Cake ball redemption is mine – muwahaha!
So earlier this week I tried making one of those peekaboo pound cakes. You know, a pound cake that reveals a fun, holiday-themed shape in the center when you slice into it? The directions in the recipe were clear, but the execution was flawed. Horribly, wretchedly flawed.
Instead of slicing into a moist and luscious cream cheese pound cake to reveal a red velvet cake-flavored, Christmas tree-shape inside, I sawed into a burnt brick to find a maroon-colored blob in the center. FAIL.
The upside to my baking disaster? I had almost an entire red velvet cake leftover to make Red Velvet Cake Balls with!
Now, the last batch of cake balls I tried to make was also an epic failure (stay with me.) First of all, I baked them on a nauseatingly hot August afternoon, used way too much icing to hold the cake balls together, and covered them with a thin, powdered sugar glaze instead of a snappy chocolate shell. It was literally a hot mess, and my cake balls ended up looking more like Swedish Meatballs then fluffy balls of cake love.
Well, I learned from my mistakes, and am now prepared to show you a fool-proof way to make fun, holiday-friendly cake balls from start to finish. Let’s do this!
Start with 1 box red velvet cake mix. You could certainly make your cake from scratch, but I have a soft-spot in my heart for boxed cake mixes. They are so moist and fluffy. PS: Duff Goldman has a new cake mix line! I was THIS CLOSE to buying his Red Velvet, but it was like, $2 more, and my inner cheapskate won out.
Anyways, bake the cake according to package directions, then, when it’s completely cool, crumble the cake into a very large bowl. This will feel wrong – oh. so. wrong. – but the final product will be right – oh. so. right.
Next, make a cream cheese frosting which will act like glue to hold the cake crumbles together. You could also buy this pre-made, but frosting is one thing I always make from scratch. It’s easy! Just cream together 1/4 cup softened butter with 4oz 1/3-less fat cream cheese until smooth. Beat in 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, then 1 cup powdered sugar.
Add half of the icing to the cake crumbles then incorporate it with a spatula or your hands. Add more icing until the cake crumbles just come together to form a smooth NOT TOO STICKY paste.
One of my biggest downfalls last time I made cake balls was that I used WAY too much icing – like an entire container’s worth – which made the cake soggy and way too hard to roll.
K! Using a Tablespoon-sized cookie scoop, scoop the cake into balls, then roll the balls between your hands (twss.) Place them on a wax paper-lined baking sheet then stick ’em in the fridge for 1-2 hours to firm up.
Once the cake balls are firm, pull ’em out and melt their yummy chocolate coating. In addition to having issues with peekaboo pound cake and cake balls, it has been well documented on this blog that I have serious problems melting chocolate. IT NEVER WORKS. Until I found Baker’s baking chocolate! This stuff melts perfectly in the microwave and stays silky smooth for a long time after warming.
For the cake balls, microwave 16oz Baker’s semi-sweet baking chocolate in 30 second increments, stirring between increments, until smooth.
Use two forks to dip each cake ball in the melted chocolate. Pass the cake ball from fork to fork once or twice, then place back on the wax paper. It may take one or two balls to get this right, but you will get the hang of it. Bonus: If things get messy, you can just lick it up! ;)
After all the balls have been dipped, melt 6oz Baker’s white chocolate to drizzle on top. This is totally optional, but I think it adds a little somethin’ somthin’. Follow the same melting instructions as the semi-sweet chocolate, then use a small spoon to drizzle the melted chocolate over the cake balls.
Finally, for a little extra holiday cheer, dust with colored sprinkles on top!
Refrigerate the cake balls until the chocolate has hardened, then you are ready to ROCK!
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Red Velvet Cake Balls
Description
Red Velvet Cake Balls hide a sweet and festive scarlet treat inside! This easy dessert recipe is perfect for the holidays.
Ingredients
- 1 box red velvet cake mix (plus ingredients required on back of box)
- 16oz Baker's Semi-Sweet Chocolate
- 6oz Baker's White Chocolate
- colored sprinkles (optional)
- For the cream cheese frosting (could use store-bought):
- 1/4 cup butter, softened to room temperature
- 4oz 1/3-less fat cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 cup powdered sugar
Directions
- Bake red velvet cake according to package directions. Let cool completely then crumble into a very large bowl. In a separate large bowl, cream together butter and cream cheese until smooth. Add vanilla then beat until combined. Add powdered sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, then beat until combined. Incorporate half the cream cheese frosting into the cake crumbles, then add more frosting until the cake crumbles just come together. Scoop by the Tablespoon then roll into balls and place on a wax-paper lined baking sheet. Repeat with remaining cake then refrigerate for 1-2 hours.
- Melt semi-sweet chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl in 30 second increments, stirring between increments, until smooth. Dip cake balls in chocolate using two forks, then place back on wax paper. Melt white chocolate in 20 second increments, stirring between increments, then use a spoon to drizzle over cake balls. Sprinkle with colored sprinkles, if desired, then refrigerate until chocolate is hardened. Serve cold or at room temperature.
