Christmas Cake Balls

 
This is it, people. We are in the home stretch.  T-minus 4 days and counting.  4 DAYS?!

I always have a little postpartum depression after Christmas. You see, I start gearing up for Christmas right around September 1st, which is the date I think it is acceptable to start listening to Christmas music.  If it weren't for Halloween getting in the way of decorating, I'd put up my Christmas tree in October (Halloween better be thankful that it's an awesome holiday).  I look forward to Thanksgiving, not for the food, but for the fact that I can finally adorn my apartment with garland, stockings, wreaths, and other Festive Christmas Accoutrement (such as Jack's beloved Christmas village) . As of November 26, my radio is constantly tuned to the nonstop Christmas music station (Thanks 106.7).  And, best of all, I get to teach my Jewish boyfriend, Jack, the wonders of Christmas, where decorating can provide such battle wounds as pricked fingers (the pine needles are sharp), frozen fingers from helping me string the lights outside of my parent's house (I've been doing it since I was a teenager), and mild electrocution from testing the lights to figure out why half of the strand is not lit.  He also asked, "Who is Noel?" when we were listening to the first Noel.

Oh, Jack.  

But then December 26 rolls around and punches me in the stomach with its ice cold fist. The Christmas station goes back to playing soft hits that I never listen to, the tree looks out of place, the stockings sag just a little bit lower, and the people in Jack's Christmas village would walk home if they had their legs about them. 

People in other countries have it right.  In places like Spain, Italy, and Puerto Rico, they have a secondary holiday that is bigger than Christmas, The Epiphany.  Places like England and Trinidad have Boxing Day... whatever that is (honestly, what is it?) We just have stinking New Years, which often just sucks anyway.  

So to bring in the last week of this beloved season, I present to you my favorite Christmas treat of all. It is not a cookie.  It is not a cake.  It is not a glass of eggnog with rum (that is my second favorite treat).  It is the wonderful cake ball, brought into bloggers lives by the wonderful Bakerella.  They are easy to make (the only time I'll ever used box cake mix and pre-made frosting is for this recipe), and even easier to eat. And eat. And eat.  As you bite through the hard white chocolate shell, you find joy from the sharp "pop!" sound that it makes when it gives way to the smooth, creamy red-velvet center.  These balls are Christmas. And you can eat them year round. 

Red Velvet Cake Balls adapted from Bakerella

Makes 45-50 cake balls

1 box red velvet cake mix 
3/4 can cream cheese frosting (16 oz.)
1 package chocolate bark (regular or white chocolate - I used white chocolate melts)
wax paper

After cake is cooked and cooled completely, crumble into large bowl.

Mix thoroughly with 3/4 can cream cheese frosting. 

Roll mixture into quarter size balls and lay on cookie sheet. This will be messy, but they will come together. 

Chill for several hours. (You can speed this up by putting in the freezer.)

Melt chocolate in microwave per directions on package.

Roll balls in chocolate and lay on wax paper until firm. (Use a fork to dip and roll in chocolate - be careful not to pierce the ball - and then tap off extra.)

Note from Bakerella: I also only melt a few pieces of chocolate bark at a time because it starts to cool and thicken. It’s easier to work with when it’s hot.

 
 

Comments

[Maria]

Very festive! Happy Holidays!

[Jessie]

I could definitely eat these all year around!

[Ms K Majeed]

Hahahaha who is Noel. Jack is cool.

[Noelle (An Opera Singer in the Kitchen)]

These look wonderful! Good job!

[Andrea@WellnessNotes]

These look sooooooo good!!!!!

[Margaret]

These look just right for Christmas eve. Thanks.

[Natasha - 5 Star Foodie]

Oh, how scrumptious! Such perfect beauties for the holidays!

[Phyllis (me HUNGRY!)]

So adorable. Delicious too - I made these last year to give out for the holidays and they were a big hit! And I know what you mean about the xmas music, I can listen to it all year round :) Merry Christmas, Teanna!

[Jill]

I love the sprinkles on top! So cute!

It is so weird that on Dec 26 it's like Christmas never happened. I don't know what Boxing Day is either, but I think we should celebrate it!

[Wendy]

Oh man, you are the opposite of me when it comes to Christmas. I always can't wait for the season to be over and I don't like that the season starts so early.

I do like the cake balls though!

[jenn (Bread + Butter)]

I'm making red velvet cake balls, too. It a apart of my Christmas giveaways this year. It's become somewhat a tradition way better than having to go out and buy stuff for people. hehe...

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays

[Notjustmedical.wordpress.com]

Wow, I'm gonna have to try to make that one day!! Looks delicious.

[Lauryn]

Yum!! I am loving your red velvet cake balls! I just posted some cupcake pops that I made as well!! Merry Christmas!!

[Andrea]

You guys don't have Boxing Day? We do - not sure why it's called Boxing Day. More appropriate would be Christmas Hangover Day, but either way it's an extra day off here to just "ease out of it" so to speak. Or, for us, more family visits, and more food.

[Rebecca]

Awesome picture. They look so festive -- almost too good to eat.

[Margot]

I really can't believe Christmas is only four days away. The cake balls look amazing, what a perfect Christmas treat.

[Mimi]

Very festive cake balls, they are a perfect Christams treat.
Mimi

[Lea McIntosh (Nesting Newbies)]

They look so moist and yummy! I so want one right now! :-)

[grace]

these take so much effort, but i'll be darned if it's not all completely worth it. they're attractive and tasty, so bravo to you!

[Chaitali]

These remind of rum balls which my auntie makes. It's basically the same process as cake balls..chocolate cake mix, 1/2 to 1/3 can of frosting and few tablespoons of rum. The cake balls are topped with a boozy chocolate ganache and chilled.
She makes hundreds of them every year and there are never any leftover. So sinfully delicious :)

[Alta]

These are gorgeous. I think I would love the outer shell the most, honestly. But I can so imagine them flying off of a table around the holidays.

[Bianca @south bay rants n raves]

Like everything else I've seen from you, these are good! On a side note, I made your candy cane cookies for my party last weekend & they were a hit! :-)

[Eliana]

These look super delish! I'm already getting sad that as of Saturday LiteFM goes back to lite music :(

[Carolina]

Very Holidelicious!

[Janice]

Here is the link to the Boxing Day definition in Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boxing_Day
But basically, if you don't want to look it up, it derives from the time when people gave a 'Christmas Box' to their servants or labourers. Some people still give a 'tip' to their postman, dustman (garbage removal guy) and milkman at Christmas. I doubt if anyone does it on Boxing Day though as it is a public holiday. This year we get an extra long holiday because Christmas is on a Friday, so Boxing Day gets added on Monday. But remember we don't get a holiday for Thanksgiving, so I guess it all evens out in the end!

In Scotland we also get two days at New Year - the second day being for that hangover cure day!