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29 July 2012

Red Velvet Cake Balls



This is weird: sometimes I updated my blog. This time when I was doing some small updates (ie. making my pictures larger), I noticed that this post disappeared and became the same as the post for another recipe. It freaked me out and upset me. See this blog- was not my attempt to reach stardom :) but really (1) a way for me to share recipes with my sister and stay close but (2) a little diary for me to look back on one day. I know the second sounds weird but it really is. I always write a little blurb about the day or week when I post. And when this post disappeared, I lost that genuine recall of that day. Well, when I get bummed, I take a nap.

So now that I am done with my nap- I came to the realization that I can capture this moment and day- and that is not so bad. And then I was happy again :) What I can I remember from this day- well I know I made these cake balls for the Dog Park BBQ get together that we have every once in awhile along with the Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Cheesecake and a little after I had made the Carrot Cake Balls for my grandfather-in-law's 80th birthday party.

Well- after making the cake balls last time- which was a trial and error for sure- I decided to make them again, this time Red Velvet- because who does not love red velvet and who does not love cream cheese frosting- that is right...no one :) hahahaha....This time the cake ball making experiencing went much more smoothly. The chocolate coating went on well and I am was quite proud of myself with how the decorations turned out. From what the party-goers told me- this was a hit. In fact, if I can mildly toot my own horn- they said I was better than professional cake balls they have tried .... oh yea! Definitely want to continue making cake balls to get better and I, hopefully, can one day reach Bakeralla status. That would be the day!







RED VELVET CAKE BALLS

INGREDIENTS

Preheat oven to 350F degrees
1 box of red velvet cake mix (Betty Crocker)
1 1/3 c. water
3 eggs
1/3 c. vegetable oil 
1 container of cream cheese frosting (Betty Cocker)
8 oz. of chocolate candymelts or chocolate bark
3 oz. bag of pink candymelts
1-2 tsp. vegetable oil
DIRECTIONS

 Make cake according to package instructions. Let cake cool completely (I usually cool over night). Once cooled, cut the edges off the cake (as well as top and bottom layers of the cake--the crusty part). In a large bowl using a food processor or your hands, crumble the cake into fine bits (I use my hands). Add about 1/2 of the cream cheese frosting. Mix well. If too dry add a tablesppon of frosting at a time. You do not want it too moist because the cake ball will fall apart. Roll into 1 1/2 inch round balls. Place in refrigerator until chilled, at least 30 minutes.

In the meantime, melt either chocolate bark or candy melt according to package directions. This is my secret, once the chocolate is melted I stir in the vegetable oil. This makes the chocolate have a smoother and shinier coating :)

Now, I am going to tell you how I get perfectly dipped cake balls but if you have your own method that works-- you are more than welcome to do it that way -- this is just whats worked best for me. Once chocolate has melted, take the cake balls and while holding the top half, dip the bottom half into the chocolate, then dip a cake pop stick into the chocolate (about 1/2 inch) and push into the center of the cake ball until about, no more, than half way through. Let cool. This will make it much easier to dip the rest of the cake ball. Otherwise I have found that the cake balls get stuck in the  chocolate or falls off the stick.

Once cooled, dip the top of the cake balls and a little part of the bottom, that was already coated into the chocolate. Shake off excess chocolate. Allow to cool by sticking into flower foam. Once dried, holding the cake ball with one hand, gently twist the cake pop stick with your other hand and pull out. If you would like cake pops- leave on stick. 


For the decorations: place melted pink candy melt in a frosting piping bag fitted with a 1 tip (a tip with small curricular opening). Then in a back and forth motion- drizzle pink chocolate over, cake balls.

Enjoy,
Chika

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