DIRECTIONS

• 1. Make two 8-inch cakes, following the instructions on the box of yellow or vanilla cake mix. (Note that one 15.25 oz box makes about two 8-inch cakes that are about 1 1/2 inches tall.) After baking, allow the cakes to cool. You can also leave the cakes on the counter, covered, overnight.
• 2. Make the buttercream. Cream the butter and miso together in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Gradually add in the confectioners’ sugar and optional Matcha and beat until fluffy. The buttercream should not be runny or oily, but sturdy yet light.
• 3. Crumble one of the cakes into the stand mixer bowl and mix with the buttercream. You’re looking for a packed wet sand consistency, cake that is moist but holds together without crumbling. You may need to add about 1/4 of the second cake into the mixer bowl. The final cake should be moldable into a ball in your hands.
• 4. Roll about sixteen to eighteen 40-45 g cake balls (approximately ping pong ball sized or one tablespoon each) and transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet.
• 5. Cover and freeze for 15 minutes or refrigerate for 30.
• 6. Meanwhile, make the frosting. I recommend using candy melts, otherwise, you will need to temper your chocolates. Heat the candy melts in a microwave-safe container in 30-second bursts, mixing the melts after each burst in the microwave. Once all melted, mix in oil, a teaspoon at a time, vigorously mixing until homogenous. Finally, add in the Matcha and mix well. You want a nicely flowing, runny (but not too runny) mixture that can coat the cake pop, but at the same time, is not too slippery or oily. For about 1 cup of candy melt, I needed about three teaspoons of oil, give or take.
• 7. Remove the cake balls from the refrigerator, and working one at a time, make a small hole on the bottom of the cake ball with the lollipop stick. Dip an end of the stick into the melted candy melt and oil mixture, and push this end of the stick into the cake ball, ¾ of the way in.
• 8. Dip the cake ball into the candy melt mixture to coat thoroughly, lift up, and twirl the cake pop slowly, so the excess drips down. You can angle the cake pop so the excess candy melt drips back into the mixture container.
• 9. The candy coating will harden and dry fast, so while it’s wet is when you want to add sprinkles or other toppings.
• 10. I made small holes in an old shoe box to set the dipped cake pops upright. You can also use a Styrofoam block.
• 11. If the candy melt mixture hardens, you may need to microwave it for about 20 seconds and mix vigorously.
• 12. Your cake balls may soften as they become room temperature, so you may need to freeze them again for a few minutes.
• 13. Decorate your finished cake pops and enjoy when they’re all set.
• 14. Store cake pops nicely in air-tight containers and in the fridge.