It seems as though cake pops are making their appearance everywhere. With a soft and chewy inside and a frosting-like coating on the outside, they are hard to resist.

Local coffee shops sell cake pops or basic cake pops sell for as much as $24 a dozen online.

Amazon has a half dozen recipe books featuring cake pop recipes. Cake pop “kits” are also available from Amazon.

These little confections, however, are easy to make and all the materials are available in the O’Fallon/St. Peter’s area. With a little practice and imagination, you can elevate the basic cake pop into a work of art.

Purchasing an already baked chocolate loaf cake at the Dierbergs or Wal-Mart bakery cuts prep time by several hours. If you choose to make your own cake, make certain the cake is completely cooled before proceeding.

My Son’s Cake & Candy Supply sells lollipop sticks as well as candy coating. You can use easy melt candy coating in place of chocolate chips for covering the cake balls. That, however, makes a “crispier” coating that has a tendency to break when you bite into the cake pop. For that reason, I prefer chocolate chips or Dove Chocolate Discoveries Chef Series Chocolate for coating the cake.

The following recipe is one of the easiest to make, using name brand prepared frosting from any Dierbergs store. Other recipes also suggest using a Styrofoam base to dry the pops upright, which makes decorating easier. For the basic pop recipe and less intricate decorating, dipping in sprinkles and drying on a waxed paper lined sheet produces fine results, also.

If you choose to dry the cake pops upright, any floral foam will work. Just poke the stick end of the pop into the foam base. Drizzle melted chocolate in a contrasting color over the cake pops for an elegant effect, or decorate with add-ons of your choice while the chocolate coating is still wet.

Easy Chocolate Cake Pops

Makes 24

• 16 ounces prepared chocolate cake
• 8 ounces prepared chocolate frosting
• 8 ounces chocolate chips, white, milk or dark
• 24 sucker sticks
• Assorted sprinkles, chopped nuts, toasted coconut for decorating

Line a large cookie sheet with waxed paper or parchment paper.

In a large mixing bowl, tear cake into small pieces. Add 8 ounces prepared frosting. Mix well with hands until all the frosting is incorporated and mixture is smooth.

Roll the cake mixture into 24 balls, about 1” diameter and place on the waxed paper lined sheet. Refrigerate for one hour.

Melt ½ ounce of the chocolate chips in a bowl large enough to accommodate the remaining chocolate in the next step. Dip the end of each lollipop stick (about ¼”) into the chocolate and insert deeply into each cake ball. Refrigerate the cake balls again until the chocolate is firm and sticks are secure.

Meanwhile, melt the remaining chocolate. Dip each cake ball first into the melted chocolate, swirling to coat, then into whatever sprinkles, garnish or décor you wish.

Place each cake pop on the wax paper-lined cookie sheet to dry. When all cake pops have been dipped, place the tray in the refrigerator for at least two hours to chill completely.