It is only funny to me and the six other people on the face of the planet who share my sense of humor. I hope I meet one of them some day. I'm lame, I know it. It's one of my endearing qualities. Right?
Moving on. I read about cupcake balls a few places on the internet and was mildly interested. Then I was reading
The Pioneer Woman one day and saw the mini cupcake looking cupcake ball treats and thought "OHMYGOSH! I can actually
do this!" So I commenced to doin'. I made these last night and I had a lot of fun. They're cute, too. For once I didn't worry about being perfect, maybe that's why I enjoyed it so much. I know these pictures are not the best. They were snapped in haste by a volunteer, and I'm grateful. I will make more soon and I hope to post better pictures. This recipe was on
The Pioneer Woman, with better pictures. She had
Bakerella over to give a demonstration. Bakerella makes all kinds of cute varieties and shows them on her site.
Here's how simple it was:
1. Bake a 9x13 cake. Even from a box. Whatever flavor you like. I did chocolate.
2. Let the cake cool completely. I cooled mine overnight.
3. In a large bowl, completely crumble up the cake.
4. Add 2 cups frosting and mush it all together until it is completely mixed. Use your hands. It feels like quicksand when you're done. Not that I have ever felt quicksand. But it does. (2 cups is exactly the amount in a tub of frosting from the grocery store!)
5. put the mixture in the fridge and get it nice and cold. I put mine in for at least a couple of hours, but Bakerella says an hour should be good.
6. Take it out and roll it into balls. I used a Tupperware coffee scoop to sort of measure it. Just so all the balls would be of equal sizes. You can just use your hands, or use a cookie scoop, or whatever else you want. This is supposed to make about 50. The scoop I used made 48. Next time I'm going to make them a bit smaller. Just my preference.
7. Put the rolled balls in the fridge for about an hour. I ran to the store to buy chocolate while mine were in the fridge. The bags of milk chocolate I thought I had were nowhere to be found.
8. Take the balls out of the fridge.
9. Fill candy cups (the kind you would use for a peanut butter cup) about a third way full to half full. You'll sort of get the hang of it after you do a couple.
10. Put a cake ball down into each chocolate filled spot.
11. Put the tray in the fridge for a few minutes. By the time I did the next tray, the first one was ready to come out.
12. Turn the tray upside down and gently push the bottom of each piece of candy in the mold. They will pop right out.
13. Dip the part of the cake ball which is still exposed into a different color of melted chocolate.
14. Sprinkle with whatever kind of decorative stuff you want.
15. Wait two seconds then eat!
16. You can wait longer than two seconds, if you want.
Bakerella says these can be stored in an airtight container for up to two weeks with no problem and no refrigeration. Although you can put them in the fridge if you would like.
*I say airtight is too much. As an old Tupperware lady I say never keep cake in an airtight container. This is why Tupperware ladies never tell you to burp your cake taker. It promotes fast mold. Also, as an experiment I put some in an airtight container and some were not in an airtight container. After a few days (Bakerella says they can be kept up to two weeks) the ones in an airtight container were sweating. I say give them
some air. The ones getting air are still in perfect condition.
They really do taste better the second day. According to
Bakerella they get better every day. We shall see! I'm taking some to my granparents tomorrow. I'll be making them again for Easter.
SUPER BIG HINTS: If your cupcake balls are too cold and the chocolate very hot suction starts to play a part. If the chocolate gets low in the dipping dish = suction. And I had TOTAL suction when I tried her spoon tap trick. Little suckers would not release from the spoon. This is why I made two cupcake balls and 46 with the chocolate molds. Definitely do the chocolate molds. Cuter and way easier.
Oh yeah, you will need:
A homemade 9x13 cake or 1 cake mix baked in a 9x13 inch pan.
16 oz, 2 cups, or one tub of frosting from the grocery store.
Sprinkles or whatever you want to decorate the tops.
1 bag of milk chocolate (or whatever color/s you want) for the bottoms.
1 bag of whatever color/s chocolate you want for the tops.
(You will have leftover chocolate) I got my chocolate at Michael's and JoAnn Fabrics. I know they even sell it at WalMart. I used Wilton's candy melts because I have worked with them a lot in the past and am very comfortable with them. I think they are super easy to use. You could also use chocolate bark (aka almond bark)
