It’s time to roll out the red carpet and gather your closest friends. On Sunday night, the glamour of the Academy Awards returns, and the fashion will be unforgettable as stars shine on Hollywood’s biggest night. To make your Oscar night special at home, skip the plain cookies and tired cupcakes — this year serves up a chic dessert with real style: Tuxedo Cake Pops. These elegant little treats bring red-carpet flair to your party, and while they won’t be worn by the likes of Bradley Cooper or Ben Affleck, they’re every bit as charming. This recipe for Tuxedo Cake Pops was created by Lauryn Cohen of Bella Baker.
Lauryn Cohen of Bella Baker shares her excitement for Oscar night
“This Sunday is the Oscars — the Super Bowl for many of us. It’s the night I anticipate all year: I’ll be glued to the TV, admiring the gowns and cheering for my favorite films. And when a Bella Baker party is happening, you can bet there will be memorable desserts!”
TUXEDO CAKE POPS
recipe by Bella Baker
(makes roughly 50 cake pops)
For the Chocolate Cake:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
Preheat the oven to 350°F and spray a 9×13-inch glass baking dish with nonstick spray. Whisk the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl and set aside. In a measuring cup, combine the buttermilk and vanilla and set aside. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar on medium-high until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add half the dry ingredients, then the buttermilk mixture. Scrape down the bowl, add the remaining dry ingredients, and beat until incorporated. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake 30–35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely before proceeding.
For the Chocolate Frosting:
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 cup confectioner’s sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3 tablespoons whole milk
In a bowl, mix the butter, confectioner’s sugar, and cocoa powder. Add the milk one tablespoon at a time until the frosting reaches a smooth, spreadable consistency. You can substitute store-bought chocolate frosting if desired.
Cake Pop Assembly:
16 ounces white candy melts
8 ounces chopped dark chocolate
50 6-inch lollipop sticks
- Break the cooled cake into a large bowl and crumble it with your fingers until there are no large pieces remaining.
- Stir the chocolate frosting into the cake crumbs, adding 1–2 tablespoons at a time, until the mixture is thick enough to roll into balls. Add frosting slowly to achieve the right consistency; too dry or too wet will make rolling difficult.
- Roll the mixture into 1½–2 inch balls. For uniform size, weigh each ball — they should be about 0.6 to 0.7 ounces. Place the balls on baking sheets and chill in the refrigerator for about an hour.
- Place the white candy melts in a microwave-safe bowl. Melt in 30-second intervals, stirring vigorously between each interval, until smooth. This usually takes two or three intervals.
- Remove the chilled cake balls from the refrigerator. Working one at a time, dip the tip of a lollipop stick into the melted white candy and insert it about halfway into a cake ball. Hold the stick and dip the cake ball into the white candy, rotating to coat evenly. Tap the stick gently against the bowl to remove excess coating, then set the cake pop upright on parchment paper to dry. Repeat for all pops.
- Melt the chopped dark chocolate in the microwave until smooth. Hold each cake pop at a diagonal and dip the bottom half into the dark chocolate, then dip from the opposite diagonal to form a V-shaped “jacket” that resembles a tuxedo. Set the pops ball-side down on waxed paper to set.
- Use a toothpick to place three small dots of dark chocolate along the V to mimic tuxedo buttons. Cut small triangles from chocolate to create bow ties and attach them with a dab of melted chocolate. Allow all pieces to set. This recipe yields about 50 cake pops.
VENDORS & CREDITS
Tuxedo Cake Pops: Bella Baker