Brilliant DIY: CAKE POPS!!!

Inspired by Bakerella red velvet cake balls and her famous cake pops, I decided to give this a try this past weekend. I wanted to make a special party favor for my friends and here is my version of how to make these brilliantly beautiful cake pops. I did chocolate on chocolate - they turned out super moist and perfectly sweet (per my friends, of course!).

STEP 1: Bake a cake of your choice and cool the cake completely. I used a chocolate cake mix and just followed the directions. Cooling the cake completely is a very important part of step 1.

STEP 2: Crumble the cake into fine pieces. I found using a whisk saved me from using my hands. The cake will get caught on the middle of the whisk but just gentle tap the whisk on the side of the bowl and the loose pieces will fall. (I've heard you can also use a food processer). I also started the crumbling in the pan, then transferred and finished the process in the bowl.

STEP 3: Mix in 3/4 to 1 container of pre-made frosting. This frosting should be the same flavor as the cake.

STEP 4: Form and roll into quarter-sized balls. This was most messy and greasy part of the process for me.

STEP 5: Chill in the refrigerator for several hours - I chilled it over night so it the cake balls became nice and firm.

STEP 6: Melt your choice of chocolate chips

STEP 7: DIPPING...Dip the lollipop sticks into the melted the chocolate and insert into flat side of the cake ball about 1/2 deep - now, you have a cake pop! Then dip the cake pop into the melted chocolate, twirl it to shake off excess chocolate and stick the pop into a piece of styrofaom to cool & dry. You can add cake sprinkles when the chocolate coating is till warm to help it stick (optional). Note: I only did a half dip.

STEP 8: Wrap and serve!

G & S's Wedding - by BB Events (PRO PIX)

Finally! Here are G&S's wedding pictures, courtesy of G&S as well as their photographer, Sean Law. We helped the couple make their centerpieces & reception florals the night before as well. Check out their brilliantly beautiful wedding day!

Ceremony site: Pulgas Water Temple, Redwood City, CA
Reception site: Sofitel Hotel in Redwood City, CA
Photographer: Sean Law Photography

Reception Florals: Brilliantly Beautiful Events




They also did a Paebaek (Korean ceremony)...!

Congrats again G & S! Thank you for letting us share this day with you!

Photos by Sean Law Photography

Brilliant DIY: How to DIY your centerpieces

If you have the time and energy, DIY-ing your own centerpieces is a BIG money saver - whether it's a floral or non-floral centerpiece. Definitely do your research beforehand though and know your creative limitations. Keeping it simple and beautiful is not only more doable but also more economical!

Research: (1) flowers that are in season around your wedding date, (2) life expectancy or durability of the flowers, (3) cost of the flowers, (4) cost of the accessories: vases, floral foam or tape, votives holders/candles, etc. (5) designs that you think you can do, (6) plan out how you are actually going to carry the project out (ie, when to buy the flowers, how to transport bulk flowers and preserve them, who will help you because you WILL most certainly need help, who will set it up at the ceremony/reception for you). I essentially took a stroll to different wholesale flower markets and local wholesale stores like costco to see what was available to me. I jotted all the information down as I went along. Bring a camera along as well because you might not know all the interesting flower names!

Do a trial!: This is a must. You must know how you are going to do the centerpieces and how long each centerpiece will take to make. Remember, your days before the wedding will be full of other things to worry about, so this project must be very well planned out, so it can be executed with the utmost efficiency.

Here's a sample from my wedding:

Step 1: Buy the flowers

STEP 2: Water in vase.

STEP 3: Alum powder on Hydrangea stem - makes it live longer.

(Part of the research step...Can just ask the florist as well for this information.)

STEP 4: Arrange the as you like!

Here are some of my other DIY floral creations:

(L) Trial bouquet; (R) Cocktail table centerpieces
(Below) Flowergirl mini-bouquet