Love Bug Cake Balls Recipe
Delightfully sweet and festive, Love Bug Cake Balls combine moist chocolate cake crumbled into bite-sized treats, coated in rich red or pink chocolate and decorated with charming heart-shaped sprinkles. Perfect for Valentine’s Day or any celebration of love, these cake balls are easy to make and sure to impress.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 50 minutes
- Yield: About 24 cake balls 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
Cake:
- 1 box (15.25 oz) chocolate cake mix
- 2 large eggs
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup water
Coating and Decoration:
- 10 oz red or pink chocolate melts
- 1/4 cup heart-shaped sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a baking pan to ensure the cake does not stick.
- Bake the Cake: Prepare the chocolate cake mix according to the package instructions, combining the cake mix with eggs, vegetable oil, and water. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Remove from oven and allow it to cool completely.
- Crumble the Cake and Add Frosting: Once cooled, crumble the cake into a large mixing bowl. Add frosting (quantity not specified in original recipe, commonly about 1/2 cup) and mix until the texture is moist yet firm enough to hold shape without being soggy.
- Form Cake Balls: Roll the cake mixture into 1-inch balls using your hands. Place the balls on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or wax paper. Chill in the refrigerator for about one hour to firm up.
- Melt the Chocolate Coating: Melt the red or pink chocolate melts according to the package instructions, typically using a microwave in short intervals or a double boiler method until smooth.
- Dip and Decorate: Dip each chilled cake ball fully into the melted chocolate, ensuring they are completely coated. While the coating is still wet, sprinkle heart-shaped sprinkles on top for decoration.
- Set and Serve: Place the dipped and decorated cake balls back on the lined baking sheet and allow the chocolate coating to harden completely before serving. This can be done at room temperature or faster in the refrigerator.
Notes
- Use store-bought frosting or homemade to bind the cake crumbs; typically about 1/2 cup works well.
- Ensure cake is completely cooled to avoid melting frosting in the mixture.
- Chilling the balls before dipping helps maintain their shape and prevents melting of chocolate.
- Red or pink chocolate melts add festive color; white chocolate with food coloring can be a substitute.
- Store cake balls in an airtight container in the refrigerator; best consumed within 3-4 days.
Keywords: cake balls, chocolate cake, Valentine’s Day dessert, chocolate melts, cake pops, heart sprinkles
Find it online: https://nataliereeve.com/love-bug-cake-balls-recipe/
