Yan’s Christmas Memories Cake Pops

Ingredients

• 100 gunsalted butter
• 100 g70% dark chocolate
• 1 tspinstant coffee powder
• 1 tspvanilla essence
• 100 glight brown soft sugar
• 2 smalleggs
• 90 mlsoured cream
• 100 gself-raising flour
• 25 gunsalted butter, softened
• 50 gicing sugar
• 1/2 tspmint extract
• 1 tspinstant coffee powder
• 1 tspground ginger
• 250 ggreen candy melts
• to tastemini star cake decorations
• 250 gblue candy melts
• to tastesnowflake sprinkles
• to tastemini snowmen cake decorations

Instructions

1. 1

   Heat the oven

   Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/350°F/Gas 4.

2. 2

   Make the sponge

   Put the butter and chocolate in a glass bowl and microwave on high in 30-second bursts until melted, or melt them in a bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Stir in the coffee and vanilla, then beat in the sugar with a wooden spoon until smooth.

3. 3

   Mix the batter

   Beat the eggs and soured cream together in a jug or bowl, then pour into the chocolate mixture. Add the flour and beat with a wooden spoon until you have a smooth, thick batter.

4. 4

   Bake the cakes

   Divide the mixture evenly between the cupcake cases and bake for 13–15 minutes, until risen and just firm to the touch. Remove from the oven, turn the sponges out onto a wire rack, peel off the paper cases and leave to cool.

5. 5

   Make the icing

   While the cakes cool, beat the softened butter and icing sugar together in a small bowl with a wooden spoon until smooth.

6. 6

   Crumb the sponge

   Blitz the cooled cakes in a food processor to make fine crumbs. Add the icing a tablespoon at a time until the mixture is moist and dough-like and can be rolled into balls. Divide it into two 200 g portions.

7. 7

   Shape the trees

   Mix the mint extract into one portion of cake dough and divide it into seven 30 g balls. Shape each into a cone, place on a tray and chill in the fridge for 15 minutes to firm up.

8. 8

   Shape the globes

   Mix the coffee powder and ground ginger into the remaining portion of dough. Divide it and roll it into seven 30 g balls.

9. 9

   Coat the trees

   Microwave the green candy melts in a bowl on the defrost setting in 30-second bursts until smooth. Dip seven lollipop sticks into the melted candy, one at a time, and insert each into the base of a cone. Stand them upright in a cake-pop stand or polystyrene block and chill for 2–3 minutes. Dip each pop in the remaining candy to coat, return it to the stand and chill for about 3 minutes, until set.

10. 10

    Decorate the trees

    Put the remaining green candy in a small piping bag, re-melting it if needed, and snip off the end. Hold each pop and pipe circles or spirals around it to form the tree branches. Top each with a mini star, using a little melted candy to attach it if needed.

11. 11

    Prepare the globes

    Microwave the blue candy melts in a bowl on the defrost setting in 30-second bursts until smooth. Dip the remaining lollipop sticks into the melted candy one at a time and insert them into the base of each spherical pop. Stand them upright in the cake-pop stand or polystyrene block and chill for 2 minutes.

12. 12

    Finish the globes

    Dip the spherical pops in the remaining blue candy and decorate them with snowflake sprinkles and mini snowmen. Leave them to set.

What are Christmas cake pops?

Cake pops are small portions of baked cake mixed with icing, shaped and coated in a sweet shell, then served on sticks. They are a modern party-style treat rather than a traditional Christmas bake.

This version turns chocolate sponge into two seasonal designs: mint-flavoured trees and coffee-and-ginger snow globes. The crumb-and-icing mixture is easy to shape, while the candy coating gives the decorations a smooth surface.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 280 calories, 4g protein, 35g carbs, 14g fat.

The sponge, flour and sugars provide most of the carbohydrates, while the butter, chocolate and candy melts contribute much of the fat. Eggs and soured cream add some protein, though these are still a sweet treat rather than a protein-rich dish. Serve one pop with fresh fruit for a more balanced snack plate.

A chocolate sponge base

Melted chocolate: the dark chocolate gives the sponge its rich flavour, while the coffee and vanilla round it out. Let the mixture combine smoothly before adding the remaining batter ingredients.

Soured cream: this adds moisture to the batter and helps make a soft sponge that can be crumbled and shaped later.

Getting the dough texture right

Fine crumbs: blitz the cooled sponge until no large pieces remain, so the icing can bind it evenly. Add the icing a tablespoon at a time rather than tipping it all in at once.

Ready to shape: the mixture should hold together when rolled without feeling wet or sticky. The recipe divides it into two 200 g portions for the two flavours.

Shaping and chilling

Tree cones: roll the mint dough into the stated seven 30 g balls, then taper each into a cone. The 15-minute chill helps the shapes firm before you add the sticks.

Snow globes: flavour the remaining dough with coffee and ginger, then shape it into seven 30 g balls. Keep them upright in the stand while the sticks and coating set.

Working with candy melts

Gentle heat: microwave the candy melts in 30-second bursts on the defrost setting, stirring as needed until smooth. Short bursts reduce the chance of overheating the coating.

Even coating: dip each pop into the melted candy and let excess coating run off before returning it to the stand. Add the tree spirals and decorations while the coating is still tacky, or attach them with a little melted candy.

When are the pops ready?

Sponge: the cakes are ready to come out of the oven when risen and just firm to the touch after 13–15 minutes. Cool them fully before processing, otherwise the crumbs may become sticky.

Coating: let the dipped pops set until the candy shell is firm before handling them further. Follow the stated fridge times for the tree pops and globes.

Serving ideas

Arrange the finished pops upright in a cake-pop stand or a sturdy block for a festive display. They work well as individual party treats alongside fruit, biscuits or other small desserts.

For a mixed dessert plate, add fresh berries or sliced fruit to bring a fresh contrast to the sweet chocolate and candy coating.

Recipe notes & tips

• Cool the sponge completely before blitzing it into crumbs.
• Add the icing gradually so the cake dough does not become too soft.
• Chill the tree cones before pushing in the sticks.
• Melt the candy in short bursts and stir between bursts for a smooth coating.
• Keep the cake pops upright in a stand or polystyrene block while they set.
• Decorate the trees and globes before the coating hardens completely.

Variations

• Use orange extract: replace the mint flavour in the tree portion with orange for a citrus note.
• Add cinnamon: use a little cinnamon in the globe mixture alongside the ginger for a warmer spice flavour.
• Try white coating: use white candy melts for a snowy finish on the globe pops.
• Change the decorations: swap the stars, snowflakes or snowmen for other small cake decorations.
• Make plain chocolate pops: leave out the flavourings and shape all the dough into spheres.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Adding all the icing at once: the dough can turn sticky, so mix it in a tablespoon at a time.
• Shaping warm sponge: warm crumbs can be difficult to bind, so cool the cakes fully first.
• Skipping the tree chill: soft cones may lose their shape when you add the sticks, so chill them for 15 minutes.
• Overheating candy melts: the coating may become difficult to dip, so use 30-second bursts on the defrost setting.
• Handling before setting: the shells can smudge or slip, so leave the pops upright until firm.

How to store

Store the set cake pops in an airtight container in the fridge and eat within 3 days. Let them stand briefly at room temperature before serving; avoid reheating, as the candy coating can melt.

Frequently asked questions