Servings
Font
Back
0 from 24 votes

4th of July Cake Balls

These 4th of July cake balls are made with a delicious cake, cream cheese filling, and a colorful surprise center. They're a great patriotic dessert option!

Prep Time
1 hr
chilling time
2 hrs
Total Time
3 hrs
Servings: 24 balls
Calories: 198 kcal
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

  • 1 box white cake mix plus ingredients to make the cake
  • Red and blue food coloring
  • 8 oz cream cheese softened
  • 10 oz Ghirardelli white vanilla melting wafers
  • ½ cup red candy melts
  • ½ cup blue candy melts
  • red, white, and blue sprinkles

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease three small cake pans (round or 8x8 square cake pans).
  2. Mix the cake batter according to the cake box instructions.
  3. Split the cake batter into three bowls and add red food coloring to one of the bowls, blue food coloring to one of the bowls, and nothing to the third bowl.
  4. Pour the cake batter into small round cake pans or 8x8 square cake pans and bake in the oven for 14-16 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the center of the cake.
  5. Remove the pans from the oven and place on a wire rack to allow the cake to cool completely. Once cooled, crumble each cake into small pieces and transfer to three medium mixing bowls.
  6. Split the cream cheese into thirds and add a third to each of the bowls. Mix the crumbled cake and cream cheese together until fully incorporated.
  7. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
  8. Grab a small piece of the red, blue, and white cake mixtures and roll them together in your hand to form one cake ball with all three colors. Place on the prepared baking sheet then repeat with the rest of the balls. Place the baking sheets in the fridge and chill for 1-2 hours.
  9. Once the balls have been chilled, melt the white vanilla melting wafers either using a double boiler on the stove or by melting in the microwave in a microwave safe bowl for 20-30 second increments, stirring in between increments.
  10. Using a fork, dip one cake ball at a time into the melted melting wafers, coating the cake ball completely. Tap the fork on the side of the bowl to get rid of any excess chocolate. Place the coated cake ball back onto the baking sheet.
  11. If you'd like to add sprinkles, add the sprinkles as soon as you put the dipped cake ball onto the baking sheet.
  12. Melt the red and blue candy melts in the same way as you did the vanilla melting wafers. Place the melted candy melts into either a zipper top plastic bag with the corner cut off or a piping bag. Then drizzle the red and blue candy melts over top of the cake balls.
  13. Chill in the fridge for another 15 minutes and then the cake balls are ready to serve.

Notes

  • Make sure to chill the balls. If you skip chilling the balls they will not stay together and leave a bunch of crumbs in your dipping chocolate. 
  • ​Flavor the cake by adding a teaspoon of your favorite extract like vanilla, lemon, birthday cake, or coconut.
  • Place leftovers in an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to five days. 
  • Freeze for up to three months by individually plastic wrapping each ball to ensure they don't dry out. Then place all of the cake balls together in a large zipper top bag.

Nutrition Information

Calories 198kcal (10%) Carbohydrates 28g (9%) Protein 2g (4%) Fat 9g (14%) Saturated Fat 6g (30%) Polyunsaturated Fat 0.4g Monounsaturated Fat 2g Trans Fat 0.1g Cholesterol 12mg (4%) Sodium 194mg (8%) Potassium 60mg (2%) Fiber 0.3g (1%) Sugar 19g (38%) Vitamin A 130IU (3%) Vitamin C 0.1mg (0%) Calcium 80mg (8%) Iron 0.5mg (3%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 24balls

Amount Per Serving

Calories 198

% Daily Value*

Calories 198kcal 10%
Carbohydrates 28g 9%
Protein 2g 4%
Fat 9g 14%
Saturated Fat 6g 30%
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.4g 2%
Monounsaturated Fat 2g 10%
Trans Fat 0.1g 5%
Cholesterol 12mg 4%
Sodium 194mg 8%
Potassium 60mg 1%
Fiber 0.3g 1%
Sugar 19g 38%
Vitamin A 130IU 3%
Vitamin C 0.1mg 0%
Calcium 80mg 8%
Iron 0.5mg 3%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.