Cake Pops

By Bakerella, Chronicle Books, £15.99

Another trend from the US, following in the wake of cupcakes and whoopie pies, is the cake pop. First making its presence felt in upmarket department stores in the UK in 2010, these decorated cake balls on a stick are tipped as a trend to break through in 2011.

Blogger Bakerella, aka Angie Dudley, created waves Stateside when she invented cake pops, garnering a heap of national media coverage. This, her first book, offers a masterclass in how to make them, with tips and a useful list of flavour combinations.

These US-derived recipes are written in ounces, not grams, but there’s enough creative inspiration here to warrant a purchase. A particular strength is the seasonal focus, from Valentine’s Day and Halloween to events such as sports, weddings and graduation.