If you're looking for the perfect dessert to serve over the holidays, you can't go wrong with these Christmas spice cake pops. They're seasoned with just the right amount of cinnamon, vanilla, and nutmeg—all the flavors we associate with this special time of year.
Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F. Butter and flour a cake pan.
In a bowl, combine all of the dry ingredients.
In another bowl, combine all of the wet ingredients.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until smooth. The batter will be thick.
Pour the batter into the cake pan and bake in the preheated oven for 45 to 60 minutes (or until a toothpick comes out clean from the center of the cake).
Steps for Building the Cake Pops:
After the cake is baked and cooled completely, crumble it with your hands in a large bowl until its texture is sandy.
Add the buttercream frosting, a couple of heaping tablespoons at a time, and mix thoroughly. The amount of frosting you’ll need depends on the texture of the mix. You need to reach a texture that allows you to form balls with your hands. (Too little or too much could result in failure. You do not want to see cracks when forming the balls, while too much frosting will make the cake balls heavy.)
Use a small cookie scoop to make round balls of the cake mix, or you can use your hands. Place them on wax paper.
For the sugar coating, mix the powdered sugar, vanilla extract and water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until spreadable. The icing will thicken slightly as it sets.
Dip the tip of a treat stick into the sugar coating, then insert into the cake ball (approximately half-way). Repeat with the remaining cake balls.
Refrigerate for 30-60 minutes to allow the cake pops to firm up and the icing on the stick to harden.
Once firm, carefully dip the cake ball into the icing by holding the treat stick and rotating/gently tapping until covered.
Place in a styrofoam block or some sort of cake pop stand. Sprinkle with the chopped pralines and let dry.
Serve!
Notes
Cake pops can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week, in the fridge for up to 1 month or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
The cake pop stand can be a purpose-built stand or simply a Styrofoam block, an egg carton, an upside-down shoebox, etc.