Cake pops

Using your fingertips crumble the cake in a large mixing bowl. If you want to make the cake yourself, try our recipe for hot milk sponge cake.

Add your cream cheese and mix it through evenly, adding more to achieve a mixture that holds together easily. If the cake is ready-iced, simply mix in the icing and use a little less cream cheese.

Pinch off bite-size portions and mould into small balls. Ensure each ball is quite compact so that it holds.

Insert the skewers into each ball. Chill in the fridge for at least half an hour so that they set properly and are easier to handle.

Melt your chocolate over gentle heat, or pop in the microwave on high for 30 seconds at a time, stirring often to prevent it from burning or melting unevenly.

Have your decorations ready in bowls or plates - you have to work fast now!

Take the chilled balls out of the fridge and carefully dip into the melted chocolate, swirling them to coat evenly. Then sprinkle on your decorations.

Place in the freezer immediately to set before moving them to the fridge to keep until you are ready to serve.

It's a good idea to get a square piece of polystyrene to put your skewers in so that they don't fall over when you store them.

If you are using icing, you don't need to freeze them - simply keep in the fridge. Follow our recipe for festive icing-enrobed allspice biscuit bells for homemade icing. Alternatively, Woolworths sells chocolate and vanilla bean icing kits that can be used.

Cook's note: Homemade cake pops are best eaten on the day.

TASTE's take:  You could also use a regular Madeira loaf or chocolate cupcakes, or make your own chocolate brownie cake at home. Or try our flourless chocolate cake, replacing the rum with a drop or two or rum essence for kids' pops.

No time to cook? Woolworths sell a delicious selection of ready-made cake pops in chocolate and vanilla flavours. Buy them online from woolworths.co.za