Baking ingredients
- 200 g unsalted butter, softened
- 150 g caster sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 medium eggs, room temperature
- 180 g self-raising flour
- 4 tbsp milk, room temperature
Decorating ingredients
- 80 g unsalted butter
- 40 g cream cheese, softened
- 200 g icing sugar, sifted
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Selection of colour melts
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Instructions
Baking Instructions:
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas mark 4.
Step 2
Lightly grease and flour a 25cm round cake tin or a 20cm square cake tin.
Step 3
To make the cake, cream the unsalted butter and the caster sugar for approximately 5 minutes until it turns pale and fluffy. Mix 1 teaspoon vanilla extract into the creamed butter and sugar.
Step 4
Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well between each addition. Add half the self-raising flour and then half the milk and mix until fully combined. Repeat with the remaining flour and milk.
Step 5
Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for 35 to 45 minutes, until a light golden brown.
Step 6
Leave to cool on a wire rack.
Decorating Instructions:
Step 7
To make the cream cheese frosting, cream the unsalted butter and cream cheese together.
Step 8
Gradually add the icing sugar, continuing to cream until light and fluffy. Lastly, mix in the remaining 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
Step 9
Refrigerate the cream cheese frosting for 30 minutes.
Step 10
Once you have crumbled the cake, add in one heaped tablespoon of cream cheese frosting at a time, and mix with the crumbs. You may not require all of the frosting, depending on how moist your cake is, so use a little at a time. Keep mixing until you have a fudge-like texture. To see if it's ready, squeeze a little of the mixture in your palm – it should be pliable and not crumble. If you add too much frosting the mixture will be soggy, sticky and heavy and the cake pops will fall off the cake pop lollipop stick when you try to dip them in the melted chocolate.
Step 11
Wrap the cake pop mixture in cling film and chill for at least one hour. The mixture should be firm but not too hard when it's ready to work with.
Step 12
Break off a small piece of the mixture and roll into a ping pong sized ball with your palms. Place the cake balls on a tray lined with baking paper. Refrigerate for 15 to 20 minutes, or until they are firm.
Step 13
Melt the colour melts separately following the instructions on the packs.
Step 14
Take each long cake pop lollipop stick and dip one end 2cm deep into the one of the three melted colour melts. Immediately insert the stick into the centre of each cake ball, stopping the lollipop stick half way through. Place on a tray lined with baking paper for 1 to 2 minutes to set.
Step 15
Take each cake pop on a stick and dip fully into your chosen colour melts. When dipping, be sure to cover right to the top of the stick to secure the cake pop in place. Gently tap the cake pop over the bowl to remove any excess colour melt.
Step 16
Leave to set standing up in a piece of polystyrene.
Step 17
Drip alternate colour melts over the top of each cupcake to decorate.