Food has 'fads' just as fashion does, and a peek into any church or work pot luck will show you what some of them are. About a year ago a little thing called "cake balls" started to gain popularity. It's basically just smashing up a baked 9X13 inch cake with a tub of frosting and then dipping the balls in melted frosting.
I admit I don't eat the balls others make because I keep picturing them smashing the cake and frosting between their fingers with dirty hands. I know... gross and not likely, but I can't help it! LOL. You have to work the mixture like playdoh and I just don't know what their hands were doing when they were smashing my food. LOL.
Yesterday I made this version, purely on a whim and by accident simply because I wanted to use up some leftover cake mix and graham cracker crumbs I had reserved from Cheesecake Bars I made. In the end, my family loved these even more than the bars and a new 'family favorite' was born. Unfortunately I was making it up as I went along and didn't write it down, but I'll try to remember what I did! LOL.
Quick and Easier Cake Balls
(based on memory as I didn't write it down when I was making it up!)
1 c dry white cake mix
1 c fine graham cracker crumbs
1 T sugar
1 t lemon juice
1/8 t dried lemon peel
6 oz. cream cheese
vanilla almond bark
Mix in a Kitchen Aid (or electric) mixer with a paddle until well combined and similar to playdough. Make into 1 inch balls and freeze 30 minutes. Melt 3-4 squares vanilla almond bark in the microwave (I use 4 minutes at 50% power... follow your own microwave directions). Stir smooth and dip each cake ball into the almond bark. Place on foil, saran wrap, waxed paper or parchment. Refrigerate 10 minutes to 'set' or let harden overnight at room temp. You can decorate the tops with a colored drizzle by adding a couple drops of food color to the left over almond bark. Green for St. Patricks Day, Red for Valentines, Red and Green for Christmas, etc. or use colored sugars to sprinkle if you like!
*Note*
Because my family inhaled these I'll make more today. If I find that I tweak the recipe any or that the amounts change I'll update this recipe with the changes.
