Hands up who wants to make festive cake pops this Christmas?  Once you take a look at the cute designs in this book you’re certainly going to want to.

Bakerella is an American blogger (aka the lovely Angie Dudley). She’s the original cake pop developer.  She’s written books including Cake Pops and Cake Pops: Tips, Tricks, and Recipes for Irresistible Mini Treats
….but her latest one Cake Pops: Christmas (Bakerella), Chronicle books, couldn’t have been better timed.

So what’s in the book?

Getting started with cake pops

If you’ve never made cake pops before then this is the chapter for you. It shows you step by steps on how to go about it. There’s a handy trouble shooting section (which I really need)

The recipes in this chapter are exactly what you want to get started including yellow cake, chocolate cake and red velvet cake. The frosting flavour recipes are Buttercream and cream cheese frosting (my fave)

The ‘Tools and techniques’ section is full of tips on how to create the shapes you need for each project in the book. There’s also a large section on working with Candy Melts. The first time I used candy melts I was surprised by how thick they were. I thought they would be just be like melted chocolate or floppy buttercream. In fact they are somewhere in between. That’s why the low down on how to use them is really handy.  I didn’t know where to start when it came to colouring them or thinning them out. I just did it by trial and error.

There are all sorts of extras you can use to decorate your cake pops. You probably have lots already in your baking cupboard. Sprinkles, pearls, cookie cutters etc but Angie shows two pages of cute edibles you can use like Polos, mini cookies, pretzel sticks, small sweets like TicTacs or M&M’s. The list is as endless as your imagination..

Displaying and gifting

Knowing how to display your masterpieces is a bit of a mare when you first start out. They are top-heavy and wet when you make them so keeping them from not getting damaged at the initial stages is the most important bit for me, but making them look fantastic to give as a gift is the next step. As Angie says “Plan ahead” if you need to travel with your cake pops I would suggest using a polystyrene block but if they are staying home then there are all sorts of other ideas she has from glassware to wood displays. There are other really cute gifting ideas here too, but I’m not going to give the game away!

Christmas cake pop projects

There are so many cute and very, clever ideas in this book that I can’t mention them all. I’ll just share a few of my faves with you. There’s a ….

• • The wreath
  • Stuffed stockings
  • Jingle bells
  • Pretty presents
  • Red nosed reindeer

• Ornaments
• Gingerbread houses
• Snow globes
• And just for good measure and because it’s Chanukah – Driedles (how cool are these?)

……..and that’s just a few! In total there are 22  winters themed pops.

Resources

This section is mainly recommending places in the US where you can buy the equipment for making cake pops, but alternatives are available here  in the UK. My local cake shop stocks most of these things. You can check out their website at www.cakecraftshop.co.uk

Cake pop image index

I think this is a really great idea. Have mini pics of all the recipes/ shapes/ designs on one page with their page number on it so you can instantly see where you need to be. Genius!

I love books like this. There are endless inspiring designs and hints and tips throughout, my favorite of which are…..

“Don’t push the lollipop sticks in more than half way into the cake pops” – Been there. Done that. They just go all the way through and make a big mess.

“Don’t dip frozen cake pops”. Yuck

So what Cake pops are you making this year? Do any of these designs grab your fancy?  I’d love to know.

Some baking books you may enjoy 

Lucy Young and Mary Berry’s Mini Banoffee pies

Cake Pops by Bakerella – Christmas. Book review

How to make Ottolenghi Spice cookie recipe from ‘Jerusalem’

‘JERUSALEM’ by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sam Tamimi book review

The Busy Girls Guide To Cake Decorating – Book Review

Book Review: How baking works … and what to do when it doesn’t by James Morton

Paul Hollywood’s How to Bake – book rev

Leiths Cook Book 

Mary Berry and the best butter tip ever!

Best Book of British Baking

The Ulitmate chocolate cook book 

How much sugar paste do I need ?

Stocking Cake Pops 

Fail safe Donut recipe for Channuka/

Extra Chocolatey Christmas Pudding Cookies

How to make bauble cookie decorations 

Swirl Mince Pie Recipe 

 Christmas bread and butter pudding.