Yummy Cake Pops: 175 Best Babycakes Recipes Book Review

With all the cake pop craze that has been going on  for the last 3 years, I have been very tempted to make some many times....they look just so gosh darn cute!

But when I read the recipe for 'cake pops' and it said to make a cake and then smash the cake up and mix it with cream cheese or frosting....it sounded very backwards to me...make a cake and say what?

All this work and smash it up.....seriously?

But then this little baby came on the market... the Babycakes Cake Pop Maker!

I stopped dead in my tracks when I saw it in the store and put it in my cart!

{I purchased mine at London Drugs for $29.99}

And then Robert Rose contacted me to do a review of their new book, "175 Best Babycakes Cake Pops Recipes"  by Kathy Moore & Roxanne Wyss.

Sign me up!

 This book is fantastic....it's full of great recipes to make cake pops that do not require mixing the cake with cream cheese or frosting...it's just  a real little cake pop.

There are so many recipes and fun ideas it was not easy choosing one recipe let me tell ya!

There are recipes for:

Chocolate Cake Pops

Strawberry Cake Pops

Orange Cream Cake Pops

Brownie Cake Pops

Peanut Butter Cake Pops

as well as Gluten Free Pops

...just to name a few.

So I made 2 recipes....

 Cherry Cake Pops...

 and Lemon Cake Pops!

 And they were so easy to make...I mixed the cake pop batter as per the recipe and spooned tablespoons of batter into the cake pop maker to cook  for 5-6 minutes...and  then popped the little cakes out...done!
So easy!

Recipes vary...and can make anywhere from 21 to 55 cake pops.

 And the  book also has several fantastic pictures and instructions sharing many ways to coat and decorate the cake pops...from a simple plain coating with candy melts...as I have done...to more sophisticated designs including swirls and designs for cute little animal faces on sticks.

The book furnishes you with so many creative ideas!

 I coated my cake pops with coloured candy melts.

 And a light dusting of sanding sugar was the finishing touch....I think they look so pretty!

 Cake pops are such a special touch for any celebration...birthdays, baby showers, bridal showers, Christmas...the list could go on!

 My kids loved these cake pops!

I sent them to school with a pile to share with their friends!

This book gave me a full afternoon of fun making cake pops.

 But there are a lot more than recipes for cake pops, doughnuts, and glazes in this book.

The authors have give us recipes for things like meatballs and crab cake bites to try in the cake pop maker.

I cannot wait to try these next!

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Six Sisters Stuff

Muffin Tin Chef: Broccoli & Mushroom Frittatas...

I have been working away in the 'Echoes of Laughter test kitchen" again...this time trying out yummy things made in a muffin tin.

Yes...a muffin tin!

It's an amazing way to cook....it allows you to make perfectly portion-sized food!

I am not new to muffin tin cooking. Back when my daughter was a toddler in 1997 and 1998, I used to regularly make food  in muffins tin so we could have ready-made homemade meals in the freezer for her.

Her favourites were homemade mac and cheese, and rice & chicken casserole.

I used to make these dishes in muffin tins, place them in the freezer until frozen and then pop them out into a ziploc bag for storage in the freezer to use as needed.

It was an amazing way to have healthy food on hand for a toddler for lunches.

But now muffin tin cooking for anyone has arrived...as I tried out this recipe for Broccoli & Mushroom Frittatas from the new book, "Muffin Tin Chef".

This was a delicious dish that left me smacking grabby hands away in the kitchen so I could photograph them before they were all gone!

Not kidding!

The folks at Ulysses Press sent me a review copy of this book...and I was more than happy to receive it! 

The author, Matt Kadey, is a registered dietitian, freelance nutrition writer, recipe developer and travel write based out of Waterloo, Canada.

Matt knows his stuff. This book is full of creative recipes for making muffin tin cooking fun and delicious.

I love the idea of portion control and I think the portions are great for a take-to-work lunch, quick dinner, small children, senior citizens as well as for every day cooking.

{In fact, I was telling my Mom how these recipes would be great to make for my Grandmother, who lives on her own in a seniors' apartment.}

The broccoli and mushroom frittatas were easy to make...basically chopping some veggies and shredding cheese, mixing with eggs and a few other ingredients and then popping in the oven.

They came out beautifully done and delicious!

So, so good!

My family loved them and by the next day, the frittatas were all gone!

I managed to hide these 2 way back in the fridge so I could have them for lunch the next day!

I highly recommend checking out this book!

The "Echoes of Laughter test kitchen"  has been busy lately...what with making frittatas and mini strawberry pies!

What have you been cooking in your kitchen lately?

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