This recipe is courtesy of Iowa Girl Eats, http://iowagirleats.com.
I was practically jumping up and down as I pulled these out of the fridge! I’m so glad I gave cake balls a second chance because, truly, they are not that hard to make, and look like you spent hours crafting ’em. People gobble these UP at holiday parties too!
Red Velvet was also a great redemption flavor choice. That rich, chocolatey flavor, and festive, bright-red color cannot be beat!
Hannah @ CleanEatingVeggieGirl 12.12.2012
Those cake balls look and sound amazing! I actually (surprisingly) just tried red velvet cake for the first time this year….and LOVED it! I am sure it would be no different for these :).
Stephanie 12.12.2012
I’ve been trying to find a good homemade frosting recipe! This is a cream cheese one, which is always good, but do you know of a plain/vanilla recipe that could work on various cakes or a good chocolate one? The cake balls look delicious, by the way!
Kelly T. 12.12.2012
You know, I’ve never attempted cake balls because I’m afraid of using too much frosting. But these just look too darned good not to try!! Great giveaway! Friday is my birthday, so I’m hoping Rafflecopter feels the birthday love :)
Bek @ Crave 12.12.2012
Love the cake balls!
Ashley @ Wishes and Dishes 12.12.2012
Great giveaway! These all look like great cookbooks!
LadySaotome 12.12.2012
Glad the cakeballs worked out though I confess to be highly curious about the fail. Want to see the disaster! Or you should submit to Pinstrosity!
Iowa Girl Eats 12.13.2012
Read it and weep! https://iowagirleats.com/2011/08/12/fall-baking-fail/
Julia 12.12.2012
Wow! These looks delicious and so pretty for the holidays. Great giveaway – thanks for hosting.
Joy 12.12.2012
Seriously – you make me hungry when I read your posts late at night! I want to put a batch in right now! ;-) Thanks for the laughs and a great recipe!
Luciana Davis 12.12.2012
looks so good. I’m making them and taking to work!!!!!!!!
Kim P 12.12.2012
Your cake balls look totally delish! I do a similar adult version of red velvet cake balls. I bake the cake and crumble it like you but what holds it together is about 7-8 oz of Kahlua and about a half cup of unsweetened cocoa. The amount of Kahlua and cocoa can be adjusted to achieve the right consistency depending on the moistness of the cake. I then roll them and dip them in chocolate just like yours. Yum! I liken them to the cake version of jello shots and there are certain friends’ parties to which I am not allowed to show up without the cake balls!
Evelyn 12.12.2012
Thanks for this recipe. Can’t wait to try it!
kim@hungryhealthygirl 12.12.2012
These cake balls look so festive!
pudgyTim 12.12.2012
looks good. i am going to try this.
Beth 12.12.2012
Last year I made red velvet cream cheese centered cookies. Total fail…my cookies were *literally* the size of a plate and they were more like shortbread. I think the oven ate the cream cheese because it was no where in sight!! Oh well…this year will be better with cake balls :)!
Vita @ Juicer Depot 12.12.2012
These look really awesome. I never made cake balls before. These would be perfect for holiday parties.
Kathie 12.12.2012
Yum! Those look delicious. The other day we did similar ones but instead we used Pillsbury’s dark chocolate cake mix and sprinkle them with grated Oreos, but hands down yours look way better.
Christine 12.12.2012
gorgeous cake balls! Success! I used Bakers as well for my cake balls and also for choc covered pretzels, its the best
ShaNae 12.13.2012
I wil have to try pretzels. I make chocolate dipped cranberries for the holidays and Bakers is definately an easy chocolate to use. I have tried the ones you have to temper and epic fail is the only description. Thanks for the idea!
Lisa 12.12.2012
I just love the idea of picking up a bit of sweetness, then have it melt in my mouth.
It doesn’t get any better than Red Velvet cake balls!!
Delia 12.12.2012
I tried to make one of those ‘peekaboo’ caked also (Pumpkin & Cheese Cake) and had the same result :( SAD baking fail indeed. I think the issue was that the two cakes needed different cooking times in reality. I didn’t even try to eat it!
Iowa Girl Eats 12.12.2012
I didn’t underbake my red velvet enough so the “tree” in the center was like hard coal at the end. :/ The whole thing is still sitting on my counter like a brick – you can seriously knock on the bottom and hear a noise, baha! Oh well, all’s well that ends well! ;)
Katie @ Blonde Ambition 12.12.2012
Took a little bit of time to load, like you said, but I’m having trouble getting my entry through. I’ll keep trying!
But ummmm can I just say I LOVE the color of these cake balls. They are so pretty! And so many possibilities for TWSS innuendos, haha.
Iowa Girl Eats 12.12.2012
Hey Katie! Rafflecopter went down for a few minutes, but it’s back up now!
Trust me, I had to use HEAVY twss restraint on this post! ;)
Katie @ Blonde Ambition 12.12.2012
Yep, works now!! Thanks! :)
Julie 12.12.2012
Kristin, you are a naughty girl! :) TWSS comment literally made me LOL!