The Lemon Dipped Cake Pops! This recipe is for vanilla cake pops, made from scratch in a cake pop maker, generously dipped in tangy lemon syrup, coated in luscious white chocolate frosting, and topped with lovely sprinkles. The taste of lemon comes from pure lemon syrup, which gives the cake pops a fresh and lively feel.
While I had little experience with the cake pop maker, mostly using store-bought red velvet bake mix, I loved that the pops made with the maker used no butter to hold the already baked cake together. Do not get me wrong, I also love the buttery cake pops, but sometimes I favor the ones, that are just airy and light. So, while using the cake pop maker for the first time, with a recipe made from scratch, the baked cake pops came out with great structure but were otherwise dry and impassive. Determined to make them delicious, something had to be done. The thought of using pure, old-fashioned lemon syrup, came to mind. So I tried the idea and it turned into a bake sale and party favorite at our home – Lemon Dipped Cake Pops with White Chocolate.
- Makes: Approximately 36 (3×12), depending on the cake pop maker.
- Prep time: 30 minutes (making the lemon syrup and dough).
- Bake time: Approximately 3×5 minutes.
- Decorating: 25 minutes.
- Additional time is needed to cool the baked cake pops and for the chocolate to set.
Equipment:
Cake pop maker
Cake pop sticks
Ingredients
For the Cake Pops:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup whole milk
For the Lemon Syrup:
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 2-3 organic lemons)
1/2 tablespoon lemon zest (organic lemons)
For the White Chocolate Cover:
3 cups good quality white chocolate
For the Decoration: Sprinkles (optional).
Instructions
For the lemon syrup:
1. In a small saucepan, combine the granulated sugar and water.
2. Stir the mixture over medium heat until the sugar is completely dissolved.
3. Add the freshly squeezed lemon juice (strain the lemon juice beforehand to remove the seeds) and lemon zest to the saucepan.
4. Stir to combine.
5. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat.
6. Let it simmer for about 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the syrup has thickened slightly.
7. Remove the saucepan from the heat and let the lemon syrup cool.
8. Once cooled, strain the syrup to remove the lemon zest if desired.
If the syrup is too strong for your taste, add a little water.
For the batter:
1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
3. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
4. Add the vanilla extract and mix until combined.
5. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, alternating with the milk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined.
Bake the Cake Pops:
1. Preheat your cake pop maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
2. Lightly grease the cake pop maker with non-stick spray or cooking oil.
3. Fill each cake pop cavity with batter, being careful not to overfill.
4. Close the cake pop maker and cook for the recommended time (usually about 4-5 minutes) until the cake pops are golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
5. Carefully remove the cake pops from the maker and let them cool on a wire rack.
Insert the cake pop sticks:
1. Once the cake pops are cool, melt a little white chocolate.
2. Tip the cake pop stick into the melted chocolate and insert the stick into the baked cake pop.
3. Let the chocolate firm.
Dip the Cake Pops:
1. Use a smaller cup, to dip the cake pops into the syrup. This way, you can use the remaining syrup to make a delicious drink.
2. Dip each cake pop into the lemon syrup (for about 2 seconds) allowing the excess to drip off.
3. Place the dipped cake pops on a parchment-lined baking sheet to set.
Decorate:
1. Melt the white chocolate, by bringing a pan of water to a simmer and turn the heat off. Carefully place a metal bowl containing the white chocolate over the water. Let the chocolate melt and stir, when half of the chocolate has melted. Let it melt again and stir. Continue the process until the chocolate is smooth (see notes).
2. Dip the cake pops into the melted white chocolate.
3. If desired, add sprinkles before the chocolate sets for extra decoration.
4. Allow the cake pops to set completely at room temperature and in the refrigerator (see notes).
Serve and Enjoy:
Your lemon-dipped cake pops are ready to be enjoyed!
Notes:
- Ensure the butter is softened to room temperature for easy creaming with the sugar for the batter.
- White chocolate should melt at around 105-115°F (40-45°C). When overheating, the chocolate begins to lose its shiny texture and starts to form lumps.
- Tap off excess chocolate when dipping the cake pops for a smoother finish.
- If the white chocolate hasn’t set, it could be that your room temperature is too high. The ideal setting temperature is between 65 and 68 °F (18 to 20 °C).
- The use of white chocolate might be tricky. To prevent the white chocolate coating from cracking, let the chocolate coating set mostly at room temperature before putting the cake pops in the fridge.
- The cake pops can be stored in the refrigerator, in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
Have a spinning time baking!
