Pop cakes are the latest baking craze to come from the United States. A cross between a cake and a lollipop, they appeal to children and adults alike. They are easy to make with the right ingredients and this step-by-step guide.
Ingredients
● A sponge cake: home-made preferably (see cake recipe on this page) but shop-bought works
● A binding agent: either icing (which will be very sweet) or yoghurt (natural, vanilla, or chocolate)
● Lollipops sticks
● Candy melts: these are cocoa-based buttons in a variety of colours used to coat the pop cakes. Available to buy online or from a cake decorating shop
● A florist's oasis or a polystyrene block to stand the pop cakes in
● Sprinkles, hundred and thousands, other decorations
● Disposable piping bags
● Transparent gift bags
Method
Make the cake balls
● Buy or make your cake. Break it into pieces and whizz in a food processor until crumbs. Put the crumbs in a bowl and using your hands, mix with sufficient icing or yoghurt to obtain a malleable paste. At this stage you can add food colour or cocoa to some or all of the mix.
● Divide the paste into balls and put them on a plate in the freezer for 15 minutes to harden. You can mould the cake into shapes like rockets or hearts.
Coat them
● Melt the different coloured candy melts in separate bowls. You can use your microwave but do it gradually to avoid them burning. Stir well. The melt cools and hardens quickly so it is best to have a design in mind, and melt the colour you want to use first. You can, melt them several times if necessary.
● Dip the end of a lollipop stick in the candy melt and then put it into a ball.
● Working quickly and gently, dip it into the candy melt until covered. Do not leave the ball in the melt for too long or it will become soft, break and fall into the bowl.
Decorate them
● Add sprinkles immediately while the candy melt is still wet or nothing will stay on.
● If you want to ice designs on the candy melt, wait until they dry. Stick the cakes on the florist's oasis and put them in the fridge to set.
