Rudolph Cake Pops

We only have NINE days until Christmas! Can you believe it? I am gonna be busy crossing off my list, baking, doing final Christmas activities with my family.... Today is Kinsley's Christmas party and last day before Christmas break, so I made these for her to give to her classmates. She loves chocolate cake, cake pops and Rudolph--PERFECT treat for her friends at school. 

Ingredients

1 box devils food cake mix plus the ingredients to make a cake per box directions

1 tub of store bought frosting (chocolate)

Red sprinkles for the nose (can be found on baking aisle)

Eye candies (found on the baking aisle also)

24 oz of candy coating (chocolate)

Cake pop sticks

Brown fuzzy sticks (found on the craft aisle at Walmart)

Little plastic bags (found with the baking supplies (Wilton type stuff)

Instructions

Bake your cake per box directions in a 9x13 inch pan. Let cool completely.   

Once the cake has been baked and cooled, crumble your baked cake in a large mixing bowl. You should not see any large chunks of cake.

Add 3/4 of the container of store bought frosting to crumbled cake.  Combine cake crumbles and frosting together. This process is easiest for me to use my hands to mix it together or the back of a large metal spoon. Note: If you use the whole tub, they will be too moist. 

Form cake mix into 1 1/2-inch round balls (ping pong sized).  Place each ball on a baking sheet lined with wax paper.  Once all of your balls are formed, place baking sheet in the freezer to firm (I normally freeze them for two hours). I do cover with plastic wrap while freezing. 

Place the candy coating in a deep, microwave safe bowl (I usually do 8 oz at a time). Melt according to the directions on the package. DO NOT OVERHEAT.

Dip the bottom into chocolate candy coating and let dry. Insert sticks and dip again. 

Once they are set and dry, hold the bottom of the ball to dip into the candy coating (color of your choice) until it touched the edges of chocolate. 

While they are STILL WET, apply eyes and nose, (if you aren't quick, the chocolate will set and the eyes and nose will not stick). Allow to dry, I used a drying stand. 

Make each fuzzy stick into antlers: bend the fuzzy stick in half, open, bend each end into the middle of the stick and crease. Then, each side twist in the middle and open up. There you have it, antlers!

Place each cake pop in a bag, wrap fuzzy sticks (antlers) around to seal the bag. 

There you go, a super cute Christmas treat! Enjoy. 

Peppermint Cake Balls

Cake balls are so spectacular, cute and perfect mix of moist and cake, but really they're pretty simple. You can make a cake ball for every occasion and if there is a blemish or mishap, cover it with sprinkles or drizzle over it. Tah..dah! No one will ever know. My husband asked me to make some peppermint cake balls, so I gave it a shot. They were a hit with us and family we had over for Christmas. 

Ingredients

1 box white cake mix plus the ingredients to make a cake per box directions

1 tub of cream cheese frosting (store bought)

1 bag of vanilla candy melts (sometimes it takes 1 1/2 bags) You can find these at Wal-Mart, Target, Hobby Lobby, Michael's)

1 tsp of peppermint extract

1 tsp of vanilla

crushed candy cane pieces for topping

Bake your cake per box directions and add in vanilla and peppermint extract. Bake in a 9x13 inch pan.  Once the cake has been baked and cooled, crumble your baked cake in a large mixing bowl.  Add 3/4 of the container of store bought frosting to crumbled cake.  Combine cake crumbles and frosting together. This process is easiest for me to use my hands to mix it together.  Form cake mix into round balls (ping pong sized).  Place each ball on a baking sheet lined with wax paper.  Once all of your balls are formed, place baking sheet in the freezer to firm (I normally freeze them for an hour or so.)

Once you're ready to start decorating your cake balls, leave them in the freezer and get everything else ready.  You want your cake balls really cold to help with the decorating.   I normally pull out 10 cake balls at a time. In a microwavable bowl, melt your candy chips (stir every 30 seconds until all melted).  Once  is melted, drop your ball into the melted and candy chips and coat. Then, get a spoon and pull it out... Now, here is the method that helped me so much, BANG YOUR SPOON ON THE EDGE OF THE BOWL TO GET ALL THE EXCESS OFF!!!!  Once covered, put back on to wax paper and immediately decorate with crushed candy cane (if you wait til they dry, the sprinkles don't stick).  Continue process. 

Once your cake balls have been dipped, sprinkled, decorated, place in the fridge until ready to serve.

These are a hit with anyone and everyone. You could also put them on sticks to make cake pops (this makes it easy for kids). Any time there is an event, my phone is ringing and they are requesting I bring cake balls! So, try them, you will LOVE them!!!

