Brushing Up On Cake Balls (Long)
Decorating By camouflagegirl Updated 11 May 2007 , 3:39am by Breezy522
I have never made cake balls, but am going to make them this weekend to bring to two Easter gatherings and another batch for two cousin's birthdays, being celebrated on Easter.
I've been researching them a lot, and I think I'm going to choose to use frosting instead of coffee creamer. Is there a certain reason most of you use the creamer, or is it just a taste preference?
Also, I'm not sure I want to do chocolate cake, chocolate frosting, and then dipped chocolate. Seems like too much chocolate to me, and plus I feel like that wouldn't showcase my talent. I was thinking of doing a batch of carrot cake, since I have a carrot cake mix and cream cheese frosting, but what would I dip them in? White chocolate, maybe? I need some other combinations, and I would like to stay away from the all chocolate ones.
Do you make the box mixes the same as the recipe, or do you add the extra egg and pudding mix, like you would for a normal cake?
Does anyone have pictures of what they look like when you bite into them?
Does Wal-Mart sell Luster Dust? Do I apply it after the dipped chocolate hardens? What makes the dust cling to the balls?
I'm new and have been reading lots of old posts but haven't seen anything on cake balls what are they??
http://www.cakecentral.com/article67-How-To-Make-Cake-Balls.html
oh, and welcome to the family!
camouflagegirl, sorry i can't help, i've never made them, but here's a bump.
Luster Dust is not sold in Wal-Mart. you have to get it from a cake decorating shop.
White chocolate is good, but it gets lots of crumbs!(At least mine did!)
I made chocolate cake balls, using peppermint buttercream dipped in chocolate. I also made some using french vanilla cake with banana flavoring added to my vanilla buttercream dipped in milk chocolate. The carrot cake idea sounds very good.
You can use any cake as far as I know.
Sorry I do not have pictures.
http://www.cakecentral.com/article67-How-To-Make-Cake-Balls.html
oh, and welcome to the family!
camouflagegirl, sorry i can't help, i've never made them, but here's a bump.
I was wondering the same thing, thanks for the link. I made these in a "Petit Four" class I took, we basically took all the left over pieces after cutting out the shapes, added buttercream until the texture was right about 1/3 BC to 2/3 cake crumbs.
Then we froze it and cut more "Petit Fours" well these little cake balls would be much easier.
So you could Frost or Glaze or Chocolate Dip or even use a Deep Enough Chocolate mold, get your bottom (top) layer in, fill it up with the "cake ball" mix and then top them off with more chocolate and voila!
For the Carrot cake, cream cheese BC, either you cover them in white chocolate wafers or you could also use a "petit four" icing recipe and glaze them. White, then you could make tiny little carrots on top, they would be so sweet.
If you need the glaze recipe, let me know I will dig it up.
Once you get Luster Dust, you can simply mix a bit with a few drops of some alcohol and then use a brush to brush it on lightly or cover if you need to, the alcohol will evaporate really fast, it works great.
Good Luck.
I've made carrot cake-cake balls. I used cream cheese icing instead of coffee creamer. I then dipped them in milk chocolate and dark chocolate. They were yummy! You can also use white chocolate or almond bark to dip them in if you don't want "chocolate". I think it's really easy to use candy melts and they come in vanilla and all different colors to match the holiday or decor or whatever.
As far as how to make the cake, just make it as you usually would. Remember that these cake balls were originally intended to use up cake scraps so however you make the cake will be fine. My carrot cake starts with a mix but I add in raisins, pecans, chopped carrots so it actually has some texture to it. But the cake balls still came out great.
As for pictures after you bite into them...sorry but no pictures. But they just look kind of look like truffles. Actually, I don't call mine Cake Balls, I call them Cake Truffles.
Can't answer your question about applying luster dust since I've never used it for cake balls.
Good luck and please post your results when you've made them.
Yvette
camouflagegirl :
Here are the ones I did at Christmas for coworker gifts. Previous to the holiday gifts, I had made six dozen for a Halloween potluck and they disappeared before 10:00 A.M.!!!!!!!!! http://www.cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=coppermine&file=displayimage&meta=allby&uname=tiptop57&cat=0&pos=7
Everyone loves chocolate. I use very little cream and food flavoring in my chocolate such as mint and then decorate with a green swirl on top, raspberry with a pink mark on top, toffee is always a hit and of course plain chocolate.
As for luster dust, you won't find it at Walmart and I have not seen it at Michaels, you need to go to fine cake supply store or online or right here at CC they have great pricing and fast shipping.
If you do end up using luster dust, do not mix it with alcohol if you are putting it on chocolate...just brush it on dry with a blush type brush.
I love cake truffles with buttercream-not the creamer. I will sometimes add just a little creamer or a flavored liquer for a little extra flavor, but not too much. I prefer them a little more dry. My husband loves the chocolate, fudge buttercream, dipped in dark chocolate. YUK. 
I think I would cover carrot and cream cheese with white melts..or make them pastel for Easter. I make my cake balls, let sit on the counter for about 30 minutes so they form a little bit of a crust on the outside, then dip OR I put them in the fridge for about 30 minutes. I do not have any problems with them this way. I tried to put them in the freezer first, but the chocolate cracks and little cake truffle fingers poke out.
