Chocolate Covered Strawberry and Pink Velvet Cake Truffles.

Told you that I love pink!

And I’ve had dyed fingers all week to prove it. Contrary to what Mr. How Sweet believes, I do shower. Sometimes.

This is a two-for-one recipe, as I made two different batches of cake balls but threw them together for Valentines’ Day sake.

My favorite are the strawberry cake balls covered in milk chocolate, but I also made some vanilla cake balls with a tiny bit of pink food coloring for Mr. How Sweet.

I know this question is coming, so I do not recommend straying from the boxed cake mix unless you are a seasoned baker. By using a boxed mix, I know that every single time I make the cake balls, they will turn out. And I know that every single time, I will only need 1 1/2 cups of my own frosting, or 1 can of prepared frosting. While this is super easy, it is a lot of “busy” work – prepare the cake, bake the cake, crumble the cake, refrigerate, roll the balls, refrigerate again, dip in chocolate, decorate, refrigerate…

I don’t have the time nor the desire to screw up proportions and have to start again. I have more important things to do, like watch Dawson’s Creek reruns and fry bacon to replenish my jar of grease in the fridge. Plus, who doesn’t love cake balls?

Technically the pink velvet ones aren’t really pink velvet. But along with vanilla extract, I added a drop of chocolate extract for a bit of cocoa flavor. I’ve been making Mr. How Sweet red velvet cake balls for years, as they are one of his favorite treats. Right up there with chocolate chip cookies and Diet Coke.

You can also find many fun ways to decorate them.

I used a pink sugar sparkle glaze, some sprinkles, and extra drizzled chocolate.

Thank goodness I have a spouse, because if I was left to my own devices I’d probably buy hot pink carpeting and hot pink paint. It would be putrid.

I’m sure you can guess which ones I hoarded for myself due to my obsession with sprinkles.

Almost as good as a real chocolate covered strawberry, which just happen to be one of my favorite treats. I’d buy stock in Godiva chocolate strawberries if I could. They can’t be beat.

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Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cake Balls

makes about 40 1-inch balls

1 box Duncan Hines strawberry cake mix, prepared and baked

1 1/2 cups cream cheese frosting (homemade or 1 can of prepared)

6 ounces high quality white, dark or milk chocolate (I often use Ghiradelli or Lindt)

additional pink food coloring if desire (I used a drop for a more pink look)

sprinkles, decorations, etc

Prepare cake batter and bake as directed. I often use a 9 x 13 cake pan as I find this is easiest.

Once cake has cooled, scoop it out of the cake pan and into the bowl of an electric mixer. Add frosting and mix on low to medium speed until a pink dough forms. This can also be done by hand, but may not be mixed as well and will take longer. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight.

Roll in 1-inch balls and place on parchment paper laying on a sheet pan. Freeze the balls for at least 1 hour. Right before removing, melt chocolate in a double boiler or the microwave (if in the microwave, melt in 30 second increments until melted completely). Using a fork, dip balls in chocolate and gently flip it around, just until coated. Lift it out with the fork, allowing any excess chocolate to drip off. Decorate as desired, refrigerating immediately after for at least a few minutes.

We like these best chilled, but they can also be kept at room temperature.

Pink Velvet Cake Truffles

makes about 40 1-inch balls

1 box white cake mix (I used Duncan Hines again), prepared and baked

1 teaspoon vanilla or chocolate extract (or both) to add to cake batter

1 1/2 cups buttercream or cream cheese frosting (homemade or 1 can of prepared)

6 ounces white, dark or milk chocolate

a few drops of pink food coloring

sprinkles, decorations, etc

Follow exact instructions as chocolate covered strawberry cake truffles, adding pink food coloring to cake batter while mixing.

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In other news, you don’t even want to know what I had for lunch yesterday. You’re going to find out tomorrow, but it’s totally not what you think.

Tagged as: cake, chocolate, recipes