PURPLE CUPCAKE BALLS

I have rediscovered the joys of cakeballs.

Since Daylight Saving time, it’s been such a drag what with such little sunshine during waking hours.  My little ones are constantly asking if it’s time for bed yet because it’s dark so early. 

I have little inclination to bake (as you can see from my lack of posts) because I’m so tired from just the daily grind of work and household management.  What I have found time for is cakeballs.  If you're not a baker, or you're too lazy to make a cake and frosting from scratch,  turn to my trusty pal, Betty Crocker (or Duncan Hines).  Horrors!  Yes, it's perfectly fine for cakeballs.  In fact, it's preferable because you'll be expending most of your energy on cakeball decorating--the fun part.



Ever the recycler, if I have a chunk of leftover pound cake or banana bread, I use it for cakeballs.   I always have leftover frosting in the freezer.  If you don't bake, you can always purchase a pound cake or other unfrosted cake from the bakery.  However, I always have chunks of cake in my household.  I bake a lot of frostingless cakes for snacking and inevitably, there's a buildup of cake.  What's so nifty about making cakeballs is the sometimes dry leftover cake chunks get remoistened from the incorporated dollop of frosting.  Yum factor is enhanced and the fact that it's bite-sized makes the recipient feel all-so-special.  It's like a little perfect individual gift.  Guilt is low because it's only a mouthful...unless you eat a dozen.  The value-added feature of decorating cakeballs is rewarding.  I always get more smiles with little cakeballs than I do with a slice of homemade layer cake and real buttercream frosting made from scratch.  I think it’s the cute factor.

Cakeballs, or in this case, my sorry little attempt at “cupcakeballs” as seen here by the chocolate base, are all the rage due to Bakerella’s awesome blog and new cookbook.  Though cakeballs have been around for years, no one does it as well as Bakerella.  Before I learned about her blog, I was using leftover cake pieces I made from scratch (and banana bread) to make my own cakeballs.  They weren't as pretty as hers nor were they as cute because she spear-headed the "pop" factor with the addition of sticks.  She has pretty much refined the cakeball making techniques in her book.  I recently purchased her book (because it took me this long to find one in our local Chapters) and I was inspired to use the peanut butter cup candy molds I have from Wilton.  All I had on hand were purple candy melts, and though the unnatural colour may be offputting to some people, it is somewhat cheery during these dark days approaching winter.

If you want to use leftover cake from your counter to make cakeballs, add a little bit of buttercream frosting (from scratch or purchased) a tablespoon at a time to the crumbled cake in a large bowl.  Do not add too much frosting.  Too much will lead to a cakeball that will fall apart.  Knead the products together until everything is combined thoroughly.  Roll into balls and refrigerate.  Dip into melted chocolate or candy melts.  Decorate with sprinkles or drizzle more chocolate on top.  Poke a stick into the cakeball before dipping if you want a cakepop.  Ta-dah! Not brain surgery.