BAKE THE CAKE. (follow instructions on cake box)

CRUMBLE THE CAKE USING HANDS. Once the cake is cool, transfer it to a large mixing bowl. Crumble the cake with your hands until you get a fine, consistent texture among all pieces.

POUR THE FROSTING INTO THE CAKE. (not all of it!) The amount of frosting you add to your cake will depend on how much cake you are working with. I recommend starting with adding 1/2 of the container of frosting and testing the mixture once it is completed mixed to see if it can hold a ball shape easily using your hands. You don't want too much frosting as it will be too moist and will be difficult to dip. Use the back of a metal spoon to mix the frosting with the cake. After mixing, prepare 1-2 baking sheets (depending on how much mixture you are working with) with wax paper and place near your working area. (you will be placing your balls on the wax paper-lined cookie sheets on the next step)

ROLL BALLS. Once your mixture is the proper consistency and can hold a ball shape easily, it is time to start rolling into balls. I use a cookie scoop to scoop the mixture, then place the scooped mixture into my hand to roll the ball. The cookie scoop keeps the balls a consistent size and make the process a bit easier. Once you create a ball, place on the wax paper-lined cookie sheet.

CHILL CAKE BALLS. After rolling your cake balls, it is time to chill them. (this will make the dipping process much easier) You have two options at this point - freeze for about 15 minutes or refrigerate for several hours. Either way, you will want to cover your baking sheets in plastic wrap and make sure they are not frozen, but firm before you dip them.

MICROWAVE CANDY MELTS. Once your cake balls are firm (not frozen), it is time to dip them! The first step in doing so is to place your candy melts into a deep microwavable plastic bowl (plastic doesn't get as hot as other materials, so I recommend plastic). I also recommend using all 48 oz of your candy melts to ensure a nice, deep pool of candy melt. This will make dipping easier and more seamless. For this recipe, I used 3 bags of dark green plus 1 white candy melts to create a nice lime green color. The bags of candy melts will have instructions on cooking time. It is best to mix every 30 seconds or so to avoid lumps. If you do get lumps (I certainly did in this tutorial), it's okay. Your cake pops won't be as smooth, but they will still taste delicious. The thinner your melted candies are, the better. Avoid overcooking the candy melts.

DIP! Once your candy melts are completely melted, take a few of your cake balls out of the freezer or refrigerator to work with. (if they are in the freezer, transfer to the refrigerator) Take a lollipop stick and dip the tip of the stick roughly 1/2 inch into the melted candy. Push the lollipop stick into a cake ball, about halfway through. Dip the cake pop into the melted candy coating until it is completely covered, then remove carefully. Try not to re-dip or move your cake pop around in the melted candy. This will result in a very thick, heavy cake pop and you want to avoid that as it may fall off the stick. (if it does fall off the stick, fish it out using a spoon) You may need to use your finger to remove any drips under the cake pop. Once your cake pop is properly dipped, place in your cake pop holder and move to the next!

EAT OR STORE. Now that you have created a ton of delicious cake pops, what is next? The obvious answer is to EAT THEM, but if you are making the pops for an upcoming party or want to save some for later you can store in an airtight container at room temperature. (if you are making this recipe using a homemade cake, you will need to refrigerate)