Cupcake Cake Pops

I was asked to make some cupcake cake pops and I think they turned out really cute. 

Ingredients

1 box cake mix plus the ingredients to make a cake per box directions

1 tub of store bought frosting

48 oz chocolate candy coating (sometimes it takes 1 1/2 bags) You can find these at Wal-Mart, Target, Hobby Lobby, Michael's)

24 oz of candy coating (color of your choice)

Sprinkles & M&Ms

Bake your cake per box directions in a 9x13 inch pan. Let cool completely.   

Once the cake has been baked and cooled, crumble your baked cake in a large mixing bowl. You should not see any large chunks of cake.

Add 3/4 of the container of store bought frosting to crumbled cake.  Combine cake crumbles and frosting together. This process is easiest for me to use my hands to mix it together or the back of a large metal spoon. Note: If you use the whole tub, they will be too moist. 

Form cake mix into 1 1/2-inch round balls (ping pong sized).  Place each ball on a baking sheet lined with wax paper.  Once all of your balls are formed, place baking sheet in the freezer to firm (I normally freeze them for two hours). I do cover with plastic wrap while freezing. 

Place the candy coating in a deep, microwave safe bowl (I usually do 8 oz at a time). Melt according to the directions on the package. DO NOT OVERHEAT.

I formed them using these candy molds candy molds. 

Dip the bottom into chocolate candy coating and let dry. Insert sticks and dip again. 

Once they are set and dry, hold the bottom of the ball to dip into the candy coating (color of your choice) until it touched the edges of chocolate. Turn in a circular motion and let dry. I used a drying stand. 

Immediately decorate with m&m and sprinkles (before it sets). 

Store in an airtight container. 

Everyone loved these! They were a big hit and there wasn't a single one left. Enjoy!

The Cake Ball!

Everyone needs to know how to make cake balls. Everyone! I used to teach school with a lady that talked about how the process was grueling and took two days to make and they never came out the same. I decided to give it a try..... First attempt was terrible. Soon enough I figured out the technique and it became easier and easier each time. Now I think I am pretty darn good at it! Cake balls are so spectacular, cute and perfect mix of moist and cake, but really they're pretty simple. You can make a cake ball for every occasion and if there is a blemish or mishap, cover it with sprinkles or drizzle over it. Tah..dah! No one will ever know. I used Strawberry Cake Mix and Cream Cheese frosting but you can use whatever you like. The possibilities are endless! I have made so many different combinations and they have all turned out terrific! Welcome to the world of cake balls! 

Ingredients

1 box cake mix plus the ingredients to make a cake per box directions

1 tub of store bought frosting

1 bag of candy melts (sometimes it takes 1 1/2 bags) You can find these at Wal-Mart, Target, Hobby Lobby, Michael's)

Sprinkles, nuts...whatever you want to be on the outside of the cake ball

Bake your cake per box directions in a 9x13 inch pan.  Once the cake has been baked and cooled, crumble your baked cake in a large mixing bowl.  Add 3/4 of the container of store bought frosting to crumbled cake.  Combine cake crumbles and frosting together. This process is easiest for me to use my hands to mix it together.  Form cake mix into round balls (ping pong sized).  Place each ball on a baking sheet lined with wax paper.  Once all of your balls are formed, place baking sheet in the freezer to firm (I normally freeze them for two hours.)

Once you're ready to start decorating your cake balls, leave them in the freezer and get everything else ready.  You want your cake balls really cold to help with the decorating.   I normally pull out 10 cake balls at a time. In a microwavable bowl, melt your chocolate (stir every 30 seconds until all melted).  Once chocolate is melted, drop your ball into the chocolate and coat. Then, get a spoon and pull it out... Now, here is the method that helped me so much, BANG YOUR SPOON ON THE EDGE OF THE BOWL TO GET ALL THE EXCESS CHOCOLATE OFF!!!!  Once covered, put back on to wax paper and immediately decorate with sprinkles (if you wait til they dry, the sprinkles don't stick).  Continue process. I also decorate using an icing bag and drizzle over it using other colors (or even the same color of candy melts). 

Once your cake balls have been dipped, sprinkled, decorated, place in the fridge until ready to serve.

These are a hit with anyone and everyone. I have also put them on sticks to make cake pops (this makes it easy for kids). Any time there is an event, my phone is ringing and they are requesting I bring cake balls! So, try them, you will LOVE them!!!

Other combinations:

white cake with cream cheese frosting

red velvet with cream cheese frosting

lemon with cream cheese frosting

chocolate with chocolate