You've served the perfect game day menu, with everything from bacon-cheddar-chipotle sliders to buffalo chicken fingers. How do you score a field goal at the end of the game? With these outrageous football cake pops, that's how.
Julie Hartigan
Ingredients
1 16.5 oz package devil’s food cake mix (plus oil and eggs to prepare cake according to box directions
8 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
2 cups confectioners’ sugar
½ teaspoons table salt
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
4-5 Tablespoons shortening, more as needed
White decorators icing (or other colors as desired)
36 lollipop sticks
Instructions
To make cake pop mixture:
Prepare cake in a 9x11” baking pan, according to package instructions. Let cool completely and then crumble into fine crumbs using the back of a wooden spoon or a potato masher. Place in a large bowl.
In another bowl beat cream cheese, confectioner’s sugar, and salt until thoroughly combined. Fold into cake crumbs, using back of spoon to fully combine until mixture is the texture of cookie dough. Chill thoroughly in refrigerator before proceeding.
To form into football shapes:
Line 2 baking sheets with wax paper or parchment. Scoop 1 heaping Tablespoon cake mixture into your hands. Roll lightly into a ball, then into a fat cylinder. Use your fingers to press ends into pointed football shapes. Place on prepared sheet. Chill until ready to decorate.
When ready to decorate.
Transfer baking sheet into freezer. Melt chocolate and shortening in a double boiler (or in microwave, stopping to stir every 30 seconds) until mixture is liquid and completely smooth. The coating should run easily off the back of a spoon.
Dip lollipop stick into chocolate and then through the long end of each football. Allow to cool slightly on baking sheet (this helps keep the stick in the pop as you finish decorating). Next, dip each football into chocolate coating to cover, swirling as you pull out. Spin slightly to allow excess coating to drip back into bowl. (Note: a glass measuring cup works really well to keep coating "deep" and can be immersed in water to rewarm.)
Place footballs down on prepared sheet with sticks pointing behind them, or upright in a cake pop stand, and let cool completely. Use decorators icing (or melted white chocolate) to draw laces on football. Allow to cool and keep refrigerated until ready to serve.