The holiday season is a happy time to bake and share treats with friends and family. and cake pops are one of my favorite treats to give away. but they are also easy to send and send to your favorite people. I am often asked what is the best way to pack them so that they arrive safely at their destination. So when the opportunity to work with the scotch® brand presented itself, I thought I’d share with you exactly how I’ve shipped them in the past.
but, before we can ship, we need some cake pops for dipping. super cute candy-themed cake pops, that is.
here are my basic instructions for making cake pops in case you haven’t tried them before.
Because the cake is mixed with frosting and completely covered in a layer of caramel, they will stay fresh and flavorful for days.
To make simple, round cake pops look like hard candy, simply draw swirls and pinwheel designs onto the liner with edible ink markers. I filled in the color just a bit so you can see where I’m going, but basically drawing in the pops helps tremendously with the next step.
Use a small paintbrush to paint a thin layer of corn syrup over the drawn shape then sprinkle colored sanding sugar on top and it will stick like glue. You can also easily use a toothpick to force the sanding sugar into position if it gets out of the drawn lines. I love the sanding sugar effect because it makes the pops look shiny and sugary.
how cool! You can also apply a layer of candy with a toothpick over the drawn shape and then add the sanding sugar, but this can add a little extra volume and I like it when this design looks a bit flatter.
When you’re applying the sanding sugar, be sure to do it over a container so you can catch and reuse any that don’t stick.
and ready! the cutest caramel cake pops. oh wait… still not the cutest.
Instead of using goodie bags like you’re supposed to, fold them in half and cut a small slit in the center/side of the bag. insert the pop, stick first, into the bag and then through the opening. then use twist ties (cut into 1 1/2-inch sections) to secure cake pop on each side.
okay, now they’re the cutest. using candy baggies really seals the deal and makes you think of these cake pops as candy.
and this is how I package them. there may be better ways, but this has worked for me every time I’ve emailed them in the past.
tucked in and ready to go. i use 1 pound candy boxes (measures approx 7″ x 3.25″ x 1.75″) and cake pops with 6″ sticks. place a small section of tissue paper in the bottom of the box and place lollipops (always in plastic bags) treats) in alternating directions. depending on the size I can get 3-4 in each box. when you close the box, the tissue they are wrapped in will keep them secure. you just don’t want them moving around in the box.
so now we’re going to tidy up the boxes a bit so they can brighten someone’s day.
This glittery scotch® expressions tape reminds me of sanding sugar, so I thought it would be fun to bring the colors by packing them safe and sound and super cute.
To make a sweet garland banner, fold the ribbon over the twine, then trim the ends or cut into pennant shapes.
lovely!
The next step is to tape them securely onto bubble wrap.
then place them in a larger box filled with more packing material around the bottom, top, and sides.
depending on how much extra space you have… use more bubble wrap, packing paper, peanuts or tissue paper as above.
When everything is closed and secured, you shouldn’t feel or hear the contents inside move.
then your candy is ready to ship overnight. You can also ship 2 days, but I wouldn’t expect more than that.
Other small candies perfect for sending include: fudge, cereal treats, marshmallows, caramels, sugar cookies, and caramel corn. And if you want to mail something, fudge would be perfect.
wait… are you going home for the holidays? Do you want a tip for traveling with your sweets?
I’ve had to fly with cake pops several times and this is my travel case. Yes. One cooler is 9 quarts in size (approximately 13” x 9” x 9”) and can hold nine of these candy boxes with a little room left over. I can fit at least 36 cake pops inside. And using tape to decorate the boxes works perfectly because it’s flat and won’t get damaged in transit. the advantages? the sides of the cooler take the brunt of any accidental bumps, it fits nicely under the airline seat in front of me, it has a handle, and people tend to step aside when they see me carrying a small red cooler. perfect!
Anyway, I hope this helps you out a bit if you’re thinking of shipping or carrying your yummy treats this holiday season!
this is how i ship, but that’s not all… the scotch® brand is hosting a fun contest to see how well you can wrap.
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enter the scotch® most gifted wrapper™ contest for a chance to win $10,000! enter: mostgiftedwrapper.com between November 2nd and December 9th. legal residents of the us and direct current (excluding az, co, ne, md, nj, nd, tn and vt), who are 18 years old (19 in al and 21 in ms) and older. ends 9/12/15. To enter and for official rules (including prize descriptions), visit mostgiftedwrapper.com. null where prohibited.
this post is in association with the scotch® brand.