{"id":14026,"date":"2012-12-21T06:48:51","date_gmt":"2012-12-21T11:48:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thecakeblog.com\/?p=14026"},"modified":"2017-03-28T07:45:26","modified_gmt":"2017-03-28T11:45:26","slug":"bakerella-diy-interview","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thecakeblog.com\/2012\/12\/bakerella-diy-interview.html","title":{"rendered":"Bakerella DIY & Interview"},"content":{"rendered":"

The holiday baking inspiration continues today with a little help from The Queen of Cake Pops!\u00a0 We all know her.\u00a0 We all love her.\u00a0 We’ve been reading her blog for years.\u00a0 And following along as she inspires the world to love little bites of cake, rolled up and perched on a stick!\u00a0 Who knew cake pops would become such a phenomenon?\u00a0 I’ll tell you who….\u00a0\u00a0 I can hardly believe it but Bakerella<\/strong> is here!\u00a0 Angie Dudley, also fondly known as Bakerella<\/a>, is talking cake pops with us!\u00a0 She’s here to share a few tips, tricks and techniques.\u00a0 Spill on a few personal questions.\u00a0 Share about her new Christmas Book<\/a>.\u00a0 And even has a tutorial for us!\u00a0 Just in time for your holiday baking this weekend!\u00a0 It’s like it’s Christmas around here or something….<\/p>\n

So enough with my chatter.\u00a0 You hear from me all the time.\u00a0 Let’s hear from Angie.<\/p>\n

\"Pretty<\/p>\n

Everybody loves cake pops!\u00a0 Why do you think they are so popular?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Let’s start with – they are just plain cute.\u00a0 Then there’s the initial wow factor and the endless possibilities for themes.\u00a0 Plus they taste yummy.\u00a0 But I think it’s because they bring smiles to everyone that encounters them.\u00a0 Kids go crazy for them, but sometimes I think it’s the grown ups that love them more.<\/p>\n

Where do you find your inspiration for cake pop designs?
\n<\/strong><\/p>\n

Inspiration is all around. Seasons. Holidays. Animals. Colors. And most of all candy. They all play a part. When I start to make a new cake pop design, I usually draw it out on paper and then look for candies the right size and proportion to fit whatever I am trying to create.<\/p>\n

What are some tips for a newbie cake pop baker?<\/strong><\/p>\n

You can bake the cake and let it cool overnight and then dip and decorate the second day.\u00a0 Use small deep bowls for the melted candy coating.\u00a0 It makes it easier to submerge the entire cake pop.\u00a0 Just don’t stir it.\u00a0 Dip and remove.\u00a0 Make sure the cake balls are firm and not frozen when dipping.\u00a0 If they are room temperature, they will fall off the lollipop stick.\u00a0 If they are chilled, they will stay on the stick long enough to dip and dry on the stick.<\/p>\n

You offer troubleshooting tips in your Christmas Book<\/a><\/strong>.\u00a0 What’s the biggest challenge in making cake pops?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Definitely the dipping and trying to get the coating to cover the cake ball smoothly.\u00a0 I hope the book helps people see how easy it can be.\u00a0 The book is really a response to the constant flow of questions I’ve received about the pops since I started making them.\u00a0 I tried to address every question that people have asked me.<\/p>\n

Do you have any advice for food bloggers who are just starting out as to how to grow their blog and gain an audience?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Be nice.\u00a0 Constant content.\u00a0 Pretty photos.\u00a0 Then, visit others blogs and interact.\u00a0 I started out on flickr.com and spent a lot of time there in the beginning.\u00a0 It’s a great place to get visible with other people who have the same interests.\u00a0 Join photo groups and link your photos to your website and you’ll start to see your traffic grow.<\/p>\n

Favorite guilty pleasure?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, cold.\u00a0 Dulce de leche gelato.\u00a0 Brown sugar by the spoonful.\u00a0 Do I have to pick just one?<\/p>\n

What is the one baking tool you can’t live without?<\/strong><\/p>\n

I have a mini spatula I use for brownies that I’m in love with.\u00a0 Ice cream scoops for batter are great to get uniform cupcakes.\u00a0 Toothpicks are very handy for cake pop decorating.\u00a0 But if I had to pick one, I guess it would be my KitchenAid mixer.<\/p>\n

What is your favorite baking\/kitchen tip that you’d like to share with our readers?<\/strong><\/p>\n

You know, I would just say to not be afraid to make mistakes.\u00a0 Just dive in and have fun.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

And on that note, I think it’s time for us to just dive in and have fun<\/em>!\u00a0 Angie is sharing a festive cake pop tutorial from her new book, Cake Pops Christmas<\/a><\/strong>.\u00a0 It’s a\u00a0 fabulous collection of winder-themed cake pop projects like Christmas trees, silly snowmen, spicy gingerbread men, candy canes and more.\u00a0 And today we’re going to learn how to make these pretty little present cake pops!<\/p>\n

\"Pretty<\/p>\n

PRETTY PRESENTS<\/strong>
\na DIY by Bakerella<\/a>
\n(makes 48 pops)<\/em><\/p>\n

Supplies:<\/em><\/p>\n