Carrot Cake Balls

My grand-father-in-law's 80th Birthday went great! Sadly, we missed most of it. On our way to Louisiana, they shut down a large chunk of the I-10 east freeway (so we needed to take street roads until it opened up again), then there was an accident near the Lake Charles Bridge (causing a major backup), AND THEN it was raining so hard people just stopped on the road- so we had to drive like 30 mph. Oh man, at the last bit, my husband, his sister and myself were just laughing it was so absurd. We arrived about two hours late- just after the cake cutting, and right as some people were heading out. BUT I enjoyed the time spent with my in-laws, they are so sweet and loving, and sometimes its just nice to be around family. And before I begin must say- it was amazing- to have and 80 year old grandfather-in-law but what was even more amazing, is my great-great-grandmother-in-law is 98-years-old and was attending the birthday party! I can only dream of having a long and happy life just like those two.

So on to the recipe. Well, I had already made the Peanut Butter Surprise Chocolate Fudge Pudding Cookies. And even though they were the middle ground to both my hubster and I- I still wanted to make something that was not chocolate at all. Plus, I wanted to make cake pops. I've tried it once before (before I began this blog) and I thought they were cute. After asking my husband which cake he would like- he chose carrot cake. And that is how Carrot Cake Balls were made :) I made two types (1) cupcake shape and (2) cake balls rolled in pecans.

Cupcake Balls

Made with a chocolate chip and covered in sprinkles

 

Notice a little bit of sprinkles smear because of the heat condensation

Carrot Cake Balls

Rolled in Pecans

Inside of the Carrot Cake Balls

They were not so bad to make, but a little bit of a trial and error in making them. I was a bit disappointed because the first time around, I felt they came our cleaner because I got to use chocolate candy melts, which covers imperfections better. Also, because of the Texas heat it was a bit of a freezer and refrigerator game to keep the candy melts from melting. Oh Boy is all I have to say :) Its a recipe that I am certainly going to try again, until I perfect it. This is definitely a recipe where using boxed cake mix and pre-made frosting works the best.

CARROT CAKE BALLS

Adpated from Bakarella's Cake Pop Book

INGREDIENTS

Preheat oven to 350F degrees

1 box of carrot cake mix (Betty Crocker)

1 1/3 c. water

3 eggs

1/3 c. vegetable oil 

1 container of cream cheese frosting (Betty Crocker)

4-8 oz. bag of white candy melts or chocolate bark*

4-8 oz. bag of pink candy melts or chocolate bark*

Sprinkles

M&Ms

*If doing cake balls in one color- get 8 oz of the candy melts or chocolate bark. If making cupcake shapes, get 4 oz. of each desired color. 

DIRECTIONS

Make cake according to box instructions. Let cool completely (I usually cool over night but this time I cooked it for 4 hours). Once cooled, cut the edges off the cake (as well as top and bottom layers of cake). In a large bowl using a food processor or your hands, crumble the cake into fine bits. Add slightly less than 3/4 of the cream cheese frosting. Mix well. Roll into 1 1/2 inch round balls. Place in refrigerator until chilled.

In the meantime, melt either chocolate bark or candy melts according to package directions. This is my secret, once the chocolate is melted I stir in the vegetable oil. This makes the chocolate have a smoother and shinier coating :) 

Now, I am going to tell you how I get perfectly dipped cake balls but if you have your own method that works-- you are more than welcome to do it that way--this is just whats worked best for me. Once chocolate has melted, take a cake balls and while holding the top half, dip the bottom half into the chocolate, then dip a cake pop stick into the chocolate (about 1/2 inch) and push into the center of the cake balls until about, no more, than half way through. Let cool. This will make it much easier to dip the rest of the cake ball- otherwise I have found that the cake balls either gets stuck in the chocolate or falls off the stick.

Once cooled, dip the top of the cake balls and a little part of the bottom, that was already coated into the chocolate. Immediately roll in pecans and allow to cool by sticking into flower foam. Once dried- holding the cake ball with one hand, gently twist the cake pop stick with your other hand pull out.

For cupcake shaped balls begin by rolling balls first into logs. Fit logs into a 1 1/4-by-3/4-inch flower-shaped cookie cutter. Push cake mixture into the cutter halfway so that some of the cake mixture extends beyond the top of the cutter. Shape extended cake mixture into a cupcake-shaped top. Push cake from cutter to remove. Place back in refrigerator  For the cupcake pop- dip the bottom of each cupcake into the pink candy melt; insert a lollipop stick into the bottom of each cupcake. Dip the tops of the cupcakes into the white candy melt and place right-side up on into a Styrofoam square. Place a candy-coated chocolate in the center of each and top with sprinkles.

