Time: 4 hours; Yields 48 cake balls
Delicious and indulge-worthy chocolate cake balls. This easy but time intensive recipe is worth busting out for special occasions and it’s egg-free for any allergies in the family!
INGREDIENTS FOR THE CHOCOLATE CAKE
- 1 box chocolate cake mix
- 3 Tbsp. flaxseed meal
- 7.5 Tbsp. water
- 1 cup oil
- 1 1/2 cup water
INGREDIENTS FOR THE BUTTERCREAM FROSTING
- 1 stick butter at room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/2 tsp. vanilla
- 1/2 Tbsp. cream
INGREDIENTS FOR CHOCOLATE COATING
- 10 oz. dark (or milk) chocolate candy wafers
- cake decorations like sprinkles or sanding sugar
BAKING THE CAKE
Create a “flaxseed egg” by mixing the flaxseed and 7.5 Tbsp. of water in a small bowl. Set aside for a few minutes. Heat oven to 350 degrees and grease 9x13 metal or glass pan.
In a large mixing bowl, combine chocolate cake mix, oil, water and flaxseed egg substitute. Blend for 30 seconds on low speed. Then beat on medium speed for 2-3 minutes.
Pour batter into greased pan. Bake according to box instructions (likely 26 to 30 minutes) and make sure the cake passes the toothpick test. Let completely cool in the pan.
MAKING THE FROSTING
When the cake is almost finished cooling, start the buttercream frosting. Place the room temperature (yes, room temperature is a must) butter in a mixing bowl. Add the powdered sugar half a cup at a time while on low speed. Once the butter and powdered sugar starts coming together and there’s no risk of a powdered sugar puff of air, crank it to medium high speed and whip the frosting for five minutes. Then add vanilla and cream and mix on medium for a minute. Set aside.
ASSEMBLING CAKE BALLS
Cut cake into several sections and crumble with your hands section by section. The cake will crumble easily, ending in a fine texture. Move cake crumbs into a large bowl. Then scoop a fourth of the buttercream frosting into the bowl. Use the back of a spoon to incorporate the cake crumbs and the frosting. Once that frosting has been incorporated, add another forth and repeat the process. You will not use all the buttercream and need to make sure the texture is just right to roll the cake balls. Test it by rolling a small amount in your hand and if it comes together easily and holds shape, you’re spot on.
Roll out 48 cake balls on place on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Once rolled, place cake balls in the freezer for up to an hour. You want them solid so they’re easy to work with but not frozen.
COATING AND DECORATING THE CAKE BALLS
Melt half your chocolate wafers in a microwave-safe bowl in the microwave, following package directions. Pull out a few cake balls and begin the process of coating and decorating each cake ball. Place one cake ball in the melted chocolate and spoon chocolate so that the entire ball is coated. Use a fork to gently remove the cake ball from the bowl and scrape the bottom of the fork against the bowl, removing extra chocolate that’s dripping off the cake ball. Place the coated cake ball on wax paper and immediately decorate.
Repeat the process and melt the other half of chocolate wafers as you work through the batches of cake balls.
If excess chocolate settles around the cake ball on the wax paper, wait until the cake ball is dry and use a toothpick to draw a line around the base.
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for a few days.