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Best Festive Turkey Thanksgiving Cake Pops Recipe

Festive Turkey Thanksgiving Cake Pops - featured image
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Turn a failed cake into adorable turkey cake pops that are perfect for Thanksgiving. These no-bake treats feature a soft cake center, crisp candy coating, and cute turkey decorations that kids and adults love.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 box yellow cake mix (Betty Crocker or Duncan Hines)
  • 3 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 cup water (or milk for richer cake)
  • 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (optional)
  • 1/2 cup cream cheese frosting (store-bought or homemade, thick not whipped)
  • 1/4 cup powdered sugar
  • 12 ounces orange candy melts (Wilton brand)
  • 12 ounces brown candy melts
  • 1 tablespoon coconut oil or shortening
  • 48 candy eyeballs (6mm size)
  • 1/4 cup candy corn
  • 24 mini pretzel sticks (broken in half)
  • Red candy melts or red frosting (for wattle)
  • Lollipop sticks (6-inch)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×13 baking pan. In a large bowl, combine yellow cake mix, eggs, vegetable oil, and water. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed for 2 minutes until smooth. Stir in pumpkin pie spice if using. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 28-32 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cake cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.
  2. Once cake is completely cool, break into large chunks and transfer to a large mixing bowl. Crumble cake into fine crumbs using your hands until it resembles wet sand (about 3-4 minutes).
  3. Add cream cheese frosting to crumbled cake. Mix thoroughly with a spatula or hands until mixture holds together when squeezed. If too dry, add another tablespoon of frosting; if too sticky, add a tablespoon of powdered sugar. Typically add about 1/4 cup powdered sugar for perfect texture.
  4. Using a cookie scoop or tablespoon, portion out cake mixture and roll into smooth balls about 1.5 inches in diameter. You should get about 24 balls. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. If mixture sticks to hands, lightly wet palms with water.
  5. Refrigerate cake balls for at least 1 hour, or up to 24 hours. For a quicker chill, freeze for 20 minutes but do not freeze solid.
  6. In a microwave-safe bowl, combine brown candy melts with 1 teaspoon coconut oil. Microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring after each, until completely smooth. Repeat with orange candy melts in a separate bowl.
  7. Remove cake balls from refrigerator. Dip tip of a lollipop stick into melted brown candy, then insert about halfway into a cake ball. Let set for 2 minutes. Dip entire cake ball into brown candy melt, covering completely. Gently tap stick on bowl edge to remove excess. Place in Styrofoam block to dry. Repeat with all cake balls.
  8. Once brown coating is set (about 15 minutes), dip top third of each cake pop into orange candy melts to create turkey’s head and beak area. Let set for 10 minutes.
  9. Use a tiny dot of melted candy to attach two candy eyeballs to each pop. Cut candy corn in half horizontally; attach wider end as beak and pointed end as wattle using a dot of candy melt. Use red candy melts or red frosting in a piping bag to draw a small teardrop shape under the beak for the wattle.
  10. Break mini pretzel sticks in half. Insert 3-4 halves into the back of each cake pop (the part not dipped in orange) to create turkey tail feathers. Press gently to secure. Let everything set completely for 30 minutes before serving.

Notes

Do not skip chilling the cake balls—cold cake balls hold their shape when dipped and prevent sliding off sticks. Thin candy melts with coconut oil or shortening for smoother dipping. Work in small batches (4-6 pops at a time) for best decorating results. For gluten-free, use a gluten-free yellow cake mix and certified gluten-free candy melts. For dairy-free, use vegan buttercream and dairy-free candy melts.

Nutrition

Keywords: Thanksgiving cake pops, turkey cake pops, festive cake pops, holiday dessert, cake pop recipe, easy cake pops, no-bake dessert

Find it online: https://ovenmila.com/best-festive-turkey-thanksgiving-cake-pops-recipe/