Apple Shaped Cake Pops

Well its that time of year again.  The kids are heading back to school and to after school sporting activities and back on a full weekly schedule.  Some Moms cry happy tears because they finally get a relief from summer entertaining while some other moms cry tears of sadness because they miss their babies. I am the mom that BAKES! I will bake for teachers, the football team, the cheerleading team, anybody that wants or needs sweets. I am the mom for that.  This year my baby is starting high school and knowing she loves my cupcake pops I told her I was going to be making apple cupcake pops to pass out to her teachers.  If you have a teenager, you can imagine the horrific look on my daughters face when I said that.  Because she is my baby, I already knew what her reaction was going to be.  I did get my laugh for the day.  I made the apple cupcake pops  but instead of passing them out to her teachers we gave them to the cheerleaders.  

These pops were so easy to make. The only hard part was finding the leaves to place on top. We eventually decided to use green Mike and Ikes.  I thought they worked pretty well.

1 box of cake mix - any flavor (I used vanilla.  I wanted it to look like the inside of an apple)
¾ tub of ready made frosting - any flavor (I used vanilla)
24 lollipop sticks
1 bag of red candy melts
Styrofoam block or 2x4 with holes drilled in it to hold the dipped cake balls
24 chocolate dipped pretzel sticks
24 green Mike and Ike

1. Make and bake cake according to box directions.  
2. When cake is completely cooled crumble the entire cake into a bowl.  
3. Mix ¾ tub of ready made frosting into the crumbled cake (you might just have to roll your sleeves up and dig in with your hands).  Most recipes call for the entire tub, but I think it is too moist.    
4. When cake and frosting is moist and mixed, shape into 1 inch balls.  
5. Place cake balls on a greased cookie sheet. 
6. Put a lollipop stick in each cake ball and place in refrigerator until firm.  
7. Once cake balls are firm, lightly pinch the bottom of the cake ball where the stick is attached to form the shape of an apple.   
8. Indent the top of the ball to form the shape of where the stem will be going.  
9. If cake balls have gotten soft, place back in refrigerator until firm again. 
10. Melt the candy melts in a double boiler.  
11. When the cake balls are firm dip them in the melted candy melts.  
12. Shake excess off and place in the Styrofoam or wooden holder.  
13. Take a chocolate dipped pretzel and place in the top indention.  
14. Take a Mike and Ike and place it crooked next to the pretzel stick on the top of the apple. 
15. Stand back and Say “AWWWW”. 
16. Repeat dipping process until all the cake balls are dipped and decorated.  
17. I had a stem and leaf helper during the dipping process because it can get pretty messy.