Let me start by saying that the junior high boy in me chuckles a bit every time I hear the words cake balls. Come on, you gotta be thinking it to.
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I'm not a Christmas baker. I'm not a Christmas candy maker.
As a rule, I'm not all that crafty. I do own a glue gun, but any craft or baking project usually leaves me with a burnt thumb.
When I heard about cake balls I thought it was something that I could actually do.
The possibilities are as endless as the varieties of cake mix and icing at the grocery store.
Today, we are making red velvet cake balls.
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Start with a red velvet cake mix.
(Now if you are one of those people that don't believe in cake mixes and think that your
from scratch cakes are better than any mix could ever be, this post is probably not for you.
I'm sure you are too busy with your icing bag and rose tips decorating up some beautiful Christmas cookies to read this anyway.)
Follow the directions on the box and bake the cake.
When cake is finished, let it cool.
When the cake is cool remove part of the cake and begin to crumble it in a bowl.
Continue until entire cake is crumbled.
I know I used a red bowl for my red cake, but it's my pretty new longaberger bowl that I just love.
Once cake is crumbled get out your icing.
Since this is red velvet, I'm using cream cheese icing.
Remember in Steel Magnolias when the had the armadillo groom's cake at the wedding?
They cut into it and it was blood red.
Good movie. I laughed, I cried.
I digress......
Add icing to crumbled cake a little at a time and mix.
Continue doing so until entire container of icing is added and
cake and icing are completely mixed together.
Here is where you've got a choice to make.
At this point it may not look the best, but you know it would be really good to just eat it.
Maybe you've had a hard day or the Biggest Loser is on (I know it is over, but I always found myself eating something really bad while watching that show).
If you do choose to just eat it now, I'm sure not judging. I'm fairly certain you have earned it.
Enjoy! If you decide to move on in the cake ball process, follow me.
This is where it gets a little messy.
You gotta use your hands.
Take a small amount of the cake mixture and form it into a ball.
I made mine a little too large and will rectify that the next batch.
Live and learn.
Think tootsie roll pop size (I hate the brown ones).
Put the formed balls onto a wax paper covered cookie sheet.
I decided to make mine into cake pops so I inserted a sucker stick.
I got the sticks at Wal-Mart.
After you have moved all of your frozen crap around, put the cookie sheets into the freezer.
I let mine freeze for a few hours, I think an hour or two would have been plenty.
They don't have to be frozen solid, they are just easier to work with out of the freezer.
When your cake balls have spent enough time in the freezer get them out.
Take an entire package of white almond bark (why is it called that?) and melt it according to package direction. I don't own a double boiler so I just used the microwave. It worked fine.
You've worked pretty hard so you may want to reward yourself with a little taste of
the almond bark. It's good eh?
Now, take the cake balls and dip them in the almond bark.
This is a trial and error process.
I dipped some and spooned the almond bark over others.
Whatever works for you.
Since I am currently in the running for mother of the year, I let Jack help.
After that fiasco I'm out of the running.
If you want to put sprinkles on them like we did, make sure you do it
immediately after
they are dipped in the chocolate.
The finished product.
Stored in an air tight container and put in the frig they should keep for a couple of weeks.
ENJOY!!!!!!!
