Serves: Makes 30 – 40 cake pops depending on size of cookie cutter

Ingredients

• 125g coconut oil
• 1/2 cup (115g) raw caster sugar
• 2 free range eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 ripe bananas, mashed
• 1 cup (150g) wholemeal self-raising flour
• 2 tbsp cocoa

To make the cake pops

• Round cookie or scone cutter, 3-4mm in diameter
• 200g milk or dark cooking chocolate
• 1 cup rainbow sprinkles
• 40 cake pop sticks (these are readily available online or from cooking stores)

Method

Preheat oven to 180C (160C fan-forced). Grease and line a 23cm loaf tin with baking paper and set aside.

Using an electric beater, cream coconut oil and sugar together until pale and well combined. Then beat in eggs one at a time.

Add vanilla extract and mashed bananas and beat through well.

Fold in the flour and then transfer batter into the loaf tin, but reserve about one fifth of the batter.

Mix the cocoa through this reserved batter, then dollop it on top of the batter in the loaf tin. Use a knife to gently swirl the cocoa batter through the plain batter. 3-4 long swirling motions will be sufficient. This will create a marble effect once cooked.

Bake for 45 minutes or until cooked through. Wait 5 minutes, then turn the cake out onto a wire rack. Set aside to cool for 15 minutes and then wrap the cake in a tea towel and pop into the fridge to chill for 30 minutes or until cold to the touch. Chilling the cake makes it easier to cut.

Line a large cookie tray with baking paper and set aside.

Remove the cake from the fridge, gently trim all of the edges, then carefully slice lengthways into 4 long equal slices. Using the cookie cutter, gently press as many round discs as you can out of all 4 lengths of banana bread. Set aside.

Break the chocolate into squares and place in a microwave safe bowl, heat gently in 30 second intervals, stirring each time, until chocolate is melted and smooth. Set aside to thicken slightly for 2-3 minutes.

Place the spinkles in a separate bowl.

Gently insert a popsicle stick into each disc and dip into the melted chocolate, then hold over the bowl to allow excess chocolate to drip.

Then roll each chocolate covered disc into sprinkles to coat and transfer to the lined cookie tray.

Refrigerate for 1 hour or until chocolate is set.

Notes

• You can use smarties or dessicated coconut to decorate these cake pops, if you prefer.
• Use an old egg carton to create a cool cake pop stand. Simply turn the carton upside down and use a cake skewer to pierce holes in the carton. Then poke your cake pops through the holes and display with pride!
• For added wow-factor, individually wrap each cake pop in cellophane and tie with a curling ribbon.
• This recipe was create by Katie Rainbird for Kidspot. You can follow Katie at Katie180.