I have only made cake bites twice, and the first time they were on sticks, like a lollipop or a popsicle. I call those ones lollicakes to differentiate between them and their stickless counterparts-cake bites. The first time I made them, I looked online for help and direction on where to get started. It seemed as if there absolutely must be some difficulty involved or something tricky in the process, but really, there isn't. They are time-consuming, that is for sure, but they really are not hard to make whatsoever. Either way, I had no idea what to do, so here are two of the websites I referenced to help get me started:
Both of these websites are fantastic, not only for their cake ball ideas but for all of their other recipes and concoctions, as well. I highly recommend you peruse through their sites whenever you get the chance. I also bought Bakerella's book, which is dedicated solely to the cake ball revolution sweeping the world: Cake Pops: Tips, Tricks, and Recipes for More Than 40 Irresistible Mini Treats. You can find it on Amazon or a variety of other book shopping venues. She is so creative- I can't wait to have the time to try some of her ideas and put my own spin on them!
So, anyways, my good friends Monica and Ramsey recently celebrated their wedding anniversary and asked for some cake bites to help them celebrate their special day. Monica, much like Alyson, adores Rainbow Chip Cake and Rainbow Chip Frosting, so that made it especially easy for me to fulfill their request for them. I wanted to have the candy coating be in their wedding colors, but we don't have a craft store here in Laramie where I could find the colored candy melts that make that coloring possible. Therefore, their cake bites were just good, old-fashioned white.
Here is what you will need to make Rainbow Chip Cake Bites:
-1 box Rainbow Chip Cake Mix
-1 can Rainbow Chip Frosting
-Eggs, oil, and water called for in cake instructions
-1 small package vanilla or french vanilla pudding mix, optional
-White Wilton Candy Melts (or white chocolate chips) for dipping
First, make your Rainbow Chip Cake according to the instructions on the box. I always add pudding mix to all of my cake batter while I am mixing all of the ingredients together. I think it adds a little extra flavor, as well as the fact that it is pretty much a guarantee that your cake will be extra moist. Moist cake = Delicious cake! If you choose to add the pudding mix to your cake batter, mix it in at the same time as the eggs, oil, and water. If not, simply skip that step.
Next, bake your cake as instructed on the box, using whatever type of pan you prefer. The cake will be deconstructed, so shape is definitely not important for this stage. Once your cake is done baking, remove it from the oven and let it cool COMPLETELY. I usually just make the cake a day ahead of time and split up some of the time between two different days. It's easier that way at our house.
Once your cake is cooled, divide it into four sections, putting one or two sections at a time into a large bowl and then gently pulling the cake apart using forks. Continue this process until the whole cake is essentially just fine crumbles. There should be no large chunks of cake in the bowl.
After your cake is crumbled, add in your frosting. Only use 3/4 of the frosting from the can or the cake bites will be too moist and will not form/roll properly. Still using your fork, gently incorporate the frosting into the cake crumbles until you can no longer see the frosting.
Now, you're ready to start making your cake bites. Roll about a tablespoon or so of the cake mixture in between your hands to form small balls. Once the balls are formed, place them on a baking sheet lined with wax paper. Place the baking sheet and cake bites into the freezer for AT LEAST one hour.
When your cake bites have had an adequate amount of time in the freezer and are thoroughly chilled, begin melting either your candy melts or your white chocolate chips. You can use either a double boiler or the microwave, but I prefer the double boiler because it keeps the candy smooth for a longer period of time. Just make sure that, if you do use a double boiler, you continue to stir the candy mixture so that it does not scorch.
Once your candy is completely smooth and melted, you can remove the cake bites from the freezer. I would only remove a few at a time to work with so that the others stay well-chilled until you're ready for them. Using a fork, dip the cake bites one at a time into the melted candy mixture, rolling about as needed to coat the entire ball. Lift fork from candy mixture and allow excess coating to drip off, then place the coated cake bite onto another baking sheet lined with wax paper. Continue until all of your cake bites have been dipped and coated.
Allow your cake bites to dry and harden, then they are ready to serve! If not going to be consumed in the near future, it is best to keep them in the freezer.
You will not be disappointed with these scrumptious and tempting bite-sized treats. They are the latest craze for a reason, after all!
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