Win on Independence Day!!!

Happy Independence Day! 


May you be enjoying the freedoms of our great country. Family. Friends. Good food. Fireworks.

To celebrate...

I read Jenn McKinlay’s RED VELVET REVENGE (and was asked to blurb it). It was such a fun read. 


It just launched yesterday!  In the book, she highlights cake pops.

For 40 years (or something like that), chocolate cake with white frosting has been by far my favorite cake. (Of course, I also love strawberry shortcake, white cake with chocolate icing...all sweets...) 


Now that I’m gluten-free, and inspired by Jenn’s delicious delights, I thought it would be a great idea to offer a gluten-free version of cake pops.  Enjoy the recipe.

GLUTEN-FREE CAKE POPS

Ingredients:

•    1 Betty Crocker super moist GLUTEN-FREE chocolate cake mix

•    1/2-3/4 cup Cream Cheese frosting (gluten-free) (see below)

•    1 (24 oz) package of white chocolate candy coating

•    1/2 cup chocolate or colored sprinkles

•    25-30 Lollipop sticks

One Styrofoam box or box of some sort to slot the cake pops into.

Instructions:

•    Start by baking the Gluten-free chocolate cake mix by following the instructions on the package. While the cake is baking, MAKE the cream cheese frosting (recipe below). Set aside.  THEN place the sprinkles into a bowl. Set aside.

•    Once your chocolate cake is fully baked and cooled (about 30 minutes to cool), crumble it entirely in a large bowl (plastic or metal) while adding 1/2-3/4 cup of cream cheese frosting. That’s right, crumble it. Mix it all together until thick. Once thick enough, start making round 1-2 inches cake balls. Place each of them on a large baking tray, which you will cover with plastic wrap and place in your fridge (overnight).

•    The next day. Place all the white chocolate candy coating into a microwaveable bowl and follow the melting instructions. Next, dip the tip of a lollipop stick (about half a inch) into the chocolate candy coating and then insert it into a cake ball (about halfway). Repeat this operation for each cake ball.

•    One cake ball or cake pop at a time, dip it entirely into the melted white chocolate coating. Use a spoon to fully cover each cake ball. Tap gently to remove any extra coating (if too much). Repeat this operation for each cake pop and set them balls up on a styrofoam box.

Immediately sprinkle the cocoa powder and sprinkles on the melted coating. Once done, place your cake pops into the fridge. Let them cool for about an hour. The only thing left to do now is to enjoy them!

Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients:

1 cup powdered sugar

¼ cup butter, softened

1 8 oz. cream cheese, softened

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions:

Blend all together until smooth.

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BAKER'S NOTE:  These were so much fun to make that I wish I had a passel of little helpers!  Get your kids into the mix!! However...they were messy!  The warm chocolate dip was a little thick. Not sure if I should have thinned with a little water so the cake pops dipped easier. And because it's warm, rolling the balls immediately in sprinkles made the sprinkles sort of melt, so if you can bear it, wait a few minutes before rolling. I'm sure they'll stick.  Also, I froze half of the cake balls for use at a later time. I've eaten one since, plain, and it's yummy!

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BY THE WAY, my protagonist from A Cheese Shop Mystery series, Charlotte Bessette, has taken over the blog at Killer Characters today. F-R-E-E-D-O-M!!  Chime in, won't you?  

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COOKBOOK NOOK
KITCHEN GRIPPER

AND LASTLY...I'm starting some mini-contests to promote THE COOKBOOK NOOK MYSTERIES which come out one year from today!  

THE COOKBOOK NOOK MYSTERIES

feature a cookbook store owner

who is an avid reader and admitted foodie - 

set in picturesque coastal California town!

The first contest runs this week until next week. Leave a comment on this MLK post with your favorite ADULT OR KIDS DESSERT COOKBOOK TITLE and you're entered to win a book of your choice from A CHEESE SHOP MYSTERY series and lots of fun swag, including the new COOKBOOK NOOK kitchen gripper. 

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She doesn't say all the same things Avery does. Promise.

Say cheese!

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