Description
Celebrate the 4th of July with these festive and colorful cake balls made from a white cake mix, cream cheese, and coated with vanilla melts in red, white, and blue. Perfect for summer parties and easy to make ahead!
Ingredients
Scale
Cake Batter
- 15.25 ounce white cake mix, plus ingredients on box needed to make it
- Red food coloring
- Blue food coloring
Filling
- 8 ounce block cream cheese, softened to room temperature
Coating and Decoration
- 10 oz bag Ghirardelli vanilla melting wafers
- ½ cup red candy melts
- ½ cup blue candy melts
- Red, white, and blue sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat the oven to 350°F or the temperature specified on the cake mix box. Lightly grease three 8×8 inch baking pans and set aside.
- Prepare Batter: In a large mixing bowl, combine the cake mix and all ingredients called for on the box, whisking together until smooth batter forms.
- Divide and Color Batter: Divide the batter evenly into three smaller bowls. Leave one bowl plain, add red food coloring to the second bowl and blue food coloring to the third, mixing 5 drops at a time until the desired color is reached. Use separate spoons for each bowl to avoid color mixing.
- Bake Cakes: Pour each colored batter into its own greased baking pan. Bake for 16 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and tops appear set.
- Cool Cakes: Remove pans from oven and cool completely on wire racks.
- Prepare Cake Crumbles: Once cooled, crumble each cake into separate bowls.
- Mix Cream Cheese: In a large bowl, beat cream cheese on medium-high speed until smooth and creamy.
- Combine Cake and Cream Cheese: Divide cream cheese evenly into three portions; mix each with a different color cake crumble until fully incorporated. Use a hand mixer on low-medium speed or a rubber spatula, cleaning between colors.
- Form Cake Balls: Line two baking trays with parchment paper. Break small one-inch chunks from each colored cake mixture and roll them together by hand into balls. Place each ball on the prepared trays.
- Chill Cake Balls: Refrigerate the cake balls for 2 hours to firm up and hold their shape.
- Melt Coating: Melt the white melting wafers using a double boiler on low heat or microwave on the defrost/low setting, stirring every 30 seconds until smooth.
- Dip and Decorate: Dip each cake ball using a fork into the melted wafers. Tap off excess coating, place back on the tray, and immediately top with red, white, and blue sprinkles. Repeat for all cake balls.
- Set Coating: Refrigerate the dipped cake balls for 15 minutes to allow the coating to firm up completely.
- Serve and Store: Keep cake balls refrigerated until serving. Enjoy your festive 4th of July treat!
Notes
- Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
- Use separate utensils when mixing colors to avoid color bleeding.
- Ensure cream cheese is softened for easier mixing and smooth texture.
- Chilling the cake balls before dipping helps maintain their shape.
- Use a fork or dipping tool for even coating and easy handling of cake balls.
- For a quicker melt, use high-quality candy melts and avoid over-heating to prevent clumps.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cake ball
- Calories: 150 kcal
- Sugar: 18 g
- Sodium: 120 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 20 mg
