I’ve been make these “Love cake pops” since last week for clients’ orders, my kids school party and friends’ gifts. You know Valentine’s Day is no longer only between you and your lover anymore. It has a broader meaning now – a lot of love spreading out there in the universe.

Whether you are going to celebrate this sweet day with your significant half, friends, families or co-workers, preparing something home-made is always the most heart-warming. I love these cake pops for the simple, elegant and chic style. They can be chocolate flavour like the recipe here, vanilla or even red velvet.

Not really into making cake pops? Try these red velvet cupcakes because Valentine’s Day is all about red and white and chocolate.

Ingredients (about 45 pops):
Chocolate Cake
1 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt1 large egg, room temperature
1/2 cup sour cream, room temperature
1/4 cup canola oil
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup boiling water
Chocolate Buttercream
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon heavy cream
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
Others
1 bag white Candy Melts
1 bag red Candy Melts

Directions:
To prepare the cake, preheat oven to 350F. Grease and line an 8-inch square cake pan.
In a large bowl, mix together sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
Crack in the egg, spoon in the sour cream, and pour in the oil and the vanilla. Mix with a wooden spoon until just combined.
Pour in the boiling water, and slowly mix until smooth and liquidy.
Pour batter in the prepared pan, and bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack and let cake cool in pan for 15 minutes. Then invert it onto a greased rack. Let cool completely.
To prepare buttercream, beat butter for a few minutes in a standing mixer with the paddle attachment on medium speed. Add powdered sugar and turn the mixer on low, beat until the sugar incorporates with the butter. Add vanilla, heavy cream and cocoa powder, beat on medium speed for another 3 minutes, or until buttercream becomes light and fluffy.
To assemble cake pops, prepare two cookie sheets lined with parchment paper.
Break the cooled cake into a few big trunks by hand, place them into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and mix on medium speed until the big pieces turn into crumbs.
Add frosting gradually into the cake crumbs and blend until the mixture becomes a dough, about 1 to 1 1/2 cups of frosting.
Use a small cookie scoop, roll dough into evenly sized balls and place them on the prepared cookie sheets. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Melt a few red Candy Melts in the microwave gradually, 10 second intervals and stirring in-between. Dip one end of a lollipop stick in the Candy Melts and insert into the cake ball. Repeat with half of the cake balls. Use white Candy Melts for the remaining half. Refrigerate again for an hour.
Remove cake pops from the refrigerator. Melt red Candy Melts in the microwave. Dip each cake pop in the Candy Melts and gently tap off excess. Place onto a piece of wax paper and let it dry completely. Repeat with half of the cake balls. Use white Candy Melts for the remaining cake balls.
Transfer the remaining Candy Melts into a small piping bag fitted with a small round tip. Microwave the Candy Melts before transferring if they become hard. Carefully pipe red “Love” on white cake pops, and white “Love” on red cake pops.