Muddy Buddy Ingredients:

• 4 Cup any Chex cereal
  
• 1 Cup Ghirardelli white chocolate wafers
  
• 1 TBSP pumpkin pie spice
  
• 1 Cup powdered sugar
  
• 1 bag candy corn
  
• 1 bag candy pumpkins
  
• 1 bag of M&M’s

Cake Ingredients:
2 ¾ C flour
1 TBSP baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
½ tsp ginger
2 C sugar
½ tsp salt
1 ½ sticks of unsalted butter, room temp
4 eggs, room temp
¼ C vegetable oil
1 15 oz can of pumpkin
½ C whole milk
1 tsp vanilla

Let’s make the cake balls:

Necessary Ingredients:

• Cake
• 1 container of Cream Cheese ready-made frosting
• Wax paper
• 2 cookie sheets
• Cling wrap

Candy Coating Ingredients:

• 2 bags Wilton Orange candy coating
• Orange sprinkles
• Package of straws or candy sticks
• Microwave safe bowl
• 2 cookie sheets
• Wax paper

Icing for the pumpkin vines:

• 2 egg whites
• 1 C powder sugar
• ½ tsp cream of tartar
• Gel food coloring, green

Making the cake:
Let’s start by preheating the oven to 350 degrees. Put all of your dry ingredients into a large bowl, mixing all ingredients together. Add the softened butter a tablespoon at a time, beating 1 ½ minutes until the dry ingredients are thoroughly blended with the butter. Grab a second bowl and add the eggs, oil, pumpkin, milk, and vanilla whisking as you add each ingredients. Divide the egg mixture into halves then add the first half to to the dry and butter mixture. Beat on medium speed for 1 ½ minutes. Then slowly add the rest of the egg mixture ½ beating both sides and the bottom of the pan. Put all of your dry ingredients into a large bowl, mixing all ingredients together. Add the softened butter a tablespoon at a time, beating 1 ½ minutes until the dry ingredients are thoroughly blended with the butter. Grab a second bowl and add the eggs, oil, pumpkin, milk, and vanilla whisking as you add each ingredients. Divide the egg mixture into halves then add the first half to to the dry and butter mixture. Beat on medium speed for 1 ½ minutes. Then slowly add the rest of the egg mixture ½ half of it at a time beating for 20 seconds after each addition. Prep a large cake pan using Pam spray treating both the sides and the bottom of the pan. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes. When done remove from oven and allow to completely cool.

Making the cake balls:
Tape the wax paper to the top of the cookie sheets. Next crumble the cooled cake into a large mixing bowl. Continue until the entire cake is crumbled into a fine texture. Add ¾ of the cream cheese frosting mixing it with the crumbled cake until they are thoroughly combined. Place the cake and frosting mixture in your refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before making it into balls. Using a small ice cream scoop make cake balls about 1 ½ inch size. Work with them to ensure that they will hold a round shape. Place each one on the covered cookie sheets. Lastly, cover each sheet with cling wrap and place them in the freezer for about 15 minutes. Now you want them to be firm but not frozen.

Let’s melt the candy coating:
Pour the orange candy coating into a microwave safe bowl. Place the bowl in your microwave on medium heat for 30 seconds at a time, stir after each 30 second cycle. Don’t over cook the candy coating.

Ready to make cake pops:
1st step:
Next dip one end of the straw or candy sticks into the melted candy coating and immediately stick each one into a cake ball about ¼ inch deep. Place the completed cake balls into the refrigerator for 5 or more minutes to harden.
2nd step:
Remove several cake pops from the refrigerator at a time (this will allow the remaining cake balls to stay firm until ready to be dipped into the candy coating). Using a spoon or fork place the cake balls into the melted candy coating (do not use the candy stick or the straw to hold them). Make sure each cake ball is totally covered. Sprinkle each coated cake ball with the orange sprinkles. Return the completed cake balls to the refrigerator to stay firm. Repeat until all of your cake balls are done.

And now the royal icing:
Combine all of the ingredients except the food coloring in a mixing bowl on medium speed for 4 minutes. If icing isn’t stiff enough, you’ll want to add ¼ cup more of powdered sugar until it becomes stiff. Add several drops of green gel food coloring to the bowl, mixing well. Spoon the icing into a piping bag with a #2 tip.

Adding the vines to the pumpkins:
Start at the top of the cake pop where the straw is inserted and begin making the pumpkin vines by squeezing out a small amount of the icing in a circle motion. Add several small heart shaped leaves on top and around the straw or cake pop, Allow to dry completely before serving.

Storing your cake pops:
Refrigerate and store completed cake pops in airtight containers in flat layers separated with paper towels (if they aren’t individually packaged). Nest when ready to defrost, this storage will keep the condensation on the outside of the container or package and not on the cake pops.