Have fun!
I don't use frosting or creamer. When I take my cakes out of oven I brush with simple syrup (equal parts sugar and water) and what ever flavoring I have on hand. This leaves my scraps moist enough so all I have to do is compress them into balls. I then use candy melts to dip in. My family loves them with the milk chocolate. I sometimes add nuts or crushed candy to cake before rolling into balls. I've also sprinkled crushed up heath bars on top. The texture of my cake balls is sort of like a brownie.
working on 9 dozen right now....I use just enough French Vanilla coffee creamer to make them form a ball. If your looking to get away from choc. I have done carrot cake with pumpkin spice creamer and dipped in vanilla--yum White cake in vanilla caramel cake with caramel ice cream topper as the binder and dipped in peanutbutter melts. The possibilities are endless.
I made cake balls with pound cake, cream cheese frosting, hazlenut syrup and dipped 1/2 the batch in milk chocolate and the other half in white chocolate which I made pink. I then drizzled the pink white chocolate over the milk chocolate cake balls and the milk chocolate over the pink cake balls (pic is in my gallery). Everyone absolutely loved them. My only problem was that I didn't make enough!!
The great thing about cake balls is that you can use anything you like from frosting to jam to creamers and syrups. Wherever your imagination takes you!! 
Just put in what you like and they will taste great! 
Let us know how you go.
working on 9 dozen right now....I use just enough French Vanilla coffee creamer to make them form a ball. If your looking to get away from choc. I have done carrot cake with pumpkin spice creamer and dipped in vanilla--yum White cake in vanilla caramel cake with caramel ice cream topper as the binder and dipped in peanutbutter melts. The possibilities are endless.
Did you use dry creamer or liquid?
I'm thinking about making cake balls shaped like eggs and covering them with MMF and then decorating with MMF cutouts and R.I.
I also want to put a yellow center inside so when they are bit into it will look like a yolk (not runny necessarily). My delimma is what to use for the yolk. Any suggestions???????????????
All of the cake balls I have made I have used buttercream. I used white cake with buttercream, and dipped them in the wilton candy melts. I also made oreo cake balls, adding crushed oreos to the cake and dipping them in chocolate. This was WAY too much chocolate, so I dipped them in the white candy melts and it was much better! Also, i always use whatever color leftover buttercream I have in the fridge, so I suggest that you just use yellow buttercream and it will turn the inside yellow! good luck!
I use the powdered creamer that way I always have it on hand and only mix up the amount I want. I was wasting to much creamer since no one in my family drinks coffee.
for the yellow centers--I have made crusting cream cheese icing and froze little balls of it, wrapped carrot cake cake ball mix around it and dipped in white choc. yummy. That would work of you tinted the cream cheese yellow.
Ifor the yellow centers--I have made crusting cream cheese icing and froze little balls of it, wrapped carrot cake cake ball mix around it and dipped in white choc. yummy. That would work of you tinted the cream cheese yellow.
Thanks, that's a great idea.
Okay, so I'm in the process of baking my cakes, and have a few questions.
Do I let my cake completely cool before I start to crumble it, or do I do it while it's still somewhat warm?
I'm going to use canned frosting, so do I use the entire can of it, or how much?
Do I put the mixture into the refrigerator, or do I make the balls first and then pop them into the frig?
Doesn't matter when you crumble your cake. I usually do it when warm because it cools faster. I use coffee creamer as the binder so I am not sure about the amount of icing to use. My guess would be just enough to make them stick together. And I freeze them before diping in choc. because it makes the dipping easier.
Hi Gateaux,
Sorry about the spelling. WOuld you mind sharing that petit four glaze you mentioned? Also, how do you guys dip your cake balls in candy melts? I've tried a couple of times, but I can't get them covered smoothly. I wanted to try thinning it so I could pour it, what can I use to thin candy melts?
I use either Crisco or a few drops of veg. oil to thin my candy melts.
Also Stephanie gave me a good idea I will pass along. I put a toothpick in my cakeball, Dip, shake off the excess, and put the toothpick through a elevated cooling rack. That way the whole from the toothpick is on the bottom. You can't have a lot of excess candy along the bottom though because they will stick to the rack.
I LOVE CAKEBALLS!! They were a huge hit this weekend for my family. I used espresso, the thing is you only need like a shot or 2 tablespoons of liquid. My friend made them and they were too mushy, I think she added to much liquid. But man oh man are they delicious!! I dipped mine in milk chocolate. WOW 
Anyone have any ideas for a yellow cake? What flavor icing, and chocolate or vanilla coating?
I just bought chocolate powered coffee creamer, and I'm going to buy a chocolate cake mix tomorrow. How do I add it in, after the cake is baked? I want to use that instead of frosting. Is that possible?
How many balls to you usually get from one cake mix?
camouflagegirl
I just made a purse cake the other day with white cake strawberry filling and dreamy buttercream. Well to make a long story short, my damn didnt hold the filling and it started to ooze then the whole thing fell over 
. I made cake balls (it was 2 mixes I could not waste it) and they were a huge hit. I have also used yellow cake with nutella and dreamy bc icing from left over cake. Again a huge it. I didnt even try with creamer. Hope this helps out.
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