Chocolate bubble v chocolate rice crispy cakes

When it comes to children's birthday parties, there are some foods that it's just essential to have, and chocolate rice crispy cakes are, to my mind, one of those food.  Over here in New Zealand they are generally known as chocolate bubble cakes, in part because rice crispies go by a different name, but are they the same? What are the differences between chocolate bubble and chocolate rice crispy cakes?

Chocolate bubble cakes

I was amazed to discover that a recipe for chocolate bubble cakes appears in that Kiwi classic (and essential cookbook in any New Zealand kitchen) the Edmond's cookbook.  How could, possibly the easiest 'cake' to make in the world need a recipe, and then I looked a bit closer.  It needed a recipe because, these were different, rather than two very simple ingredients this one calls for vegetable shortening, coconut, icing sugar an cocoa along with the obvious breakfast cereal.  There isn't a great deal more to do, than when you make rice crispy cakes, but I still don't really get why you would need to make a 'fake' chocolate when you can use the real thing.  The first party I threw over here for one of the children featured chocolate bubble cakes, (not made by me) and I have to say I found them a little sickly for my taste.

Chocolate rice crispy cakes

Now I don't want to sour Kiwi and UK relations by suggesting that my version is better..... but they are what I (and my children) prefer.  So, here's the recipe: you get some chocolate, melt it and stir in the rice crispies.  When it's all mixed in, spoon into cake cases an let it cool. And that's it.  There are slightly posher versions, using a mars bar instead of chocolate for example (or perhaps a moro bar over here?) You can also use cornflakes or shredded wheat.  We used to make little nests out of shredded wheat and then put mini eggs into them at Easter.  I don't think you can get that over here though, but cornflakes would probably do.

So there you have it chocolate bubble cakes v chocolate rice crispy cakes, there's not a huge difference, and it's probably mostly down to personal taste, but it's rice crispy cakes all the way for me.