Technique for Dipping Cake Balls in Candy

Cake balls are tiny little balls of cake and frosting. They can be made in any flavor and served off a platter or made into a cake pop on a stick. These desserts are popular for holidays and birthday parties because they can be decorated to match any theme. These bite-sized creations are distributed through companies online, at bakeries and even at some high-end stores, but making cake balls at home is easy and inexpensive. After mixing the ingredients together, the balls are dipped in chocolate to lock in the cake and prevent crumbling. They can then be rolled in candy bits such as sprinkles, crushed candy bars, miniature candies, crushed peppermint or tiny candy flakes. Add this to my Recipe Box.

Refrigerate the mixture

When the cake and the frosting have been well blended, it is important to refrigerate the mixture for at least two hours before forming the cake balls. Refrigeration will make the balls easier to handle and prevent the warmth of your hands from making them crumble. After the balls are formed, you can refrigerate them again for an hour so that they are nice and firm when you dip them in the melting chocolate. Again, this will make the balls easier to work with and prevent them from falling apart when they are exposed to the heated chocolate.

Set Up

It is a good idea to have all of your candies laid out and ready to go prior to coating the balls in melting chocolate. Arrange the candies on a plate and set them near the melting pot so they are immediately available when you are ready for them. When working with melting chocolate, you have to move quickly because it does not take long for the chocolate to harden. It may take a minute to completely coat a cake ball in chocolate, not leaving much time for you to dip the ball in candy before the chocolate hardens. The trick is to make sure the chocolate is at the right consistency before transferring it to the plate of candy. The chocolate must be starting to set, but not yet completely hardened. It may take a few tries before you get it right.

Dipping with Tongs

Some people prefer to use tiny baking tongs to dip the cake balls in candy bits. Although a bit trickier than using your hands, this method generally makes less of a mess because the tongs control the cake ball, preventing it from rolling or falling. Tongs also prevent finger marks from appearing on the finished ball. When using tongs to dip the cake balls in candy, maintain a light grip to prevent the tongs from digging into the cake balls and puncturing the chocolate coating.

Hand Rolling

Many chefs prefer using their hands when cooking or baking rather than using kitchen utensils. Using your hands to dip cake balls in candy allows you to maintain control and not have to worry about using too much force. Drop the cake ball on the plate with the candy pieces and use the palm of your hand to roll the ball around until is evenly coated. To prevent the candy from sticking to your hands as you work, put on a pair of thin cooking gloves. This method can be messy because the rolling motion tends to spread tiny pieces of candy off the plate, but the end result is an even, all-over candy coating.