• Bake the cake as directed on the box. Allow to cool completely.
• While the cake is baking drain the cherries in a fine mesh strainer over a bowl. Reserve the cherry liquid for another use.
• Once the cake is cool run a sharp knife up and down through the baked cake from end to end and side to side of the pan to break the cake up into pieces. Dump the cake pieces into a large bowl. Run the sharp knife through the pieces of cake until the cake is nothing but crumbs.
• Stir in about ¾ of the tub of frosting. Stir until the cake and frosting are completely combined and you do not see any dry pieces of cake. Add more of the frosting if you need to. You want a wet dough but not so wet that it will not hold shape when you are forming the balls.
• Place the cake and frosting mixture into the refrigerator to firm up for about 15 minutes.
• Once your dough is firm remove it from the refrigerator. Set a cookie sheet nearby. As you roll the cake balls you will line the cake pops or cake balls up on the cookie sheet.
• Scoop a generous tablespoon of dough from the bowl. Roll into a ball and flatten it in the palm of your hand.
• Place a cherry in the center of the dough. Shape the cake dough around the cherry and roll it into a ball again. Firmly compacting the dough around the cherry. Place the formed cake ball onto the cookie sheet. Continue until all your cake pop balls are formed.
• Place in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes to firm up.

Dipping Chocolate

• I found that working with 1 cup of chocolate chips at a time works best for me. In a small but deep bowl melt the chocolate chips with 1-2 teaspoons of Crisco at 20 seconds intervals. Stir every 20 seconds. Do this about 4 times until the chocolate is completely melted. Stop heating as soon as all the chips are melted.

For Cake Pops

• Take a lollipop stick and dip it in the melted chocolate. Firmly stick it into the middle of the cake ball. You may have to push firmly if you feel resistance from the cherry. Repeat with as many cake pops as you plan to make.
• Dip a cake pop into the melted chocolate all the way down to the stick. Being sure some of the chocolate covers the hole where the stick is inserted.
• Stand the dipped cake pop up on the cookie sheet. If you don't want a flat bottom you'll need to purchase a cake pop stand or use a block of foam.
• Sprinkle with jimmies, sprinkles or leave plain and drizzle with melted red chocolate candy melts.

Cakeballs

• For cake balls use a fork to submerge each cake ball into the melted chocolate being sure to cover the entire cake ball. Carefully slide off the fork onto the cookie sheet.
• Decorate with jimmies, sprinkles or melted red chocolate melts.