Peppermint Cake Balls, Mint Brownie Cake Balls and Santa Hat Pops How-to's

Okay, peeps!  Thank you for the overwhelming response to my cake balls and pops!  I completely sold out in about 30 minutes once people saw the finished boxed-up product.  I think I'll start taking orders online so that the ordering process will be less complicated.  If I can figure out a good way to ship them intact, I'll start doing that if there is enough interest.  


I've had some requests to actually post the recipes rather than just linking to them, so, without further ado, here they are!


Candy Cane Cake Balls

Cake

1 box white cake mix (oil and eggs)
1 can vanilla frosting or vanilla frosting recipe below
1 tsp peppermint extract


Vanilla Frosting (for fellow canned frosting haters)
1 stick butter, room temperature
3 3/4 cups powdered sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
3 Tbsp milk 


Mix and bake the cake according to the instructions on the package (or use your own recipe that will fit in a 9x13 pan).  We used a cake mix for the sake of time.
Allow to cool in the pan almost completely.
Stir together 3/4-1 can of vanilla frosting and peppermint extract (You can also make your own, which is what we did.  We hate canned frosting even more than boxed cakes...)


Now, this is where it starts to get fun!
When cake is cool, crumble it into a large bowl.  Stir in frosting.  You may have to use your hands, which is really fun!  Get it good and mushy!  It's kind of therapeutic to let it squish between your fingers!



Next, roll the dough into small balls (a small cookie scoop may be helpful to keep them consistent).  Refrigerate or freeze several hours until you are ready to dip them.  We made our cake balls last week, froze them, and stored them in freezer bags until we were ready to dip.  


Coating
1/4-1/3 lb. white chocolate melts
1/2 crushed candy canes (mini ones work best) 
1/8 lb red chocolate melts
Waxed paper
Toothpicks
Styrofoam block


Prepare a cookie sheet with waxed paper.
Get out toothpicks and a styrofoam block (not completely necessary, but helpful)
Melt white chocolate according to directions.


Method 1:
Stick a toothpick into the cake ball, dip it into the chocolate and thoroughly coat it.  Shake off the excess chocolate, and allow it to cool until it stops dripping before placing it on the cookie sheet.  This creates a bon-bon look, since some of the chocolate spreads at the bottom.  Quickly sprinkle crushed candy canes on top before they dry.


Method 2:
Dip the cake balls as described above, but stick the toothpicks into the foam block and allow them to dry.  Twist the toothpick before slowly pulling it out.  Dip the toothpick into the melted chocolate, and fill in the hole it left.  This method gives them a nice, round finish.  Melt the red chocolate in a snack baggie in 30-sec bursts on 50% power.  Snip off the very tip of the bag and squeeze out a nice drizzle over the top of the coated cake balls.  

Mint Brownie Cake Balls*
1 box chocolate cake mix

3 eggs
1 cup milk
1 tsp mint extract


Frosting (or use a can of chocolate frosting...blech...but a time saver...)
1 stick butter, room temperature
3 3/4 cup powdered sugar
1/3 cup cocoa powder
3-4 Tbsp milk
2 tsp vanilla extract


Mix together cake mix, eggs, milk, and mint extract.  Batter will be REALLY thick!  Seriously thick!  "Pour" into a greased 9x13 pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for about 28-32 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched.  Remove from oven and cool.  Crumble cake into small pieces in a large bowl.  Add the frosting and mix really well.  Shape into evenly sized cake bites and cool 1-2 hours in the refrigerator or 20 minutes in the freezer.  Dip as described above.  We drizzled green and red on top to create our finished product.


*I got this recipe from the book 101 Gourmet Cake Bites by Wendy Paul.  The link will take you to Amazon where you can buy it.  Wendy has a lot of great ideas in it!


Santa Hat Cake Pops


We used the same recipe as the Candy Cane Cake Balls, but used the following instructions: 


Hats: White and Red Candy Melts
Fur: White sugar crystal sprinkles
Balls*: Large white nonpareils, small white gum balls, anything small, round and white

Make the Hats:  Make a cone shape instead of a ball. Put in the freezer until firm. Then, holding the top part of the hat, dip the bottoms in white candy melts, insert the lollipop stick and set in a styrofoam block to dry. Once dry, dip the tops in red candy melts so that it meets where the white ends. Gently place the balls to the top of the hat while still wet. Let them dry. Then, use a toothpick to generously dab more white candy melts all around the bottom of the hat. While still wet, sprinkle the sugar crystals on.  

*We used yogurt covered raisins...not a great idea.  Most were way too big and odd-shaped.  I think your best bet would be the large, white nonpareils or small white gum balls if you can find them.


Good luck making them!  Most important, have LOTS OF FUN!!!