Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C or gas mark 4
2. Line a 12 hole muffin tin with paper cases
3. Put the butter and sugar into a bowl and mix until light and creamy
4. Beat in the eggs a little at a time
5. Fold in the flour and cocoa
6. Put even amounts of the mixture into the cases
7. Bake for 10 -15 minutes or until you can insert a skewer and it comes out clean
8. Take out of the tins and leave to completely cool. Leave the cakes overnight in the fridge before adding the buttercream (frosting)

For the frosting:

1. Put the softened butter in a bowl and whisk, slowly add the icing sugar
2. Add the milk and vanilla extract then whisk until light and fluffy

Making the Cake Pops:

1. Remove the cakes from the fridge and crumble into a bowl so it has the appearance of breadcrumbs, then mix in some of the frosting until the mixture can be formed into small balls
2. Make balls of the mixture by rolling between your hands and place onto a baking tray. These need to be placed in a fridge to set for about 30 minutes
3. While the cake pops are setting, melt the milk and white chocolate in separate bowls over a pan of just simmering water
4. Once the cake pops have set, dip a pop stick into the chocolate and insert into a cake pop
5. Once all the sticks are in, dip each of the cake pops into the melted chocolate, and leave to set!
6. Once you have made your cake pops, melt some black candy buttons and dip each cake pop to cover completely, then stand them on greaseproof paper.
7. As the candy starts to harden, cover each one in black sparkling sugar crystals and insert two silver dragees balls on one side as the eyes
8. Once the cake pops are completely dry, use a cocktail stick to poke holes in the cake pops for the legs. Then cut your liquorice boot laces down to size and insert into your cake pops as the spiders legs

This recipe can be adapted to create a variety of spooky cake pops to celebrate Halloween!