Sprite Cake to Cake Pops

As I gingerly made my foray into the world of baked cakes, I needed to find something easy. My desire to learn baking and cooking was so fresh, innocent and hopeful, that I feared a major exercise in the kitchen might see that hope go whoosh forever, never to return.

I wanted something I could prepare easily (go easy on me - I only have a loaf pan, mixing bowl and fork to work with!) and attain maximum success. It seemed futile, because I wasn’t ready to bake from scratch, but also didn't want to keep using just the cake mix.

How fortunate that the universe offers a solution that combines low calories, using up of ingredients I already have lying around, and ease. This solution is the Weight-watcher’s diet soda cake.

Leading leftover: Sprite

Weight-watcher’s diet soda cake

1 package regular cake mix (I used Betty Crocker's SuperMoist White Cake mix)
1 12-oz can of diet soda (any flavor)

1. Add 12 oz of diet soda to cake mix.
2. Mix well, though some lumps will remain.
3. Bake cake or cupcakes to box instructions (using the least amount of time recommended).

The verdict? It attempted to be a cake but it didn’t rise very much. It was moist and quite tasty though!

By this time, I was already enamoured by Bakerella’s works of art with her cake pops and thought about making some, especially since I already had cream cheese frosting sitting in the fridge.

I had to get to the frosting before mould did.

Cake Pops

Cake (soda cake above)
1 can cream cheese frosting (ratio is whole cake mix to 16-oz tub of frosting)
Melted chocolate

1. Crumble cooled cake into large bowl.
2. Mix thoroughly with 1 can cream cheese frosting (use your fingers to mix; it's easier but messier).
3. Roll mixture into balls using the hands or ice cream scoop and lay on cookie sheet.
4. Put the balls in the fridge to chill for several hours
5. Use a double boiler (I put a small pan on top of a larger pan filled with water); melt chocolate.
6. Make sure that the balls are sufficiently firm. Dip the balls in chocolate and lay on wax paper.
7. Add any toppings you like before the chocolate firms up.

What would The Failed Chef do next time?

• Because the cake was already so moist, the cake pop turned out quite gooey. It was difficult to dip it in chocolate when the balls were melting. Probably need less frosting, depending on cake texture.