Lemon Cake Balls
User Reviews
5
Lemon Cake Balls
Description
The recipe starts by baking a lemon cake mix as directed, then crumbling the cooled cake into fine pieces. The crumbled cake is blended gently with softened cream cheese to bind the mixture into a moist dough with a subtle tartness from the lemon. Once formed into balls, they are chilled thoroughly to maintain their shape. The chilled cake balls are then dipped into melted vanilla wafers or yellow candy melts, creating a smooth, sweet coating. This coating helps seal moisture inside while providing a pleasing texture contrast.
These lemon cake balls have a tender and creamy interior with a sweet, mild citrus flavor from the cake and cream cheese combination. The coated exterior adds a gentle crunch and a decorative appeal. They are suitable for serving at gatherings or as a sweet snack portioned into small, easy-to-eat sizes.
The recipe allows for substitutions such as different cake flavors or coatings like white chocolate chips or almond bark. Adding freeze-dried fruit or lemon zest can intensify the flavor. Careful melting of coatings prevents clumping or drying out. Chilling the balls before dipping is necessary to prevent crumbling when coated.
Leftover cake balls store well in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days, maintaining freshness and texture.
Ingredients
- 15.25 ounce lemon cake mix plus ingredients listed on the box, box
- 8 ounce cream cheese softened to room temperature, block
- 10 oz vanilla melting wafers
- ¾ cup Candy Melts yellow
Instructions
Make the Cake
- Preheat oven per box mix directions and follow the cake mix according to the box instructions on the back.
- Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
- After baking the cake, allow it to cool completely in the pan on a wire cooling rack.
- Once the baked cake has cooled, crumble the entire cake with a fork or your hands.
Make the Cake Balls
- In a large mixing bowl, add the cream cheese and beat with an electric mixer on medium high speed until creamy.
- Add the crumbled cake to the blended cream cheese and mix together on low speed until completely combined. (scrape down the side of the bowl with a spatula as you blend).
- Using an 1 ½ inch cookie scoop, scoop dough and roll in your hands to make a smooth ball. Then place each cake ball on the lined cookie sheet.
- Place the full baking tray in the refrigerator for at least 1.5 - 2 hours to chill and hold their shape when dipping.
- After chilling, place the vanilla melting wafers in a microwave safe bowl and heat for 30 seconds at 50% power level, then remove from the microwave and stir. Repeat for another 30 seconds and then stir again until completely melted. (Repeat one more time if necessary but be very careful not to over cook them or they will seize, thicken and be unusable. The heated bowl will continue to help melt them. (you can also use a double boiler on the stove-top method stirring until fully melted and smooth. Again, be careful not to overheat or get any water or condensation in the melting wafers or it may seize up and harden.
- Using a fork, dip each cake ball on at a time into the melted vanilla. Gently tap the fork on the edge of the bowl to remove excess coating.
- Place the dipped cake ball onto the parchment paper. Repeat dipping all of the cake balls.
- Place the yellow candy melts in a small ziplock bag or piping bag and melt in the microwave for 30 seconds at 50% power level. Squeeze the bag and then repeat again until they are completely melted.
- After melting, cut the corner off of the baggie and drizzle over the cake balls.
- Place the tray back in the refrigerator and allow to harden for at least 15 minutes.
Notes
- Substitute any cake mix flavor and coatings like white chocolate chips or almond bark as preferred.
- Add ½ cup freeze-dried strawberries or blueberries to the cream cheese mixture for extra flavor and texture.
- Sprinkle lemon zest on the cake balls for added brightness.
- To make cake pops, insert a lollipop stick into each ball after chilling and before coating.
- Melt coating wafers over low heat to avoid seizing or clumping of the chocolate.
- Always chill the cream cheese and cake mixture well before dipping to prevent crumbling.
- Store leftover cake balls refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 24cake balls
Amount Per Serving
Calories 167 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1cake ball | |
| Calories | 167kcal | 8% |
| Carbohydrates | 21g | 7% |
| Protein | 3g | 6% |
| Fat | 8g | 12% |
| Saturated Fat | 3g | 15% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 2g | 12% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 2g | 10% |
| Trans Fat | 0.04g | 2% |
| Cholesterol | 24mg | 8% |
| Sodium | 206mg | 9% |
| Potassium | 43mg | 1% |
| Fiber | 0.2g | 1% |
| Sugar | 13g | 26% |
| Vitamin A | 5IU | 0% |
| Calcium | 71mg | 7% |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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