These Cactus Cake Pops are Ready to Party

two cactus cake pops

Is it desert or dessert? We say, both! These cactus cake pops are sweet, delicious … and 100 percent safe around party balloons. With some simple shaping know-how and clever decorating ideas, you’ll be making ‘em in no time.

Cactus Cake Pops

Level: Easy

What You Need

  • Cake pop dough
  • Lime green candy wafers
  • Green candy wafers
  • Mike and Ike candies
  • Chocolate rocks candies
  • Flower sprinkles
  • White sprinkles
  • Paramount crystals
  • Lollipop sticks
  • Wax paper
  • Toothpicks
  • Cake pop stand or styrofoam block
  • Instructions

    1. Shape Your Pops

    cake pop dough

    Working on a wax paper-covered surface, use a cookie scoop to portion out your dough. Roll each portion into a ball, then shape it into a long droplet. Gently tap the pointed edge onto your counter to flatten it. Chill in the refrigerator.

    2. Prep the Candy Coating

    In a small microwave-safe bowl, melt the green wafers according to package directions. (We used a 4 to 1 ratio of light green to medium green to get this hue.) Thin out the candy coating using paramount crystals. You’ll want the coating on the thinner side here, so the indentation detail doesn’t get lost in a thick layer of coating.

    3. Add the Sticks

    Remove uncoated cake pops from the fridge. For each pop, dip about ⅓” of a lollipop stick into the green candy coating and push it into the bottom of the cactus until it’s about halfway through.

    4. Give Them Some Texture

    shaping cactus cake pops

    Use a toothpick to create 5 vertical indentations all the way around the cactus, starting from the top center and pressing the stick toward the bottom.

    shaped cactus cake pop dough

    Make sure to create a deep indentation, pressing hard enough that the toothpick is flush against the dough.

    5. Create the Arms

    shaping cactus cake pop arms

    Using a sharp knife, cut your Mike and Ike candies at a 45-degree angle crosswise. Use a toothpick to dab candy coating on the cake pop, then attach a piece of candy. (It should set rather quickly since the cake has been chilled.)

    6. Do the Dip

    candy coated cactus cake pop

    Dip your pops in the green candy coating and shake off excess. Quickly push in white sprinkle “spines” along the top while the coating is still wet, if desired. Or add a flower sprinkle or two. Attach chocolate rocks along the bottom while the coating is still drying as well. (If the coating dries before you’re completely done, that’s okay! Just use a toothpick to dab candy coating on the area where you’d like to “glue” more rocks.) Place your cacti on a cake pop stand and let dry completely.

    7. Add the Finishing Touches

    finished cactus cake pop

    Melt dark brown candy coating, place in a ziplock bag and snip the tip with scissors. Pipe eyes and mouth.

    Comments
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    6 Responses to “These Cactus Cake Pops are Ready to Party”

    1. Cindi

      I got waffle cones. Cut them down to 3 inches tall (crumbled the unused cone pieces into my pop dough). Filled cone with pop dough and a ball of dough on top. Melted white chocolate for the dip. Then shook a fee tiny multi colored sprinkles on top. Sprinkle immediately after dunking so they stick to the coating.

      Reply