and mix thoroughly. Slowly add in the confectioners’ sugar, mixing on low for 1 minute. Increase speed to medium, and beat 4 to 6 minutes, until light and fluffy.
Then follow Bakerella’s directions on how to make a cake pop. You won’t need all of the frosting, just about a cup or so.
To melt the white chocolate chips, put 1/2 bag into a glass bowl, drizzle with canola or vegetable oil and heat for 45 seconds. Stir and heat for another 20-30 seconds if needed. Always heat in intervals to avoid overheating. Mix in your favorite food coloring and have fun decorating! The dairy free coating will be thicker than what you could get store bought so no need to really worry about dripping.
Have fun!
xo,
B
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