These bitesize cake pops are perfect for your bubba and friends to enjoy at their next party or for a sweet treat throughout the week. Cake pops are an excellent way to rejuvenate any leftover cake scraps. I have included a recipe for a Madeira cake, but any cake will do, you can even incorporate cookies or brownies into the mixture just make sure they are moist and gooey otherwise they won’t combine. The chocolate can also be substituted for icing; a buttercream would work perfectly to combine the cake while a simple icing can create a smooth decorative finish. I enjoy making this recipe over a few days as this allows the cake and the moulded pops to fully chill in between stages. However, there is no harm in placing the cake pops in the freezer rather than the fridge to speed up the cooling process. This recipe is adapted from BBC Goodfoods. 

For the Madeira Cake :

175g unsalted plant based butter

175g golden caster sugar 

3 large eggs

Zest of 1 lemon

Vanilla extract

200g self-raising flour 

50g ground almonds 

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Take the butter out of the fridge and allow it to come to room temperature. 

2. Begin by gently whisking the softened butter. Then add the sugar and beat until combined into a light creamy mixture. 

3. Add in the eggs one at a time, beating between each addition. 

4. Mix in the lemon zest and a few drops of vanilla extract. 

5. Beat in the flour and almonds until you have a thick batter. If the batter is too thick add in a splash of boiling water to loosen it up. 

6. Grease a large loaf tin with butter and then poor in the mixture. Bake for 55minutes until golden. You can tell whether the cake is cooked if a wooden skewer comes out clean. Leave to cool for 10minutes before removing from the tin. 

To make the cake pops:

For every 200g of cake you will need about 170g of milk chocolate and 200g of white chocolate. This will make 20-30 bitesize cake pops. You will also need lollipop sticks.

1. Blend the cake in a food processor until it is a grainy consistency. 

2. Melt the milk chocolate either in the microwave or over a bain marie. 

3. Combine the blended cake with the melted chocolate. Place the mixture into the fridge for a few hours until completely chilled and firm. This will make rolling into balls a lot easier. 

4. Once chilled roll the mixture into balls. And place back into the fridge to chill until completely firm again. 

5. Melt the white chocolate either in the microwave or over a bain marie. Push a lollipop stick into each ball then carefully dip the ball into the white chocolate using a spoon to make sure it is completely covered. Allow it to drip over the white chocolate for a few moments then place up right to dry. The easiest way to do this is to poke holes into a sturdy cardboard or polystyrene box. I prefer to do two layers of white chocolate to ensure that the cake pops are perfectly covered, decorating with sprinkles while the second layer is still wet. 

Recipe by Francesca Byrne @ FAB by Nature