Who doesn’t love cake pops? These Thanksgiving turkey cake pops have more than delicious carrot cake and luscious cinnamon cream frosting: going for them: they’re cute and will impress anyone who sees them. And the kids will go crazy. The first time I made these, I took them to a get-together at a coffee shop. The waitress topped me and hired me to make some to take to her Thanksgiving get-together!
I’ve made dozens of batches of cake pops over the last two years perfecting the process. You can skip all that learning and follow the step-by-step instructions and pictures below.
I want to let you know something: I LOVED the combination of carrot cake and the candy melt outside. My husband thought the chocolate flavor with it was odd…if you’re worried about the combination, just use the cake mix and frosting in “Devil’s Food Cake Bites” instead of carrot cake and cinnamon cream cheese frosting.
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Cake Pops:
Decorating, Part 1:
![[Don't cut off bottom part of cookie...it's from a different recipe] Smear a small amount of chocolate around the top part of the cookie. It should be wide enough for 5 candy corns.](https://i2.wp.com/thehousewifemodern.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/LR_Turkey-Cake-Pops_step2-prep-2.jpg)
Note that in the above pictures of the Thanksgiving turkey cake pops, when adding the “feathers,” the bottom of the cookie is chopped off. You do NOT need to do this. These pictures- while the process is similar- are from my Thanksgiving Buckeye Turkeys, which require it.
But also note, that if you don’t want to do cake “pops” for this recipe- you don’t want to bother with the lollipop stick- you can do the same method. Chop off the bottom of the cookies, dip the cake pops as below, and set them upright after they’re dried.
Decorating, Part 2:
How To Make Turkey Cake Pops
Ingredients
For cake:
- Carrot cake boxed mix
- Milk equal to water called for on box
- unsalted butter equal to oil called for on box
- Eggs called for on box plus 1
For frosting:
- 8 oz . cream cheese softened
- 8 oz unsalted butter softened
- 3-4 C powdered sugar
- 1 tsp . vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp . cinnamon
For decoration:
- Keebler fudge stripe cookies
- package candy corns 6 for each turkey
- Lollipop sticks
- small candy eyes
- Heart-shaped sprinkles
- Candy melts dark cocoa
- Paramount crystals optional, or shortening
Instructions
For cake:
- Mix boxed mix, milk, melted butter, and eggs.
- Bake according to package directions.
For frosting:
- Beat softened cream cheese until well-whipped.
- Add butter. Beat until well-whipped.
- Add in vanilla extract and cinnamon.
- Add powdered sugar 1/2 C. at time, whipping well after each addition, until desired sweetness.
Forming cake bites:
- Cut off the edges of the cake and discard. Using a butter knife, carefully scrape off the top layer of the cake.
- Flip the cake over in pieces. Scrape off the bottom and discard.
- Crumble up cake well.
- Add 1/2 cup of frosting. Mix together.
- To form: scoop up enough mix to make 1″ ball, squash it together, then roll the ball back and forth between your hands.
- Refrigerate at least 2 hours.
Prep the "feathers"
- Melt a small amount of chocolate at 50% power for 30 seconds. Stir well (even if nothing looks melted). Repeat at 20 second intervals until melted.
- Smear a small amount of chocolate around the top part of the cookie. It should be wide enough for 5 candy corns.
- Place center candy corn first.
- Then add another two on each side. Best technique is to press the edge of the candy corn closest to center down first..then "roll down" the rest, pressing the excess chocolate down instead of up between the corns.
- Place last two candy corns on the outer edges.
- Set aside to dry.
Decorate:
- Melt chocolate at 50% power for 30 seconds. Stir well (even if nothing looks melted). Repeat at 20 second intervals until melted. Be very careful not to overheat.
- Dip end of lollipop stick in chocolate.
- Stab cake pop about 3/4 of the way through with coated stick.
- Carefully insert the cake ball into the candy coating by holding the lollipop stick and rotating until covered.Once covered remove and softly tap and rotate until the excess chocolate falls off.
- Place coated cake pop on top of prepared "feathers."
- While chocolate is still wet, place candy corn on for nose. Use heart-shaped sprinkle, upside down, for mouth. Add candy eyes.
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