Recipe Week: Festive Cake Pops from the Muchnok Family

At my family Thanksgiving, we have no less than three desserts so I am delighted that the Muchnok family is sharing another awesome dessert option.  Their family manages multiple allergens including peanuts, tree nuts, egg and soy protein, as well as celiac disease so they know all too well how hard it can be to find safe dessert options when attending holiday gatherings. This recipe seems so simple to make, and the best part- it can be repurposed for other holidays too!

What is one of your favorite safe Thanksgiving recipes?

One of our favorite safe treats, particularly at Thanksgiving, are yummy chocolate pumpkin cake pops!  Don’t let the word “cake pop” scare you, these fun treats are so easy my 5 and 8 year old can make them on their own with minimal assistance with the oven!  However, you may want to make them yourself just to make sure your kids and husband don’t learn the secret ingredient is a vegetable –pumpkin!

What you need:
1     box  Betty Crocker Gluten Free Devils Food Cake Mix
1 15 oz. Can of Pumpkin (we use Libby’s)
Hershey’s Chocolate chips  (or Enjoy Life mini chips for a “Top 8” allergen free option)

Optional:
Cake Mate Sprinkles (we trust Cake Mate labeling)
Cake pop sticks

Directions:
Preheat oven to 325.  Dump all 3 ingredients into a mixing bowl and stir until well mixed.  Note: amount of chocolate chips depends on personal preference—we love chocolate!  You only need enough chips to ensure each cake bite has a few as it really adds to the taste.  Then, spoon batter into mini muffin tins until close to the top as these cakes do not rise much.  Bake approximately 8-10 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the cupcake comes out clean or the cake pop easily lifts out of the pan when attempting to remove the toothpick!

As soon as you remove the muffins from the oven, simply use your hands to gently shape each cake into a ball and place it on a rack to cool.  While cooling, melt additional chocolate (either in microwave for kid-friendly option or on the stove with a double boiler).  Dip and swirl each cake pop in the melted chocolate and then add any desired toppings.

Makes approx. 36 cake pops!

What we love most about these (do we dare say healthy) cake pops is not only how easily and quickly you can make them but also their versatility!  We have used them as Princess Ariel “dinglehopper” cakes using mini forks inserted (for my daughter’s 5th birthday), have converted them into spooky Halloween creatures, and have even turned them into pumpkins and turkeys for Thanksgiving.  This year, snowman faces and Santa’s reindeer will be paying our family a visit!  The opportunities are endless depending on your creativity and choice of toppings.   Both kids and adults rave about these treats!

Of benefit to food allergy parents, by having the ingredients available in your pantry, you can make a batch in no time and vary the toppings for each cake pop to offer a festive treat for any unplanned get together.  If you add the chocolate chips after blending the cake mix and pumpkin, you can take some of the batter out and make a few pops top 8 allergen free rather than making the entire batch with the more expensive chips.  Make sure to mark the different cake pops because everyone’s treat will look the same! Yeah!

What is one stay-safe strategy that you and your family 

implement during Thanksgiving?

What we find challenging over the holiday is the availability of many tasty treats that “taunt” our youngest who loves sweets.  As she is only 5, our picky eater has not yet developed a love for stuffing, gravy, and pumpkin pies--a “must have” for many of us.  So, I make sure to take along a sampling of her favorite sweet treats (i.e. cake pops, sugar cookies) decorated to the envy of all.   We have a portable cooler that allows us to also take many favorites on the road and keep them fresh…a must have for the food allergy parent!

What is one piece of advice you would offer to other families 

with food allergies during Thanksgiving?

Maintain a watchful eye at all times!  Although you may be able to convince family to go nut free for the holiday, we find avoidance of all of our youngest ones allergens is just not realistic.  More importantly, loved ones not cooking under these special dietary restrictions on a regular basis are just not prepared to avoid the pitfalls we have learned over the years.  We travel with a number of our own basic cooking necessities.  (i.e. cutting board, knife, spatula, small pan) to help prevent the cross contact issues and always help out in the food preparations when possible. It may not always be a relaxing holiday, but makes for a much happier family!

Thanks Amy and family for sharing this recipe with us!  I know we will be adding these safe and versatile cake pops to our list of fun holiday dessert options!

Stay connected all week for great recipes and stay safe tips from other food allergy families!


Learn more about Tami and her company, Thrive On Consulting, which provides food allergy coaching and training.  You can also follow her on Facebook for tips to Thrive On with food allergies.