Some Things I Learned While Making Cake Balls...
Decorating By sun33082 Updated 15 Dec 2006 , 9:15pm by Cookie4
I haven't read many forums on cake balls and maybe you all already know these things, but thought I'd share.
To form the balls, I bought a "self releasing" scoop (didn't know what else to call it) from walmart. It's just a small scoop (a little over an inch in diameter) that when you sqeeze the handle, it releases the mixture. No messy hands and uniform sized cake balls 
Another thing is before I freeze the balls, I put toothpicks in all of them. This made dipping them in chocolate a breeze. Before i did this, I had a lot of problem with pieces of cake getting into the chocolate from trying to roll the ball around in the chocolate with a dipping spoon. After the chocolate sets, the toothpicks come right out and you can cover the small hole with a little chocolate.
And last but not least (and maybe you chocolate experts know this), but i always felt like the chocolate was too thick, but you know what happens when you overheat chocolate when you're trying to melt it, so I looked in one of my cook books about dipping things in chocolate and it said to add 1 Tbs of shortening to every 6oz of chocolate you are going to melt. The chocolate became a lot smoother and also I noticed it set up FAST after I dipped the balls.
When I made my first batch of cake balls last weekend, I swore I'd never make them again because of the trouble I had and the hassel from dipping them. Now I feel like it's actually worth the effort
Jopalis,
Yep that's exactly what i do. You can use your cake scraps, and that's what i did last weekend and brought them to work. Then my boss wanted me to make some for the christmas party, so I just baked a cake mix and went from there.
The nice thing about making it from just baking a cake mix, is I didn't have to worry about if my pan was completely greased, or putting the flower nail in the middle, or how even the cake was, cuz it was just gonna get crumbled up anyway lol Kind of a stress reliever from making all of those "perfect" cakes.
I started baking them for about 10 minutes before dipping and I think it makes the consistency more like a fudge brownie. YUM! I started using a baby spoon to dip, pretty quick and no holes to fill. I just started using the styrofoam plates to put the cake balls on after dipping, no wax paper needed- just saves a step. Then I mark the plates, since I'm usually doing several flavors at one time.
Yum. I've yet to try cake balls, but just tried the Oreo Truffle recipe from CC. OMG! Utterly sinful! Same concept as cake balls, but it's ground oreos and cream cheese. I had a messy time dipping them and will use your suggestion of leaving the toothpick in until set for my next batch. Thanks for the info!!!
If I may add to this -
When using candy melts, it is best to use Paramount Crystals to thin the chocolate. It will not add any shortening flavor to it.
When using real chocolate, it is best to use cocoa butter, about 1 ounce per pound for dark and milk, about 3/4-1/2 ounce for white chocolate.
Theresa
Thanks for those tips. I will be venturing into the world of cake balls next week, and any help that comes along is most gratefully appreciated.
If I may add to this -
When using candy melts, it is best to use Paramount Crystals to thin the chocolate. It will not add any shortening flavor to it.
When using real chocolate, it is best to use cocoa butter, about 1 ounce per pound for dark and milk, about 3/4-1/2 ounce for white chocolate.
Theresa
yes, a tip I picked up from here. After I roll I bake for just under 10 minutes. It allows the chips to melt, and changes the consistency a bit. I didn't care for them before as a few other members have posted. Unfortuantely I fell in LOVE with them baked. My fav is the mint chocolate chip mmmmmmmmm If i freeze them after rolling, I let thaw a litle before baking. You just want to be careful not to bake them too long or the bottoms will start to harden. If you want to experiment a little more with them, try it.
Of course you don't bake the oreo or the peanut butter ones. I read in post that someone uses the non-dairy coffee creamer in the oreo truffles insead of the cream cheese so they don't need to be refridgerated. I'm going to do a batch with the mint truffle creamer next week!
Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that I wasn't using candle melts, I was just using chocolate chips and "premier white" chocolate chips found in the baking isle at walmart.
And I didn't notice a shortening flavor in the chocolate, but it was white chocolate that I did that in and I don't really care for white chocolate. It was redvelvet cake balls and I was horribly worried about red velvet cake pieces being in the white chocolate.
How long do you bake them for? And then, do you dip them in the chocolate afterward?
Thanks -
Theresa
Oh the cake balls I did were just crumbled cake and liquid creamer or icing. So no chocolate chips to melt in the cake balls, but I can see how that would make them tasty. So you freeze them and then bake them and freeze them again before dipping? Or do you dip immediately after baking?
The first time I made cake balls, they were horrid. I think I had too much liquid. I made some more this past weekend with scraps left over from a carved cake. I used the cake with only a little buttercream added. Delicious.
Thank you for the tip about freezing them with the toothpick inserted. I did have some cake crumbs in my chocolate. Great tips. Thank you.
I melt my chocolate in the ceramic candy dipping bowls, perfect consistency. I use chocolate chips or Ghiradelli dipping chocolate. I do add a little paramount crystals of veggie oil when using chips to make it thinner. I love the ghiradelli, perfect consistency every time. I usually bake cakes just for cake balls. I mostly do chocolate cakes and use the coffee freamer in the mix and as a binder. I jsut rried some chocolate coconut cake balls yesterday. I added the creamer as usual, but also added the coconut flakes instead of chocolate chips. I heard they were good, don't like coconut I love making things I'm not tempted to try
I get it from Sams Club. Its under $6 for a 2.5 lb box. I think its a great deal. They have both chocolate and white chocolate. I only use the chocolate chips at times, because I have a ton of them. Sams had the 60 oz bags on clearance for $2.81 
a few months ago.
Thanks for the tip on freezing the cake balls with the toothpick already inside for easy dipping. I wish I had thought about that earlier today. If you are only serving your Cake (Truffle) Balls in papers or on plates take a look at what else you can achieve with these yummie delights!
Love the cake ball trees.
Ghirardelli is the only brand of chocolate I use. I find it's consistency in texture and flavor to be exceptional. It is made here in the US (San Leandro, CA), and their customer service cannot be beaten.
Theresa
Love the cake ball tree!! I'm planning on attempting that for xmas eve and day!!
just a tip I received from the cake store I go to: melt chocolate in double boiler....heat water in lower pan....place chocolate in above pan...place on lower pan...TURN OFF HEAT!!! It takes awhile to melt but I have no problems with my chocolate being to thick (because when the heat is left on...it is still cooking!!).....i usually use the paramount crystals when I melt white chocolate...but not needed when melting chocolate...at least not when I do it this way....JUST THOUGHT I"D SHARE!
OHHHHHHH, all great tips you guys, thanks! I made a whole cake just for cake balls the other day and had so much trouble dipping them. I had cake crumbs all mixed in with the white chocolate, it was not a pretty site. I used Wilton candy melts and hated them! They taste so gross to me, I am hoping to find the Ghirardelli melting chocolate somewhere.
Just wanted to share my "recipe" if you like mint flavor you'll love there...
I used devils food cake, white icing, mint chocolate truffle coffee creamer ( to die for 
) and then I chopped up the mint christmas colored M&M's and added them in. I dipped them in red and white chocolate and when you bite in you see the Red, Green and White M&M pieces, very festive 
Let me ask this: My girlfriend signed us up for a craft sale next Fall and we are to sell the decorated cookies, molded chocolates and cake balls. How much would y'all charge for how many cake balls?
Oh lil sis, you have to find it! It is so good and one of the few I have really flipped over 
It is by International Delight which is always right next to the coffee mate brand. The front of the bottle is a snowman with a green scarf and a blue "hat" which is the lid of the bottle. It is called Chocolate Mint Truffle. I wonder if I can mail it to you 
Good luck finding it
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