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Kids exude pride when they create something, especially when it is for their mom. Making these healthy, delicious cake pops is a great way to celebrate Mom!
What are Cake Pops?
Traditional cake pops are made from baked cake crumbs mixed with frosting, rolled into cake balls, then dipped in warm chocolate. These can be made in a variety of cake flavors; however, they are typically loaded with sugar and dyes.
Freedom Kitchen Kids learn how to make healthier alternatives, so instead of using a cake mix, these will be made from scratch with just 7 ingredients.
A Healthier Cake Pop
It is a good choice to make our recipe from scratch and forego a boxed mix. Vanilla and chocolate cake mixes are known to have partially hydrogenated oils (trans fat) and artificial flavors. Colored cakes, like red velvet cake, can have food dyes. With more families choosing to go dye-free, Freedom Kitchen cooking classes, teach alternatives, like using fruits and vegetables for food coloring.
In this recipe, we will use freeze-dried strawberries for both color and flavor. It really is that simple.
To sweeten our no-bake cake pops we will use a touch of honey and add a bit of protein by mixing in some cashew butter.
Made From Scratch
When you heard made from scratch, did that make you want to run? It may sound like a lot of work, but this recipe takes a total of 10 minutes prep and 10 minutes to assemble, as shown in the quick video, and the kids in my cooking program have successfully made these so stay with me.
By using the food processor, the kids learn how to make flour. There are many types of flour, like almond, coconut, rice, oat, and wheat. For this recipe I chose oat flour, making it easy to work with and very dense.
When making treats healthier it is a good idea to add protein and fat, making them more satisfying, so cashew butter adds 2.8 g of protein per tablespoon. Cashew butter is a bit creamier with less flavor, but you can choose to mix in almond butter, it is a personal preference.
A Creative Way for Kids to Make Cake Pops
If we were looking for bakery-quality cake pops then a piece of styrofoam or a cake pop stand would be necessary to keep these upright. However, for this kid-friendly version, I recommend using wax paper and setting the cake pop upside down after dipping in the dark chocolate. This will give the cake pops “flat tops” but much easier for little hands to make this special homemade dessert.
Instead of candy coating, we can use dye-free sprinkles or freeze-dried fruit. Optionally, you can drizzle with white chocolate.
Chocolate-Dipped Strawberry Cake Pops
Start by processing oats in the food processor, to make the consistency of flour.
Mix honey, cashew butter, almond extract, and salt together, and fold in oat flour.
Use the food processor to process freeze-dried fruit. Reserve some for decorating. Mix the rest into the dough.
Roll into 1″ cake pop balls.
Melt chocolate over low heat. (I add a teaspoon of coconut oil to thin the chocolate)
Dip lollipop stick into chocolate and insert 1 into each cake pop ball.
Refrigerate them for 5 minutes to set the sticks.
Set up your workspace for dipping.
Have tongs, a spoon, and wax paper.
When dipping the cake pop balls into the dark chocolate, keep a spoon under the cake pop, in case it falls off the stick.
Gently roll the cake pop to the side (see the quick video), so that the cake pop does not fall off of the stick.
If you choose to drizzle with white chocolate, do that next, and dust with freeze-dried fruit powder.
Refrigerate for 30 minutes until they are set.
Enjoy these as part of your special day!
Strawberry Cake Pops
Equipment
- Food Processor
- Saucepan or double boiler
Ingredients
- 1 cup oat flour
- 1 cup freeze-dried strawberries
- 2 T cashew butter
- 4 T honey
- 1 t almond extract
- 1/4 t salt
Instructions
- Start by processing oats in the food processor, to make the consistency of flour. (For kids, I recommend the small 3.5 cup KitchenAid food processor)
- Mix honey, cashew butter, almond extract, and salt together, fold in oat flour.
- Use the food processor to process freeze-dried fruit. Mix half into the dough. Save half for decorating.
- Roll into 1″ cake pop balls.
- Melt chocolate over low heat. (I add a teaspoon of coconut oil to thin the chocolate, you can also add butter)
- Dip lollipop stick into chocolate and insert 1 into each cake pop ball.
- Refrigerate them for 5-10 minutes to set the sticks.
- Set up your workspace for dipping. Have tongs, a spoon, and wax paper.
- When dipping the cake pop balls into the dark chocolate, keep a spoon under the cake pop, in case it falls off the stick.
- Gently roll the cake pop to the side (see the quick video), so that the cake pop does not fall off of the stick.
- If you choose to drizzle with white chocolate, do that next, and dust with freeze-dried fruit powder.
- Refrigerate for 30 minutes until they are set.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Freedom Kitchen Kids come up with many good ideas! In class, we discuss all the ways we could make these. The kids suggested different fruit, alternate nut and seed butters and they also had ideas for themed cake pops. Cooking teaches Creativity over Convenience.
Kids are creative, so I’d love to see what your kiddos come up with! You are invited to share your recipe and photos.
