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These festive cake balls bring all the holiday cheer with the rich flavor of red velvet and creamy tang from the frosting. They are perfect for gift-giving, cookie swaps, or just adding a pop of color and fun to your holiday parties. Making them is also a wonderful way to bring a bit of that homemade touch to your celebrations even when using a boxed cake mix for convenience.
I first made these during a hectic holiday week and found that having them ready to go was a lifesaver. Now they are a must-have on our holiday dessert table, and guests always ask for the recipe.
Ingredients
- Cooking spray: to grease the pan making sure cake doesnt stick
- Red velvet cake mix: which provides the beautiful red color and classic flavor for best results pick a brand you trust or try homemade if you have time
- Cream cheese: softened to make the frosting smooth and tangy
- Unsalted butter: softened to blend well with cream cheese for the frosting base
- Confectioners sugar: to sweeten the frosting without adding graininess
- Pure vanilla extract: for added depth of flavor
- Kosher salt: to balance the sweetness
- Frosted Cheerios: used to create cute hooks imitating ornament hangers
- Green red and white candy melts: for coating the cake balls and creating festive colors choose quality brands for smooth melting and vibrant color
- Sanding sugar: for sparkle and texture on the decorations
Step by Step Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare:
- Set your oven to 350 degrees and grease a 13 by 9 inch baking pan using cooking spray to prevent sticking. Prepare the red velvet cake mix in a large bowl following the package directions and pour the batter into the prepared pan.
- Bake and Cool:
- Bake the cake for about 25 to 30 minutes until a tester inserted comes out clean. Let the cake cool completely on a wire rack before handling.
- Make the Frosting:
- In a large bowl beat softened cream cheese and butter on medium high until light and fluffy. Gradually add confectioners sugar and continue beating until smooth. Add vanilla extract and a small pinch of kosher salt and mix well.
- Combine Cake and Frosting:
- Crumble the cooled cake into the bowl with frosting. Mix everything together until fully combined. Form the mixture into 1 and a half inch balls, about 34 in total. Place them on a baking sheet and refrigerate until firm which takes about one hour.
- Create the Hooks:
- Lay out 34 Frosted Cheerios flat on a baking sheet. Take one cereal piece and dip its bottom into melted white candy melt, then stand it upright and attach it to the center of another flat cereal piece to form a hook. Repeat this for all cereal pieces.
- Dip and Decorate:
- Dip one third of the chilled cake balls into green candy melts, one third into red candy melts, and the remaining third into white candy melts. Tap off any excess candy coating. Before the coating hardens sprinkle some balls with sanding sugar for extra sparkle. Let them set on the baking sheet for 15 to 20 minutes.
- Pipe and Attach Hooks:
- Transfer most of the remaining white candy melt into a plastic bag and cut a tiny corner off to pipe designs on the cake balls. Sprinkle with sanding sugar before the candy hardens. Dip the bottoms of the hooks into the remaining white candy melt and attach them to the cake balls.
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I love the way the red velvet cake gives these ornaments their festive color and rich flavor. One year my whole family gathered to help pipe the designs and it turned into a fun holiday tradition that made me appreciate how food can bring everyone together.
Storage Tips
Keep the cake balls refrigerated in an airtight container to maintain freshness and prevent melting of the candy coating. To store longer, freeze them in a single layer on a baking sheet before transferring to a freezer-safe container. Thaw in the fridge before serving for best texture.
Ingredient Substitutions
You can swap the boxed red velvet cake mix for a homemade recipe if you want total control over ingredients and flavor. If cream cheese is unavailable, mascarpone cheese can work but changes the flavor profile slightly. For the candy melts, colored white chocolate can be an elegant alternative but may require tempering.
Serving Suggestions
Serve these cake ball ornaments on a festive platter surrounded by greenery or holiday-themed decorations. They pair wonderfully with holiday cocktails, hot cocoa, or a coffee bar for a dessert table that impresses with both taste and presentation.
Cultural Context
Cake balls and cake pops have become popular in recent years as a playful twist on traditional cakes. Their small size and easy customization make them ideal for themed parties and gifting. Using the red velvet cake brings a timeless southern U.S. holiday flavor to these playful treats.
Common Recipe Questions
- → How do I keep the cake balls from falling apart?
Chilling the formed cake balls in the fridge for at least an hour before dipping them into melted candy helps them firm up and hold their shape during decorating.
- → What’s the best way to melt the candy melts?
Melt candy slowly in a microwave-safe bowl at 50% power, stirring frequently to avoid overheating or burning. If too thick, add a small amount of shortening for smoother texture.
- → Can I prepare these cake balls in advance?
Yes, undipped cake balls can be made up to two days ahead and stored in the fridge. After decorating, store finished treats chilled for up to one week or frozen for longer storage.
- → How do I make the edible hooks for decoration?
Use cereal pieces dipped in melted white candy to create hook shapes. Attach them to the top of the dipped cake balls before the candy sets to mimic ornament hooks.
- → Can I turn these into cake pops?
Yes, simply insert lollipop sticks into chilled cake balls. To secure, dip the stick ends in melted candy before inserting to help them stay in place.
- → What kind of cake mix is recommended?
This uses a boxed red velvet cake mix for convenience, but you may use any preferred red velvet batter for homemade flavor.