Cake Pops

All my cake pop dreams have come true! And they are just as amazing as I imagined they would be!
I mean, they are IN-VOLVED - a high-maintenance, deconstructed cupcake of epicness on a stick - but
worth it!!! I made these for my kids for Valentine's Day (so I've got a dozen tucked in the freezer
for this weekend!), but we couldn't resist eating the batter, the chocolate... the final product!!!
Taste testing is a crucial part of any culinary process. And I take my job seriously.

We added some of our Young Living essential oils to flavor these yummies! I'm pretty sure that all
the sugar completely deactivated the healthy properties found in peppermint and lemon, but
NO ARTIFICIAL FLAVORS! I'm holding that close to my heart... and digestive track.
Seriously though - such vibrant, solid flavors!!!

So I made these with a gluten-free cake mix, but any cake mix you love will do.
Have you ever seen a gluten-free cake pop? Me neither... until now!

I love how people come over to my house and assume that everything gluten-free is "healthy".
I wish. And made you lose weight! Lol. I digress... it's the cabin fever talking.

_____________________________

1// Bake cake mix according to recipe. Let completely cool.
I did 8 cupcakes in vanilla + 8 in chocolate because I like options!!!
Code for "I have a problem." Ha.

2// Crumble cake and set aside.

3// Prepare homemade frosting like me, the overachiever, or use canned frosting.

For my chocolate cake pops,
I added a few drops of peppermint essential oil
to my chocolate frosting.

For my vanilla cake pops,
I added a few drops of lemon essential oil
to my vanilla frosting.

4// Eight crumbled cupcakes used about 1/2 C. of frosting. I added slowly until the crumbled cake was
just moist and sticking together well enough to roll into a ball.

5// I used fancy shmancy $1 designer straws from Target for sticks. After securing a cake ball
on the end, I placed in my freezer to chill for about 30 minutes before dipping in chocolate.

6// While cake balls are chillin' like villains, melt chocolate of your choice! You want something
that dries solid at room temperature. Again, I added peppermint essential oil to my
melted dark chocolate and lemon essential oil to my melted white chocolate!

7// Dip those cake balls and coat them with something pretty! We used crushed peppermint candy
and tangerine zest!!! Let sit at room temperature for about 1 hour to set.

8// Eat all the cake pops. Don't leave a trace.


16 crumbled cupcakes + frosting made 16 cake pops!!!


I am happy. My kids are happy. Just wait til you see their faces below!
And my husband thinks an ordinary cupcake would do. No cake pop for you, buddy! Haha.
Happy Valentine's Day, loves!!! XO







MORE ABOUT OUR YOUNG LIVING JOURNEY

Project || Little Valentines

I used PicMonkey to add "words" to pictures of the kids to share with family and friendsthis year!!! Printed them off "wallet-size" (2X3's) - and I just love how they came out!!!

finger painted hearts // chocolates // cute picturesAll carefully packaged (stuffed!) into pretty bags by some excited toddlers!An easy, budget-friendly, Valentine's Day project that my littles could not WAIT to share!


XOXO

Won't You BE MINE?!

We've been gearing up with {hearts} and {x's & o's} over at our place
to give homage to the day we remember OUR VALENTINES!

Here are some fun, easy, kid-friendly ideas
you can use to add some :::PARTY::: to this week of LOVE!

::: coffee filter hearts / color with washable markers /
use a paintbrush dipped in water to create the tie-dye effect / dry and display :::

::: "I LOVE YOU" art / use paint tape to create shapes that you want to remain WHITE /
use coloring utensils on the space exposed / peel and frame / $4.00 white frames from Target :::



::: treats for my sweets / homemade-allergy friendly puppy chow with DIY labels :::

::: this is what happens when you don't give them a snack BEFORE the photo shoot begins!
bribery. it works. :::


::: heart shaped lunch / use a peeler & paring knife to create a lunch of "hearts" /
cucumbers + carrots + apples + strawberries + almond butter-cinnamon raisin bread (Udi's) /
$0.78 cookie cutter from Hobby Lobby :::

::: X's & O's / slate gray cardboard cut-outs / leftover from a $7.99 sheet I bought at Hobby Lobby :::

{ok, don't you want to smooch them?! they were killing me with the cuteness!}



The celebration of LOVE continues all week - right here at The Lily Field!

You can find this link on PINTEREST!!!

XOXO