Valentine's Day Cake Pops

Earlier today, these cake pops popped into my head and it took my sugar-deprived body a couple of hours to shake it. I made them two years ago, when I was going through my cake pop phase. I usually go with the standard Bakerella recipe - combine a baked cake with frosting, mix it all together, then shape, chill, and dip (or in the case of these... cover in marshmallow fondant).

To make the heart-shaped pop, I used a heart-shaped cookie cutter and filled it with the cake/icing mixture, added a stick and chilled it in the freezer. Then I covered it with fondant, and used tinted fondant and a smaller heart-shaped cookie cutter for the smaller heart decoration.

I've noticed that you can buy cake pop baking pans now, and it kind of makes me sad. I applaud the inventor's moxie for identifying the market and getting out the product, but it's just baking regular cake on a stick, right? Regular cake on a stick will never, ever be as moist and delicious as the original cake/icing combination.

Cakester Spiders

Are you looking for an easy Halloween treat? These cute spiders are a tasty and so easy to make, even the youngest trick-or-treaters will be able to lend a hand. Better yet, if you're having a Halloween party, just put everything out and let the kids make them!

What you'll need:

Oreo Cakesters
Pretzel Sticks
M&Ms (Any round variety - I used the White Chocolate Candy Corn flavored ones...So yummy!)
Black Cake Icing

Unwrap the Cakesters, then break 4 pretzel sticks in half. Stick the pretzel sticks into the cakesters, 4 on each side, so that they resemble spider legs.

Then, just add small dots of icing where you'd like to place your eyes, and stick the M&Ms onto the dots. Add a bit more icing on the top of each M&M to finish the eyes, and there you have it!

I'm making these for my daughter's preschool Halloween party, and she and I made these two for a taste test. They're really delicious!