Cake Balls

I was recently introduced to one of my new favorite yummy treats...cake balls. I had heard of them and seen recipes before, but never thought to try them. Oh...big mistake. A friend made them at her house while I was over, and I fell in love. I think I ate half of them myself. The nice thing about this treat is that they are super easy to make and are very versatile. You could use just about any type of cake mix, frosting and chocolate combination and I'm sure it would turn out fantastic! (I used a Valentine's cake mix, which was white cake with pink specks in it, strawberry frosting, and semi-sweet chocolate. I planned to decorate with sprinkles, but they didn't last that long.)

(My nephew enjoying his treat)

Cake Balls
1 pkg. cake mix
1 tub frosting
Melted chocolate for dipping/drizzling
Sprinkles, cookie crumbs, etc. for topping (opt.)

1. Make cake according to package directions in 13x9 in. pan. Let cool.

2. Crumble cake into pieces into bowl. Add in about 1/2 to 3/4 of the tub of frosting and mix well to desired consistency. (I've seen recipes that call for using the entire tub, but when I tried this, the cake balls were way too gooey. You want them to be soft, yet when you roll them into a ball, they keep their shape.) You can always add more frosting to your desired consistency.

3. Roll into 1 1/2 inch balls and lay out on parchment or wax paper. At this point, depending on how much frosting you put in, you may need to let the balls harden by putting them in the freezer for about an hour. (When I made them the first time, they were soft, yet firm enough that we didn't have to do this step.)

4. Dip in chocolate. OR, drizzle the balls with the melted chocolate on all sides.

5. Sprinkle with cookie crumbs, sprinkles, etc. for an extra touch. If needed, let them harden again in the refrigerator or freezer for an hour or so.

6. Try NOT to eat too many!