Cake Balls

My cousin and me before the
badger football game against Nebraska.

Before driving to our grandma's for Thanksgiving, my cousin, Addison, and I made cake balls. He wanted to learn how to make them and conveniently he goes to Madison, too. He came over to my apartment and the baking began. All you need is a cake mix, frosting, and confectioner's chocolate. Not only are there a small amount of ingredients (only 3!), the instructions are easy to follow. Be warned though, it can be a messy process. Addison was pretty surprised how messy you have to get when you mash the cake, add the frosting, and dip the cake in melted chocolate. None the less, he thought they were fun to make.
Plus, our family thought they were delicious! Even with stuffed bellies of turkey, potatoes, rolls, and snickerdoodle salad, we all made room for the cake balls.
One note I want to add, this cake ball recipe can be adapted to your taste. I used a yellow cake mix, chocolate frosting, and dark chocolate this time. However, feel free to use any kind of combination of cake mix, frosting, and confectioner's chocolate. I'm going to make these again for Christmas and I'm going to use two vanilla cakes, chocolate and vanilla frosting, and dark and white confectioner's chocolate. Plus, I'm going to add red and green sprinkles to decorate them!

Cake Balls

recipe from my fellow blogger, Emily

Ingredients

1 cake mix 

1 can of frosting                               

about 2 pounds confectioner's chocolate

Directions

1. Make the cake as instructed on the box. Allow cake to cool for at least 30 minutes

2. Using clean hands, mash the cake into granular pieces and place in a large bowl

3. Add the can of frosting and mix throughly. I find it is easiest to use your hands here, although you get pretty messy

4. Grab small portions of the cake frosting mixture and roll into balls. Place on wax or parchment paper that is on a cookie sheet. How many that you can make will depend on the size of the cake balls. Addison and I made about two and a half dozen.

*Helpful note: Clean your hands often with water and/or a paper towel because with messy hands, the cake/frosting mixture tends to stick to them and it becomes hard to roll them in nice balls.

5. Freeze/chill the cookie sheet of cake balls for approximately 15 to 20 minutes. This will make it much easier to dip in the melted confectioner's chocolate.

6. Melt the confectioner's chocolate on 50% power in the microwave for about 2 minutes, make sure to stir every 30 seconds.

7. With clean hands (again) dip the cake balls in the confectioner's chocolate and place back on the wax/parchment paper covered cookie sheet. 

*Make sure the cake balls are completely covered. Dip a finger in the melted chocolate and place over any exposed spots on the recently dipped cake ball if you see any cake not covered by chocolate.

8. Allow chocolate on the cake balls to harden by leaving on them on the countertop or placing back in the freezer or refrigerator. 

9. Enjoy once hardened or store in an air tight container on the counter top (or freezer - they're just as good cold!). 

Little update, here are my cake balls from Christmas: