Cake Pop

For the cake:
Preheat oven to 375 F. Grease and line an 8-inch square cake pan.

In a large bowl, sift flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Mix well.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter on medium-high speed, until light and fluffy. Gradually add sugar and continue to beat until well combined and fluffy. Reduce the mixer speed to medium and slowly add eggs until just blended.

With the mixer on low, slowly add half the flour mixture; mix until just blended. Add the milk and vanilla extract and mix until just blended. Slowly add remaining flour mixture, scraping down sides of the bowl with a spatula, as necessary, until just blended.

Pour batter into the prepared pan. Transfer pan to oven and bake for 18 to 20 minutes. Remove cake from oven and set pan on a rack. Let cake cool in pan for 15 minutes. Then invert it onto a greased rack. Let cool completely.

For the buttercream frosting:
Beat butter for a few minutes in the bowl of a standing mixer with the paddle attachment on medium speed. Add powdered sugar and turn your mixer on low, beat until the sugar incorporates with the butter. Add vanilla and heavy cream. 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 chunks 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, using 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 chocolate melts in the microwave gradually, on 10 second intervals and stirring in-between. Dip one end of a lollipop stick in the chocolate and insert into the cake ball. Set the ball back on the tray. Repeat with the remaining cake pops. Refrigerate again for an hour.

Prepare sprinkles in shallow bowls. Remove cake pops from the refrigerator. Melt chocolate melts again in the microwave using the above method. Dip each cake pop in the chocolate and gently tap off excess. Place onto a piece of wax paper. Scatter sprinkles over the wet chocolate and let it dry completely. Repeat with the remaining cake pops.