Bald Eagle Cake Pops

In my search for a fun 4th of July treat I came across these amazingly cute Bald Eagle treats on Familyfun.com (which, if you don't subscribe to that magazine and you have kids, you totally should, it's a treasure trove of fun ideas every month).

Now, I don't have anything against marshmallows, but I thought these would be much better incarnated as a cake pop. 

Here's how you can replicate these amazing little patriotic birdies:

You need:

Cake Mix (eggs & oil)

Store bought frosting

Shredded Coconut

Whole Cashews

Mini Chocolate chips

Fudge covered oreos

Cake Balls:

 I make mine the "old school" way: 1) Bake cake mix as directed on box. 2) crumble up cooled cake and mix with container of store bought frosting. 3) form into balls and place in freezer.

From Cake Ball to Eagle:

1. Prepare fudge covered Oreos (I used the single layered ones because that's what I found, also I think they worked easier than the thicker would have for piercing a hole in the middle).  I used the pointy end of a cake decorating flower platform thingy to carefully pierce a whole in the middle of the cookies, none of them cracked so it worked pretty well.  A skewer or anything sharp would probably work just fine.
2. Melt white candy melts according to package (I thinned mine with a little bit of coconut oil)
3. Dip stick into candy melt and then insert into cake ball (this adheres the stick to the cake a little better)
4. Dip cake into candy and spin excess off. 
5. Immediately cover with shredded coconut and quickly slide the pierced cookie onto the stick from the bottom so it can adhere to the ball with the candy melt.
6. Use a spare stick to press a large indent where you want the beak and then place the fat end of a whole cashew in the indent (you can first dip the end in a little bit of the candy melt if you want better staying power, but I didn't seem to have a problem with them falling out either way)
7. Press in 2 mini chocolate chips for eyes and let dry.
8. Share with friends and enjoy!

I'm linking up with Today's Creative Blog, naptime crafters