Eyeball cake pops recipe

Eyeball cake pops are a seriously impressive addition to any Halloween feast. 

These Halloween cake pops are perfect as a sweet canapé for a Halloween party as they're bite-sized and come on their own sticks. We've gone for a classic vanilla base for the cake as it's the simplest but you could always make a surprise chocolate or strawberry cake pop. And while there are loads of different designs you could make with this recipe, the eyeball cake pops are one of the best for Halloween. All you'll need is creamy white chocolate as the coating and blood red piping icing to decorate the top.

Ingredients

• 200g unsalted butter - softened
• 150g caster sugar
• 2tsps vanilla extract
• 2 medium eggs, room temperature
• 180g self-raising flour
• 4tbsps milk, room temperature
• 40g cream cheese, softened
• 200g icing sugar, sifted
• 200g while chocolate melts
• 250g black ready to roll icing
• Red piping or writing icing

You will also need:

• Lollipop sticks

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4. Lightly grease and flour a 25cm round cake tin or a 20cm square cake tin.
2. To make the vanilla cake, cream 120g unsalted butter and the caster sugar for approximately 5 mins until it turns pale and fluffy. Mix 1 tsp vanilla extract into the creamed butter and sugar.
3. 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.
4. Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for 35 to 45 mins, until a light golden brown.
5. Leave to cool on a wire rack.
6. To make the cream cheese frosting, cream the remaining 80g unsalted butter and cream cheese together.
7. Gradually add the icing sugar, continuing to cream until light and fluffy. Finally, mix in the remaining 1 tsp vanilla extract.
8. Refrigerate the cream cheese frosting for 30 mins.
9. To make the cake pops, crumble the vanilla cake finely in a large mixing bowl. (It's best to do this by hand as it gives a finer crumb, but you can also use your food processor). Remove the crust of the cake with a sharp kitchen knife first to avoid any lumps.
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 Renshaw White Chocolate Simply Melt).
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.
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 15-20 mins, or until they are firm.
13. Melt some white chocolate melts as per instructions on pack and pour into a small deep bowl.
14. Take each long cake pop lollipop stick and dip one end 2cm deep into the melted white chocolate. 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 mins to set.
15. Take each cake pop on a stick and dip fully into the chocolate. 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 chocolate.
16. Allow the dipped cake pops to fully set in the fridge before adding a small black ball of ready rolled black icing for a pupil and use red piping icing to add veins.

Top tips for making eyeball cake pops

To make sure the mixture retains its shape before cooking, put your cake pop balls in the freezer for an hour before cooking.

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