My Cake Corner: Peppermint Frost Cake Balls

Monday, March 26, 2012

Peppermint Frost Cake Balls - November 2011

I made these peppermint cake balls for a cookie/treat exchange that my mom was hosting.

Christmas Peppermint Frost Cake Balls - Close-Up View of Cake Ball 1

My mom was over while I was making them and she mentioned something about peppermint frost, I thought it was cute, so I named the recipe Peppermint Frost Cake Balls. :)

(I followed the basic recipe and process for making cake balls from Bakerella's website found here; I just changed it how I needed to make it work for my peppermint cake ball recipe.)

Christmas Peppermint Frost Cake Balls - Close-Up View of Cake Ball 2

Christmas Peppermint Frost Cake Balls - Close-Up View of Cake Ball 3

To make them you will need:
-1 box classic white cake mix (cook as directed on the box for a 13x9 cake)
-1 can cream cheese frosting (16 oz.)
-1 package chocolate flavored almond bark
-peppermint candies
-red food coloring
-wax paper or parchment paper

1. After the cake is cooked and cooled completely, break it in pieces into a large bowl. You can use a fork to help get it broken up.

2. Start out by mixing ¾ of your frosting thoroughly with your cake crumbs. I use a big metal spoon to smush it all together. Roll one ball to test, then decide if you need to add more frosting. [It should be moist and stay together, but you don’t want it to be gloppy.] Some people use their fingers to mix it together, but it gets messy.

3. Get about 8-10 peppermint candies and crush them into a fine powder [you’ll have some bigger pieces which you can use later to top the cake balls.]

4. Mix the peppermint powder into your cake ball mixture to taste.

5. Divide the cake ball mixture into 2 bowls. Add the red food coloring to one bowl until you reach the desired shade you want.

6. Take equal parts of the mixture from each bowl, roll it into quarter size balls, and lay on cookie sheet [I line mine with wax paper or parchment paper]. [This recipe should make 50-60 cake balls depending on the size you roll them.]

Christmas Peppermint Frost Cake Balls - Rolled Cake Balls Before Covered in Chocolate

They will look something like this. :)

7. Chill them for several hours. [You can speed this up by putting them in the freezer – that’s what I usually do. :)]

8. Melt the chocolate in a bowl in the microwave according to the directions on the package. [I only melt a few pieces of chocolate bark at a time because it starts to cool and thicken, and it’s easier to work with when it’s hot.]

9. Put one cake ball at a time in the chocolate. [Use a spoon to cover the top of the cake ball and then get it on the spoon and tap off the extra chocolate.]

10. Lay it on wax or parchment paper and top immediately with your crushed peppermint. Then wait until they are firm. If your chocolate gets firm before you top it with the peppermint you can put a little of the chocolate on the top and put the peppermint on, it just won't have as smooth as a look to it.

Since I was making these for an exchange I plated a 1/2 dozen cake balls each on cute red square plates with a peppermint in the middle and wrapped the plate with plastic wrap.