Cake Balls
Crumbled sponge mixed with buttercream, rolled into balls, chilled and dipped in melted chocolate.
Photograph credit: Cake Balls (image of cake ball on Wikidata Q5018069) by Clever Cupcakes · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons
The problem with cake balls is that the mix is too wet, and the balls slump or slide off the stick. The fix is restraint. A cake ball is a mixture of crumbled sponge and just enough frosting to bind it, and the most common mistake is adding too much. Start with two spoonfuls of buttercream per 300 g of crumbs, and add a little more only if the mix will not hold when squeezed.
It is also the best use of leftover or slightly dry sponge. Any plain cake works: vanilla, chocolate, lemon, red velvet. Crumble it finely with your fingers or in a food processor until there are no large chunks left, and mix with the buttercream until the texture of cookie dough is reached. Press it into a ball in your fist, and it should hold its shape without cracking.
Chill the balls until firm before dipping. A cold ball holds up against the hot coating, and the chocolate sets quickly on contact. Roll them to about 3 cm across, set on a tray lined with baking paper and chill for 30 minutes. If they soften as you work, return them to the fridge.
Melt dark or milk chocolate with a teaspoon of coconut oil, dip each ball with a fork, tap off the excess and set on baking paper. Decorate with sprinkles before the coating sets. Keep chilled until serving.
What People Ask
How long does Cake Balls take to make?
45 minutes of preparation and 5 minutes of cooking, plus 30 minutes of chilling, so allow 1 hour 20 minutes from start to finish. The method also needs time for chilling until set, which it does not time, so treat that as a minimum. The recipe serves 24.
How to Make Cake Balls
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Crumble the sponge into fine crumbs in a large bowl. Mix in the buttercream until the mixture holds together when squeezed.
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Roll into 24 balls, 3 cm across, and set on a tray lined with baking paper.
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Chill the balls for 30 minutes until firm.
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Melt the chocolate and coconut oil together, stirring until smooth.
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Dip each ball with a fork, tap off the excess, set on the paper and add sprinkles. Chill until set.
Worth Getting Right
- Use as little buttercream as you can.
- Chill the balls before dipping.
- Keep the finished balls refrigerated.
What to Serve With It
Coffee · Hot tea · Cold milk · Party table
Leftovers and Storage
Keeps in the fridge for 5 days.
Cake Balls Nutrition
Per serving, an approximate calculation from the ingredient list. Treat it as a rough guide: part of the energy comes from foods, or weights per item, with no recorded source. The calories include 1 g of alcohol a serving, which is not part of the protein, carbohydrate or fat. How the figures are worked out.
Your notes on this recipe
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Compiled by Turab
Checked by script for timings, diet labels and nutrition arithmetic. How the recipes are checked.
First published ; last changed .
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