Cake Balls

Please excuse the horrible picture, I had a huge mess and was super tired so I only have pictures from my Iphone!

(the green is Mike & Ike's, I would suggest this over the tic tac's that Bakerella suggests!)

I had never even heard of Cake Balls until my friend Kourtney had mentioned them last year for me to make for her family for Christmas.  They sounded interesting so I looked them up and that's when I found Bakerella's website which is awesome, I don't know how she does it.  When I was trying to decide something to make for another friend I really wanted to make some more Cake Balls because they tasted really awesome and I thought it would be a good little treat for kids and easy where you didn't have to deal with cutting a cake and serving on plates.  This was the 2nd time I made them and the first time actually trying to decorate them rather than just rolling them in chocolate so I've learned a few things that I'll share at the bottom.  Also if you have experience with cake balls I welcome any advice you can give me!

First off let's start off with explaining what Cake Balls are...All they are is a cake mix mixed with icing, then shaped in balls (or whatever shape) then rolled/dipped in chocolate!  easy Easy EASY!  For these I used just plain white cake mix with white icing, the last time I made them they were Strawberry with maybe cream cheese icing, I'm not sure I can't remember.  I've seen alot of people do Red Velvet and cream cheese icing!  You could always make a homemade cake and icing but I'd suggest taking the easy way with the boxed cake mix or you could actually buy a store bought already made cake and just crumble it all together in a bowl and mix!
  
Cake Balls

Cake Mix and the ingredients listed on the box
Tub of Icing
Almond Bark or Candy Melts
Muffin/mini cupcake liners

*If you want to decorate them all cute then I'd suggest going to Bakerella's site or buying her book, she has ideas for all holidays plus so much more.

Bake the cake as directed on the back of box.  After it's cooled to touch take the cake and crumble it in a bowl.  Mix in 3/4 of the icing, after it's mixed well then you need to decide if you want to use the whole tub, I used it all but I've read multiple sites saying they like to only use 3/4.  Roll into balls and place on wax paper.  Set in the freezer for at least 30minutes or longer. 

Melt your almond bark/candy melts.  Pull out the balls from freezer and coat them with the chocolate.  There are several techniques to coat the balls but you just have to play around with it until you find the perfect way for you.  You can place the balls in the chocolate and roll it, place the ball on a fork and pour chocolate over it, and I'm sure many other techniques.  I honestly can't tell you what's best because I don't have enough experience and I'm not the greatest at it. 

After you have coated them place back on wax paper and freeze till hard, then set in muffin/mini cupcake liners.  I store them in the refrigerator but I'd serve at room temperature.

Additional tips or things I've learned:

*I hated using the candy melts, I couldn't get it thin enough to work with and they did not turn out as pretty and smooth as I wanted.  You can add some shortening to them to thin it but it didn't thin it as much as I would've liked. 
*Almond bark is the way to go in my opinion, next time I'm going to use white almond bark and tint it whatever color I want it. 
*If you are wanting to do a white cake then add 1t. almond extract and 1t. vanilla to your batter, the cake will taste like it's homemade!
*Plan plenty of time to do these because coating the balls is not a quick task unless your a pro! 
*I started out using a medium size cookie dough scoop and that was entirely too big, the smaller the easier to coat with chocolate!
*Also if you plan on using a edible marker like I planned on doing then don't waste your money, they do not work well on chocolate, atleast not the Wilton Edible Marker's, I was really disappointed because I planned on making the pumpkins into Jack o Lanterns.  And it took me forever to do the ghosts face, should've used chocolate. 

Adapted from Bakeralla.