Cake Pops Galore

You will soon discover that I am really into baking. It is my new hobby since the birth of my daughter and being a stay at home mum! I love trying new recipes and I won't lie, I love eating the stuff I bake. I've got a major sweet tooth. I blame my mum for that! What I love most though is baking for other people! Not only because I love to see them enjoying what I have created, but it also means I won't eat too much if I've given it away! Win win.

(just a note, you will notice that I love exclaimation marks. I have just re read what I have written and it sounds like I'm so excited lol. I will leave them there, but I warn you, I'm an over user of these things !!!!!)

My husband Jono is a youth worker and was having a leaders meeting with his team tonight, so I offered to do dessert for them. Jono loves anything chocolate, maybe even more so than me! So I thought I'd try out my new cake pop mold that he bought me as a gift for my birthday last week.

Chocolate Cake Pops... the world may have just gotten a little better... 

Check out the recipe I used and my how to, to make these delicious treats!

Kate

 Pre make your cake mix. You can use any cake recipe you like. I have used the Sophie Gray - Destitute Gourmet Chocolate Cake recipe. (Ingredients at the bottom. It is the best Chocolate Cake recipe I have ever used)

Using either a piping tool or a fancy contraption like this one to fill cake pop molds. It is so much better than using a spoon. And so much cleaner!

 Fill your cake pop molds with your cake mixture. Fill as close to the top of the bottom of the mold to ensure it takes on the shape of the mold.

Place the lid of the mold on and ensure it is sealed properly. Put in the oven for approx 20 mins. Use a cake tester to check if cooked. If it comes out clean you are a winner :)

 Once the cake is out of the oven leave in the mold to cool completely. This  will help the cake hold firm and not fall apart on you!

Once cake is cooled, transfer them to the top of the mold so you can add the lolly pop sticks to them without having to worry about them rolling around and getting ruined.

Dip the end of the lolly pop sticks in the dipping chocolate you are using for icing, this helps keep the sticks secure in the cake.

They will look a bit like this as you go.

Yay 5 down... none broken. Success!

 

 To ice your cake pops, I melted a bag of Nestle Milk Chocolate Melts in the microwave for about 90 seconds, stirring once. 

Hold the end of the lolly pop stick downward into the chocolate and dip to your hearts content. Once dipped place in a stand, add sprinkles and other decorative treats if you so desire and wait for them to harden.

The finished product! Jono whipped me up a sweet cake pop stand using a piece of 4x2 wood and drilling the appropriate sized holes in it. Having a stand means the chocolate won't go all deformed when hardening. It makes it so much easier to decorate and looks visually exciting when your guests arrive.

My little kitchen helper today.

Sophie Gray - Destitute Gourmet Chocolate Cake

• 1  and 2/3 cups of flour
• 1 and 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 100g butter, melted
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• 1 and 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 2/3 cup cocoa powder
• 1 and 1/2 cups milk
• 2 eggs

Pre-heat ove 180 degrees and grease 20cm loose-bottom tin.
Melt butter. Put all ingredients into a food process and mix (a hand beater works just as well). Pour into tin. Bake for at least 50 min. Skewer to check.
Note: Times will vary when using recipe for cake pops :)