Also see: No Bake Cake Batter Truffles for "My Little Cupcake" method.

Enjoy,

Chika

Candy Bar Bouquet

So I did it again...but this time I did warn you...that I would probably be MIA. This pattern will continue at least till the end of June. I cannnot believe its June ...and to think that on June 30th- I am going to be MARRIED- blows my mind. But I am so excited!

I did a little crafty baking things this month. But this post requires no baking! Its more of a craft but its just too cute to not share. So for those of you who follow my blog more closely, know that I made a Cookie Bouquet and it was fun! Well, I was scanning the web one day and stumbled upon a candy bar bouquet and thought how awesome is that?

Well yesterday the department head of psychology retired after 32 years at Texas A&M University. Can you believe being somewhere for 32 years- that is just remarkable. Our department head was amazing- so caring towards graduate students, which is not always the case and I just thought he was great because one of his passions is....CHOCOLATE! I thought- what a perfect opportunity to make this candy bar bouquet. He's a guy, so he is not going to want flowers but he just may appreciate a candy bar bouquet. So I decided to go for it! Here it is (and I have to say, it was super fun making it and a big hit):

My first candy bar bouquet. Notice the vase is also candy bars.

Materials for the Candy Bar Bouquet

CANDY BAR BOUQUET

Adapted from Dollar Store Crafts

  

INGREDIENTS

Vase (you could be creative and re-use things around the house). I chose to use a glass square shapped vace, to give better surface area for the giant Hershey bars to stick.

Flower foam block
Barbeque skewers (wooden)
Tape
Tissue paper
Paper shreds
4 large Hershey bars (may need to adjust amount based on size of vase)
6 packs of mini- candy bars (any type that is your favorite)
Wide ribbon

DIRECTIONS

Tape each mini candy bar to the top of a wooden skewer (non-pointy side), make sure the tape is secure. Cut a piece of the flower foam block to nicely fit into your vase and place tissue paper above it (and decoratively adjust it). Arrange mini candy bars in the vase and plase paper shreds in the vase to cover the foam block. Glue (if you use hot glue, be sure not to put too much, because you do not want to melt the chocolate) the large Hershey bars to the sides of the vase. Tie ribbon around vase and make a bow :)

Enjoy,
Chika

My First Cookie Bouquet

So I apologize from taking what seemed like a semi-vacation away from my blog. The truth is, once I came back from Mardi Gras with my sister (which btw...was such a fun experience)- I did do some backing. However, I was too lazy that week to transfer my baking to my blog :(

But, last week I attempted to make my first cookie bouquet. I clearly have a great ways to go, on mastering the cookie bouquet..I am no Cookie by Design for sure, but Im proud of myself for giving it a go. I made it for the secretary of our clinic, who just bought a house! I am so excited for her...the house it absolutely beautiful. And though I wanted to contribute with some elaborate house warming gift, I needed to find something wonderful to give, and within my graduate student means....so here it is:

The cookies

The bouquet

This was extremely simple to do. I found an adorable box at Wal-mart, in the $1 section, placed down some tissue paper, and then the green foam blocks and stuck in my cookies. For the "gift tag" I cut it out of an index card and decorated it!

NO FAIL SUGAR COOKIES

From Lovin' the Oven

INGREDIENTS

Preheat oven to 350F degrees

COOKIES

6 cups flour
3 tsp. baking powder
2 cups butter
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract or desired flavoring
1 tsp. salt

ROYAL ICING
6 oz (3/4 cup) of warm water
5 Tablespoons meringue powder
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 kilogram (2.25 lbs.) powdered icing sugar

DIRECTIONS

Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla. Mix well. Mix dry ingredients and add a little at a time to butter mixture. Mix until flour is completely incorporated and the dough comes together. Chill for 1 to 2 hours. Roll to desired thickness and cut into desired shapes. Bake on ungreased baking sheet for 8 to 10 minutes or until just beginning to turn brown around the edges.

In mixer bowl, pour in the warm water and the meringue powder. Mix it with a whisk by hand until it is frothy and thickened...about 30 seconds. Add the cream of tartar and mix for 30 seconds More. Pour in all the icing sugar at once and place the bowl on the mixer- icing will get thick and creamy. Cover the bowl with a dampened paper towel to prevent crusting and drying. Tint with food colourings or thin the icing with small amounts of warm water to reach the desired consistency (basically for the outline of the cookie, I used a thicker consistency, but fo the filling of the cookies, I added more water to make a smoother consistency- but be careful to avoid making it too runny).

Enjoy,
Chika