And Sarah Said: Let them Eat Cake (Balls)

After last week's cake ball post y'all BEGGED for a tutorial.... and apparently I had forgotten I posted one in 2009. Oops.

Tis neither here nor there.

Ok, here goes the cake ball tutorial. I stole my moves from Beach Bum & Baby, who actually makes cake pops. But those require sticks and I used to be a broke college graduate who didn't want to buy sticks so cake balls they became.

Everybody loves balls!

Step 1: Bake a cake. I use a boxed mix because it is easy and tastes amazing.

Let it cool, preferably overnight. Then slice it up into nice small pieces.


Step 2: Dump all those pieces into a mixing bowl. Add a scoop of frosting from a can from the grocery store. Mix mix mix.

Note: This batch actually turned out a bit over-mixed. It was too smooth. I actually prefer if there are still bits of dry cake mixed in. But to each her own.

Step 3: Use an awesome cookie scooper to make nice little balls on a cookie sheet. No need to space them apart because you won't be baking them.

Step 4: Pop that cookie sheet in the fridge for an hour or so. Tweet and watch TV.


Step 5: Time to get that chocolate ready! This is the most stressful part.

First of all, I know that Crisco is the devil's plaything but it is necessary for nice balls. Heh.

And the chocolate is actually "candy melt" which I purchase at either Hobby Lobby or JoAnn Fabric. The almond bark white chocolate you buy at Meijer does not work nearly as well. I've tried! And failed.

Ok, now that you've got the right ingredients.

Throw about half the candy melts into a microwave-safe container. Add a scoop of Crisco. No, I don't measure.

FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS FOR MELTING. This crap burns so I usually use even less time than suggested. And stir, reheat. Repeat.

If you follow the pictures below, I actually didn't microwave between the 2nd and 3rd pics. Just stirred the crap out of it.


Step 95: Dunk your balls. I use a fork which results in imperfect cake balls but nobody cares by the time they are eating them.

See also: this picture is chronologically backwards. Try reading it from right to left. Like Arabic. See, I didn't mess up the pictures, I just arranged them in Arabic.

Booyah.

Step 99: Dump that bad boy from your fork back onto some waxed paper. I forgot to mention it above, but waxed paper is a gift from Jesus. Makes cleanup a breeze.

Step 100: Sprinkle immediately or they won't stick. That stuff hardens fast. (That's what she said.)

Put them in the fridge to harden and I bet you don't make it 15 minutes without consuming at least half the balls.

They're so delicious.

Go forth and cake pop. And mail me some while you're at it.