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Extra-Spiced Pumpkin Spice Cake Pops

SERVES: Makes 32 PREP: 45 minutes TOTAL TIME: 1 hour 15 minutes

Extra-Spiced Pumpkin Spice Cake Pops

SERVES: Makes 32 PREP: 45 minutes TOTAL TIME: 1 hour 15 minutes

With tangy tamarind and a little chili kick, these are anything but basic.

Pumpkin spice gets a bad reputation for being basic, and is usually only popular in the fall. So we’re spicing up pumpkin spice with our new Tangy Tamarind & Sweet Chili seasoning, which adds a little zing from the sour fruit and a hint of spice inspired by one of Chrissy’s favorite Thai dipping sauces. Using store bought frosting and cake mix for the pops makes the process so much easier, and you can choose any color to coat them in—we went with orange to be fall festive year-round.

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INGREDIENTS DIRECTIONS

For the cake:

1 standard yellow cake mix
¾ cup water
⅔ cup canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
⅓ cup vegetable oil, plus more for greasing the pan
1 tablespoon pumpkin spice blend
1 cup prepared vanilla or cream cheese frosting
2 tablespoons Cravings’ Tangy Tamarind and Sweet Chili seasoning, plus more for sprinkling on top
32 cake pop or popsicle sticks

For the coating:

2 cups (12 ounces) white chocolate chips or candy melts (we used orange)
1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Make the cake pops: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Combine the cake mix, water, pumpkin, oil, 1 tablespoon pumpkin spice blend, and 2 tablespoons of Tangy Tamarind and Sweet Chili seasoning in a large bowl. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish (or two 9-inch cake pans), pour the batter into the dish, and bake according to the package directions, or until a tester comes out clean. Cool completely, then crumble the cake with your hands into fine crumbs. (Or you can use a stand mixer with a paddle attachment to crumble it fast!) Add the frosting and remaining pumpkin spice and stir—or use a food processor or stand mixer—to create a cohesive mixture that holds together when pinched between your fingers. Using about 2 tablespoons of cake mixture per pop (1 ½ inches in diameter), form into 32 equal-sized balls, pressing and rolling them together firmly with your hands. Arrange on a platter or sheet pan. (At this stage, you can freeze the cake balls on a sheet pan until fully frozen, then transfer to a container or zip-top bag for up to three months, and thaw and dip them in chocolate later.)
Make the coating and decorate: Melt the white chocolate or candy melts in a microwave-safe bowl, 30 seconds a time, stirring between each interval. Dip about ½ inch of each lollipop stick into the melted chocolate, and then into the cake pops. Freeze until completely firm, about 10 minutes.
Microwave the candy melts again until melted if they have started to solidify and pour into a heat-safe 2-cup measuring cup or other tall glass. Dip the cake pop in and twist the pop as you lift it out. Carefully shake off the excess coating by tapping the cake pop against the side of the bowl, then turn right-side up. Thin with a bit of vegetable oil if needed to reach the right consistency for dipping. Sprinkle with Tangy Tamarind and Sweet Chili seasoning. To set, stick the pops into a piece of styrofoam or an egg carton flipped upside down with holes poked in each section. (If you lay flat on a plate, they will get dented but still taste delicious.) Store in the refrigerator until ready to eat.