Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cake Balls

By: Christy

So this week you all get a bonus recipe from me. I have heard people talk about cake balls. They now adorn the shelves of Starbucks, bakeries and holiday parties but I had never attempted to make them.

Left over Cake and Icing 

When I was making my Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cake I leveled all layers of the cake (basically cut the rounded hump off the top) and ended up with quite a bit of left over cake. It just so happened I had left over chocolate chip cookie dough butter cream icing as well. I hate to see deliciousness go to waste so why not mix the two!? Cake balls are super easy, especially if you are just using left overs because half of the work is already done for you. Basically cake balls consist of a cake and icing mixed together dipped in white or milk/semisweet chocolate. These little guys were major hit among my taste-testers and every time I make a chocolate chip cookie dough cake I will have to use the left overs for these again. Unlike a piece of cake or a cupcake these were perfect little bite sized portions that would be great for any kind of party or gathering where finger foods are required.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cake Balls:

1 box of white, yellow, chocolate or marble cake mix made into a cake

1 recipe of chocolate chip cookie dough buttercream icing

1-2 packages of candy coating or bark

Optional: pecans and mini semisweet chocolate chips

I honestly didn't even look up any recipes with this one and just went with my instincts on this. I mixed the cake and icing together and then added mini chocolate chips and finely chopped pecans (must haves for truly delicious chocolate chip cookies) until they made a large ball.

I stuck the batter in the freezer for about 15 minutes to harden and in the meantime I took chocolate bark and melted it in the microwave.

Tip: Melted chocolate will always be a pretty thick consistency so be careful not to over cook thinking that it will get runnier. Overcooking it can actually make it even thicker. I tried melting in a saucepan and using the microwave and I liked the results I got from the microwave better.

Taking the firm cold dough out of the freezer, make smaller balls (a melon baller would have been great for this, but I don't have one so I improvised with my hands) and dipping it into the melted chocolate. I used several techniques but found that the most effective way was putting the melted chocolate in a big coffee mug and  rolling around the ball in the mug with a spoon. Then spooned my chocolate covered cake ball on a piece of wax paper to cool. Once finished I stored them in an air tight container in my fridge until ready to serve.

I also added a little decor to the top. I put a pecan half on most of them and then when I ran out of whole pecan havlves I just sprinkled the others with chopped pecans. Both presentations looked really pretty! (But the pecan halves were a lot less messy)

Have a SWEET day!
Christy