Pioneer Woman Cake Balls Halloween Style

Pioneer Woman cake balls Halloween style takes 2 hours 5 minutes and uses cake mix, frosting and melting chocolate to make a fudgy, bite-sized dessert on a stick. This no-fuss Halloween dessert for kids fits class parties, trick-or-treat night and fall birthday parties.

Freeze the rolled balls for a full hour before you dip them, because cold, firm centers hold together in the warm chocolate. Skip that and the balls slide off the sticks or crumble into the bowl.

Working the frosting into the crumbs with two forks, instead of mashing with your hands, keeps the mixture from turning greasy. Dotting gel icing over the coating then lets you turn plain candy-coated balls into spooky monsters and eyeballs.

Pioneer Woman Cake Balls Halloween Style

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Course: DessertCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

6

servings

Prep time

1

hour 

30

minutes

Cooking time

35

minutes

Calories

380

kcal

Cake crumbs and frosting turn into a dense, fudgy center that firms up in the freezer before getting a snappy chocolate shell. Gel icing faces on top make each pop look like a little monster.

Ingredients

• 1 18.25-oz. box cake mix (red velvet or yellow)
  

• 1 12-oz. can frosting
  

• 1 12-oz. bag melting chocolate (any color or a combination of colors)
  

• 1 bag lollipop sticks
  

• Various tubes gel icing (any colors)
  

Directions

• Bake the cake: Prepare the cake mix according to the package directions and bake it in a 9-by-13-inch pan. Cover the cake with a dishtowel and let it cool completely.
• Crumble the cake: Add the cooled cake to a large bowl, 1/4 of the cake at a time, and gently crumble it. When you finish, you should have a pile of very fine cake crumbs.
• Mix in the frosting: Add the 12-oz. can of frosting to the crumbs and work it in with two forks. Keep going until the frosting is no longer visible, even if you started with white icing on a dark cake.
• Roll and freeze: Roll the mixture into walnut-sized balls, using a small ice cream scoop if you like. Freeze them uncovered for at least an hour, since they need to be very firm before coating.
• Melt the chocolate: Place the melting chocolate into the bowl of a double boiler. Stir occasionally until it is melted and smooth, then set it aside.
• Add the sticks: Insert a lollipop stick sideways into each cake ball, paying attention to the flat part on the bottom. That flat side is what keeps the ball steady when it rests.
• Coat the balls: Roll each ball in the chocolate or spoon it over the top, whichever is easier for you. Coat the bottom where the ball meets the stick thoroughly, then lay each one back on wax or parchment paper with the flat side down.
• Decorate: Use tubes of gel icing in different colors to draw faces and details on the coated balls. Let the chocolate set before you serve them.

Tools for this recipe

• Pyrex 3-piece glass mixing bowl set, OXO medium cookie scoop, Nordic Ware half sheet pan. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

FAQs

Can I use homemade cake and frosting instead of a box mix?

Yes, any cake that bakes up moist works, and homemade frosting is fine too. Just keep the same ratio of crumbs to frosting, since too much frosting makes the balls greasy and soft.

How long do Halloween cake balls last?

Store them in an airtight container in the fridge, where they keep for about a week. Let them sit out for 15 minutes before serving so the centers soften a little.

Can I make cake balls ahead of a party?

Yes, you can roll the balls and freeze them a few days ahead, then dip and decorate the day before the party. Dipping straight from the freezer works best, so only pull out a few at a time.

Why is my chocolate coating cracking or too thick?

Cold cake balls can make the coating crack as it sets, and chocolate that has cooled in the bowl turns thick. Rewarm it gently over the double boiler, and stir in a teaspoon of vegetable oil if it still looks heavy.

What can I use if I don't have a double boiler?

Set a heatproof bowl over a pot of barely simmering water, making sure the bowl does not touch the water. You can also microwave the chocolate in 30-second bursts, stirring in between.