Cake Pops

Recipe found at Wilton Blog.

24 cake pops (depending on size)

Using your hands, crumble up the cake into a large bowl until no large pieces remain. Add frosting, mixing with fingers until well combined.
Form into cake balls (sizes in extra notes) and chill until set, about 2 hours.
While cake balls are setting, melt Candy Melts candy according to package instructions. Then retrieve the cake balls from the fridge and prepare a cake pop stand.
Dip the tip of each lollipop stick into melted candy, then into set cake balls. Repeat with all cake balls, then let chill again until set, about 10 minutes. Reserve remaining melted candy.
Dip the cake balls, one at a time, into remaining melted candy. Tap lightly to remove excess (only if the cake balls are secure on the stick). If needed, you can reheat the candy or reheat with some EZ Thin Dipping Aid to thin it out for easier dipping.
If adding toppings, immediately cover with sprinkles or topping of choice, then transfer to craft foam. Repeat with remaining cake pops. Chill until set, about 10 to 15 minutes.

Small cake pops: 1 tablespoon-sized cake balls (each about 1 1/4 inch diameter) makes about 48 cake pops.
Medium cake pops: 2 tablespoons-sized cake balls (each about 1 1/2 inch diameter) makes about 24 cake pops.
Large cake pops: 3 tablespoons-sized cake balls (each about 1 3/4 inch diameter) makes about 16 cake pops.
Dipping cake pops: Use a tall and deep bowl or cup, like the Ceramic Candy Melting Bowls, to dip your cake pops in Candy Melts. This way the pops can be completely submerged.
Dipped cake pops decorated with Candy Melts candy can be stored at room temperature for a week. If you used melted chocolate or white chocolate to dip or decorate your cake pops, store them in the fridge so the chocolate doesn’t melt.

↓ This is a component-based recipe. ↓

Vanilla Cake

Recipe found at Food Network.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter two 9-inch-round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper; butter the parchment and dust the pans with flour, tapping out the excess.
Whisk 3 cups flour, the baking powder and salt in a bowl until combined. Beat 2 sticks butter and the sugar in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Reduce the mixer speed to medium; beat in the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the bowl as needed. Beat in the vanilla. (The mixture may look separated at this point.) Beat in the flour mixture in 3 batches, alternating with the milk, beginning and ending with flour, until just smooth.
Divide the batter between the prepared pans. Bake until the cakes are lightly golden on top and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer to racks and let cool 10 minutes, then run a knife around the edge of the pans and turn the cakes out onto the racks to cool completely. Remove the parchment. Trim the tops of the cakes with a long serrated knife to make them level, if desired.

Gluten-free: Recommendation is to use Pamela’s brand gluten free all-purpose flour mix and use 2 cups and 1 Tbsp. However, you can replace the all-purpose flour according to the instructions of the gluten-free flour packaging. If there are no substitution instructions, you can substitute the flour by weight (about 13.5 oz or 380 grams). Also beat the batter a bit longer to give it more structure, and bake a bit longer.