Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake Cake Pops
Rich chocolate cake pops blended with raspberry cheesecake and dipped in chocolate.
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 1 9 x13-inch pan baked chocolate cake cooled (about 1 box mix prepared as directed)
- 8 oz cream cheese softened
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1/3 cup seedless raspberry jam
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
- 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
- 12 oz dark or semisweet chocolate chips
- 2 tsp vegetable oil or coconut oil
- 2 tbsp crushed freeze-dried raspberries or sprinkles optional, for garnish
- 24 lollipop sticks
Instructions
- Crumble the cooled chocolate cake into a large mixing bowl using clean hands, breaking it down into fine, even crumbs with no large pieces.
- In a separate bowl, beat the softened cream cheese and butter together with a hand mixer until smooth and creamy.
- Add the powdered sugar, raspberry jam, vanilla bean paste, and salt to the cream cheese mixture and beat until smooth and slightly pink.
- Pour about half of the raspberry cheesecake mixture over the chocolate cake crumbs and mix with a spatula or your hands until the crumbs are evenly moistened.
- Test the mixture by pressing some in your hand; if it does not hold together, add more raspberry cheesecake mixture a little at a time until it forms a dough that holds its shape without feeling overly sticky.
- Scoop the mixture into portions of about 1 generous tablespoon each and roll between your palms to form smooth, even balls.
- Place the balls on a parchment-lined baking sheet, then refrigerate for 1 hour or freeze for 20 minutes, until firm.
- Melt the chocolate chips and vegetable oil together in a microwave-safe bowl in 20–30 second intervals, stirring between each, until completely smooth.
- Remove a few cake balls from the fridge at a time. Dip the tip of a lollipop stick into the melted chocolate, then insert it halfway into the center of a cake ball.
- Holding the stick, dip the cake ball into the melted chocolate, turning to coat completely and letting excess chocolate drip back into the bowl.
- If desired, immediately sprinkle the top with crushed freeze-dried raspberries or sprinkles before the chocolate sets.
- Stand the dipped cake pops upright in a styrofoam block or a box with holes to set, or place them stick-side up on parchment if needed, and repeat with remaining cake balls.
- Refrigerate the finished cake pops for at least 20 minutes, until the chocolate is fully set, then serve or store chilled.
Notes
- Use a moist, fudgy chocolate cake for the best texture; slightly dry cake works well because the cheesecake mixture adds moisture.
- If the cake mixture becomes too soft while rolling, chill it briefly, then continue shaping.
- For a stronger raspberry flavor, add up to 2 extra tablespoons of raspberry jam to the cheesecake mixture, adjusting until it still holds its shape.
- Store finished cake pops in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- You can freeze undipped cake balls for up to 2 months; thaw in the fridge before dipping in chocolate.
- If the cake mixture becomes too soft while rolling, chill it briefly, then continue shaping.
- For a stronger raspberry flavor, add up to 2 extra tablespoons of raspberry jam to the cheesecake mixture, adjusting until it still holds its shape.
- Store finished cake pops in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- You can freeze undipped cake balls for up to 2 months; thaw in the fridge before dipping in chocolate.