How are you holding up during these unusual times? I’ve been focusing on staying safe and calm, which for me means frequent hand washing and a lot of extra caution. With everything feeling uncertain, I wanted to add a little cheer to my self-imposed quarantine. Baking has always helped me unwind, and making cake pops is especially soothing.
If you’ve made cake pops before, you know how therapeutic the process can be. It’s a focused, hands-on project that lets you forget other worries for a while. These soap-shaped cake pops felt like the perfect small, happy project — tiny bars are far cuter than a soap pump, don’t you think?
Start with a basic cake pop recipe and your preferred method for making cake balls, then follow the shaping, dipping, and decorating steps below. I used some leftover cake from my freezer, but if I’d baked fresh for this project, I might have chosen strawberry for its pretty color.
Begin with rolled cake balls placed on wax paper and ready to shape.
- Use a rectangular cutter to shape the small soap bars easily. A set of graduated rectangular cutters works well for consistent shapes.
- Flatten each cake ball slightly so it fills the cutter, then press the cutter down to cut out the rectangle.
- If needed, press the side of the cutter gently to flatten the piece further, but don’t overdo it — you must leave enough depth for the lollipop stick to secure the pop.
- Use a smaller flat-sided cutter or a small flat tool to press an obvious indent in the center to mimic the soap bar groove.
If you don’t have cutters, you can shape the bars by hand. Flatten each ball against the wax paper, then slide and rotate the piece to produce clean edges. Wax paper helps create smooth surfaces. For the center indentation, use a small flat kitchen utensil that’s narrower than your bar shape.
Be careful not to flatten the bars too thin. You need enough cake between the back and the indented area to insert the stick securely; otherwise, the pop may detach when dipped.
One of the nice things about these soap-shaped pops is that they require only a single color of candy coating for a clean look.
To add bubbly details, use sugar pearls and edible decorations in varied sizes. Larger round candies, like sixlets, can act as oversized bubbles for a playful effect.
Dip the tip of a lollipop stick into melted candy coating, then insert it into the thickest part of the flat bottom of the bar. The coating layer will slightly soften the indentation, making it subtler and neater.
While the coating is still wet, attach white candies and sugar pearls in random positions to resemble suds. Allow the coating to dry completely before handling further.
If you want a deeper, more defined groove, apply a ring of candy coating around the edge of the indentation using a toothpick and let it set before dipping. This builds up the rim and increases depth contrast.
For faces, I used small confetti sprinkles for eyes and cheeks, and a black edible ink pen to draw smiles and expressions. After drawing, I added tiny dots of coating to the eyes for a highlight. I often use white coating for these dots, but light pink worked well here and saved me from melting a second color.
You can also write words like “soap” on the bars. Lightly etch the letters into the set coating with a toothpick to create a guide, brushing away any shavings. Then dip the toothpick into melted coating and carefully trace the letters. A squeeze bottle is an option, but a toothpick gives more control for small lettering.
Voila — soapy, adorable cake pops that bring a smile. They’re whimsical, simple to personalize, and a fun way to brighten a dreary day.
These are the only kind of “soap” I wouldn’t mind tasting. 🙂
I hope these little creations brought a smile and brightened your day a bit.