Directions

1. Pre-heat the oven to 180°C / Fan 160°C. Grease and line the base and sides of a 20cm (8 inch) cake square tin with greaseproof paper. Make sure the paper sticks out 2.5cm (about an inch) above the rim of the tin.

2. Place the vanilla sponge mix, butter (or dairy free alternative), eggs and water into a large bowl. Beat together with an electric whisk for 15 seconds. Stop, scrape down the bowl and mix for a further 10 seconds. Pour into the baking tray and bake in the oven for approximately 18-20 minutes until risen and springy to the touch. Leave to cool in the tin for 3 minutes before lifting out and leaving to cool completely.

3. Cream the butter (or dairy free alternative) until light and fluffy, then add the icing sugar and milk or almond milk. Crumble the cooked cake from step 2 into a large bowl and add the buttercream. Mix until evenly blended then using the palm of your hands roll enough of the cake mixture to make a 2.5 cm ball. Place on a lined baking tray and repeat until all the mixture has been shaped. Chill in the fridge for at least 20 minutes.

4. Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over simmering water and dip the end of a lollipop stick in. Then, stick the cake ball on the end of the dipped stick and, once secured, dip the ball in the melted chocolate. Repeat with each cake pop. Leave to set by standing up in a pierced polystyrene cube or something similar in the fridge.

5. To make the caramel, melt the sugar, syrup and butter (or dairy free alternative) in a pan over a gentle heat. Stir every few minutes then add the vanilla extract and cream or soya cream. Turn up the heat slightly and watch the mixture begin to thicken and turn a rich golden colour (approximately 10 minutes). Add the sea salt, stir then remove from the heat to cool. This can be made in advance and briefly warmed so that it is still thick enough to wind round each cake pop with a fork.