Make the boxed cake mix, but substitute melted butter for oil, milk for water, and add an extra egg. Bake according to package directions.
After cake has cooled completely, flip it out of the pan. Cut the edges off. Crumble it into a large bowl.
Mix the vanilla extract into the cream cheese frosting (to taste).
Mix cake crumbles and frosting together to the proper consistency for rolling into balls.
Roll into balls, approximately 1″ diameter. Place on cookie sheet. Place in refrigerator and let chill at least 2 hours.
While cake balls are chilling, prepare the “feathers” of the turkey.
Melt a small amount of the chocolate according to package directions. Do NOT overheat.
Lay out cookies on a piece of parchment paper.
Dab a bit of chocolate across the top part of the cookie. Place center candy corn first. Then add another two on each side. Best technique was to press the edge (of the candy corn) closer to the center of the cookie down first, and then press down the rest.
After cake pops are chilled and “feathers” are set, melt rest of chocolate according to package directions.
Remove cake pops from refrigerator approximately 10 at a time. As long as it takes to dip and decorate, you don’t want the cake pops to become too warm.
Dip end of lollipop stick in chocolate so that the last 1/8″ or so is coated. Stick cake pop on lollipop stick. Dip in chocolate to coat. (See above for notes on “technique” of dipping).
Press cake pop lightly onto the “feather” cookie.
Working quickly, press candy corn in as nose. Add heart shaped sprinkle, upside down, for the “gobble, gobble.” Add eyes.