If birthday cake-flavored everything is wrong, then I don't want to be right.
It all started with these. Laurel posted a picture of a bag she'd picked up at the airport on Instagram. Where to find birthday cake M&Ms...that was the question. The hunt for them commenced. I am now known as the weird lady who walks past each and EVERY check-out aisle in the grocery store...all 20-something of them...scanning each and every candy display.
Luckily, there's this little thing called the Internet. I found out that these Birthday Cake M&Ms aren't due in stores until May, but CVS stores ended up with them on the shelves early. Bingo.
That same day, I was walking through Joann Fabrics and BOOM! Hello, birthday cake-flavored candy melts...
...that's what we call fate.
All I needed was popcorn and sprinkles, and I had the makings of Birthday Cake Popcorn.
Crunchy, sweet, with a hint of salt...you'll think it's your birthday when you make it.
Birthday Cake Popcorn
1 batch stove-popped popcorn (from 1/2 cup unpopped)
2 TBSP salted butter, melted
pinch kosher salt
1 bag birthday cake-flavored candy melts
2 (8-oz) bags birthday cake M&Ms (you'll use 1.5 bags)
sprinkles
Start with your freshly-popped popcorn. (If you need a refresher on how to do this on the stove, click here.) Spread the popcorn out on a large rimmed baking sheet.
Pour the melted butter over the popcorn and toss.
{Can we talk for a minute about how much I love that little dot of melted butter? Ok, thanks.}
Sprinkle on a big pinch of kosher salt. Toss again. (During all this tossing, discard any unpopped kernels you might see.)
Melt the candy melts according to the package instructions. I use the microwave option. Pour the melted candy melts over the popcorn, then toss to coat all of the popcorn.
I love my "Salad Hands" for this job. I actually use these things all the time.
While the candy melts are still melted, toss in the M&Ms and the sprinkles.
Now is the time to taste. If you think it needs a bit more salt, add some more kosher or finely ground sea salt.
Spread the popcorn onto two cookie sheets and let the candy melts harden. Break into clusters and serve or package.
I highly suggest bagging it up and getting it out of your house as soon as possible. On the other hand, popcorn is a very good source of fiber and whole grains. Hmmm...
