#everything else about the candy pearl surviving the trip is probably a lot more relevant

[rayne-showers]

So the candy pearl looked like the real Pearl but either:

The candy pearl did not smell like candy/dessert.

The candy pearl smelled like candy, but the anti-magic blanket blocked the candy smell.

The candy pearl smelled like candy, but Callum and Rayla could not smell it. (Which, once they got to where it was super cold, that might have come into play there, and maybe before they were smelling other things, but also I don't remember their baseline sense of smell.)

The candy pearl smelled like candy, but Aaravos' prison also smelled like candy.

I'm going with #4 at the moment.