RED VELVET CHOCOLATE ESPRESSO CAKE POPS

CAMBRIA KITCHEN TOUR 2018

Ingredients

1 15.25oz Chocolate Cake Mix (i.e. Duncan Hines or Betty Crocker)
1 cup water
1/4 cup warm water
1 1/2 Tbsp Instant Espresso Powder
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs
1 Tbsp Red Velvet Bakery Emulsion
1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
1 16oz can chocolate frosting
2  packages of Vanilla CandiQuik melting chocolate
1 cup chocolate covered espresso beans, chopped into small pieces

Dissolve espresso powder into 1/4 cup of warm water.  Mix together cake mix, water, espresso/water mixture, oil, bakery emulsion and eggs. Beat for 2 minutes. Fold in chocloate chips. Pour into 13″x9″ sheet pan and bake for 30-35 minutes.  Cool cake completely. Place chunks of cake into large mixing bowl and crumble cake till its completely crumbled. Mix in the frosting till it’s well incorporated. Spoon a small spoonful of cake and roll into a ball (walnut size), and place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Place cake balls in the fridge for 30 minutes or longer.  Melt white chocolate per package instructions – I place melting chocolate in a microwavable bowl with 1 Tbsp of vegetable oil. Microwave for 45 seconds, take out and stir, and continue to microwave in 20 second intervals until the chocolate has melted completely. Dip the lollipop stick into the melted chocolate then into the cake ball. Place back in fridge to continue to harden. Dip one cake ball at a time completely covering the cake ball but letting excess chocolate drip off. Place on another parchment lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with chopped pieces of chocolate covered espresso beans. The chocolate will harden pretty quickly.

Makes approximately 60-70 cake balls