I believe in pink.

I believe that laughing is the best calorie burner.

I believe in kissing, kissing a lot.

I believe in being strong when everything seems to be going wrong.

I believe that happy girls are the prettiest girls.

I believe that tomorrow is another day and I believe

in miracles.

-Audrey Hepburn

Show up to a little girl’s fourth birthday party with trays of sweet, little indulgences and you’ll draw gasps of delight from young and old alike. Happy girls, with tutu skirts and sparkly tiaras, holding little pink cupcake confections will bestow smiles that are like kisses to your soul. And for a moment everything will be right. And you will laugh too. And be glad you wore your pink skirt.

Cupcake Pops

Inspiration: Bakerella

Cake Recipe: Cooking Light

Frosting: my own

Makes 25 cupcake pops

Cake:

• 1 -1/4 C flour
• 2 Tbsp cocoa
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1 -1/4 C sugar
• 3 Tbsp unsalted butter at room temperature
• 1 egg at room temperature
• 1/2 C + 2 Tbsp buttermilk
• 1 tsp white vinegar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 Tbsp red food coloring

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees
• Lightly grease a 9″ square baking pan
• Beat eggs, sugar and butter until well combined.
• Add dry ingredients in two batches alternating with buttermilk. Mix until just combined
• Ad vinegar, vanilla and food coloring. Mix until the food coloring is even dispersed.
• Bake for 20 minutes or until done.

Frosting:

• 2 Tbsp butter
• 4 oz. cream cheese
• 2-1/2 C icing sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• Beat all ingredients until combined. You will need a VERY stiff frosting; add more icing sugar accordingly.

Decorating:

• Dark chocolate
• Pink chocolate
• Various sparkles, smarties, and accoutrements to make your cupcakes pretty
• Candy sticks

Instructions:

• Once your cake is completely cooled, crumble it in fine pieces into large bowl. Using your hands mix in about 1 to 1-1/2 C frosting. Roll the mixture into 25 balls and place on a wax covered cookie sheet. The balls should be about 1-1/4″ to 1-1/2″. Cover with plastic and chill for several hours or pop in the freezer for about 15 to 20 minutes.
• Once chilled, use a really small flower shaped cookie cutter to shape into cupcakes. I used a 1-1/4″ flower cookie cutter. If you use a larger one your cake pops will become to top heavy on a stick and might just slide down the candy stick. Take each ball and roll into more of a long oval. Push the oval into the cookie cutter until about half is sticking out of the top in a mound. Gently push the bottom of the cake pop out and set back onto the cookie sheet. Repeat for every, single cookie ball (at this point you will be glad you are only making 25).
• Return to fridge for several hours or freezer for 15 to 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, melt some dark brown chocolate for the bottoms.
• Remove cupcake pops from the freezer/fridge and dip each bottom into the melted chocolate just to the point where the mounded (top of cupcake) shape starts. Lay chocolate side up on wax paper and insert candy sticks in while chocolate is still wet. Be sure to push the stick in as far as you can for the most support. These little cupcakes are pretty heavy what with all the cream cheese and chocolate. Be sure not to get water in the melted chocolate or it will separate and look like crap.
• Dry completely for about 20  minutes.
• Repeat with pink chocolate, dipping the mound until it meets the dark chocolate and covers all exposed areas. It helps to have a toothpick handy to help the chocolate get into all the nooks and crannies. It also helps if the pink chocolate isn’t too hot; if it’s thicker it doesn’t run down the sides as much.
• Decorate to make as pretty as you want.
• Place in a piece of styrofoam to dry (or anything available to push the candy stick in).

Now sit back, admire your hard work…and obviously, taste test. Several times.

Notes:

• For more detailed instructions and even a video, click on over to Bakerella’s blog.
• You can use any cake recipe you fancy, but make sure it’s a dense cake. If the cake is to light and fluffy the cake pops won’t hold on the candy stick. Same with the frosting: make sure it’s stiffer then you would normally make.
• I think that’s it….and since they are so cute here’s a few more pix.