CAKE ON A STICK

When these bite sized desserts on a stick first made their way into Starbucks last fall, I must admit I was skeptical of the trend. I assumed the idea would generate a little buzz along with some decent initial sales and then the cute little display in the glass dessert case would promptly fade away – another brief but well-meaning fad gone bad.  I mean, the goal these days is to eat clean, buy local, and put kale in EVERYTHING.  How was the cake on a stick idea going to survive?  Well, I need not have feared.  It seems even the healthiest and greenest, amongst us need a treat to go with their soy late once in a while and hey, it's not like ordering an entire piece of cake - it's but a guiltless bite! Why the heck not?

 These little drops of heaven are perfect for a shower, wedding, birthday or tea. Feeling inspired? Bake your own! Cake Pops (April 2012, Spruce, $14.99) by Helen Attridge and Abby Foy is an adorable, colourful little volume with easy to follow, easy to make recipes for creating fun, fanciful cake pops at home.  The book opens with simple recipes for making a basic vanilla cake and frosting that are easily adapted to other flavor variations, such as chocolate and lemon.  Easy-to -follow instructions and visual guides teach you how to make the balls, dip them, decorate and shape them.  Useful tips cover everything from masking cracks to make ahead suggestions, adjusting colors, personalizing, and presentation.

28 great designs include everything from the simplest pretty pink pops with sprinkles to chocolate dipped strawberries and teddy bear and piggy pops.  The designs vary in degree of difficulty, but there is something for everyone at every level, including children.

CAKE POPS by Helen Attridge and Abby Foy, Photographs by Lis Parsons | Spruce/Octopus, April 2012, CAN $14.99, Hardcover | ISBN:  978-1-84601-402-4