Cake balls!

Christmas Eve I woke up far too late around 10a, and had to a) make cake balls b) make caramels c) make artichoke dip and d) do last minute Christmas shopping.  All before 3:30pm.  Ugh! 

I started with making cake balls.

 

Now what's inside these festive little treats, you ask? 

CAKE AND FROSTING!!!  And the best cake and frosting you've ever had, at that.

Bakerella is famous for her cake pops, but I actually learned how to make them from Crave. Indulge. Satisfy.  The best part about this recipe is that you can use any cake recipe and any frosting recipe you'd like.  Naturally I chose my favorite:  Iowa chocolate cake with buttercream frosting.  I request to have it on my birthday every year.

There are many steps in creating the perfect cake ball/pop:

1.  You must first bake your cake.

2.  Then make your frosting.

3.  Once the cake has cooled, cut it in to chunks.  In to a food processor they go to create fine crumbs.

4.  Mix the frosting with the crumbs, and roll the mixture in to small balls.

5.  Dip each ball in to melted white chocolate and sprinkle.

WHEW!!!  That is a lot of steps!

Now I will walk you through each step more in depth.

To bake Iowa Chocolate Cake (aka The Best Chocolate Cake Ever), you will need:

3/4 C butter

2 C sugar

1 1/2 C boiling water

2 C flour

2 t baking soda

1/2 t salt

1/2 C cocoa

2 eggs

1 t vanilla

Preheat oven to 350.  Spray a 9 x 13 in pan with Pam.  You can also use two 8 x 8 in pans, which is what I did.  Beat first three ingredients in a large mixing bowl.

Add dry ingredients to hot mixture and mix well.

Beat in eggs and vanilla.  The batter will be very runny.

Pour the batter in to your pan or pans.

Start baking 20-30 minutes and bake more as needed.  I usually never set a timer, because ovens are always different.  I just watch it closely.

While the cake is baking, make your frosting!  Click here for the recipe.  I've included the recipe in my (jumbo) Cupcakes! post.

Once the cake is done baking and has cooled, cut half of the cake in to chunks and transfer to a food processor.  Pulse until cake has turned to fine crumbs, and transfer crumbs to a large mixing bowl.  Repeat with other half of cake.

Speaking of food processors,  never in my life have I used a food processor, and I have used one at least four times in the last two weeks.  They are fantastic!

Now add your frosting to the crumbs and mix well.  This may be a bit hard, but continue to mix until all crumbs are thoroughly saturated with frosting.

The mixture should now be sticky enough to roll in to balls.  Place each ball on a wax paper-covered cookie sheet.

Once all balls are rolled, melt your white chocolate chips.  You will need between two and three bags, but I  melted each bag one at a time.  So melt your first bag in the microwave.

Start with two minutes in the microwave at 70% power so as not to burn your chips.  Remove the bowl every 30 seconds or so to stir.  Add more time as needed, always at 70% power, until chips are fully melted.

With a spoon, dip a cake ball in to the melted white chocolate and cover completely.  Remove and place back on the cookie sheet.  Sprinkle before the chocolate hardens.  The first few times may be a it tricky, and extra white chocolate all over the place, but you will catch on quickly, and they will turn out beautiful!  Like this!

And how did they taste?

"Death by baking." - Aunt Chelle

That pretty much sums it up.

Cheers,

Katie