These Cake Bites are so easy and fool-proof to prepare! Featuring “doctored" cake mix, a tub of frosting and candy melts, this fuss-free dessert recipe requires just 20 minutes of hands-on prep and there's no special equipment or molds needed! These cake balls are buttery, ultra-moist and totally customizable (use your favorite cake flavor, frosting and colors!)! They’re the perfect treat for every occasion - from birthdays and holiday parties to potlucks, bake sales, and more! Recipe can be scaled up or down by using the slider if you hover your mouse over the number of Servings. (Tip: To halve the recipe, cut the servings down to 18 Cake Bites!)
1CupFrosting (Tub or Homemade!)+ more as needed, any flavor that you love!
1poundVanilla- or Chocolate Candy Melts - DIVIDED (SEE NOTES)
Sprinkles or Jimmies – to taste
Instructions
Preheat Oven: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9x13-inch baking pan with parchment paper.
Doctor Cake Mix: In a large bowl with a hand-held mixer, or the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat together the cake mix, pudding mix, eggs, oil, sour cream, water, and vanilla. Beat on medium for 1 minute. Stop and scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Continue to beat for 1 additional minute, or until well combined.
Bake: Transfer the cake batter to the baking pan. Bake for 28-34 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Do NOT over-bake! (Tip: If the top of your cake starts to brown too quickly towards the end of baking, lightly tent the top with aluminum foil.)
Cool: Remove cake from oven and place the pan on a wire rack. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Lift up on the edges of the parchment paper and remove the cake from the pan. Transfer to the wire rack and set aside to let it cool completely.
Trim: Using a sharp paring knife, LIGHTLY trim off the darker brown sides, edges, and bottom of the cake. Discard the dark edges (or eat them!)!
Crumble: Use your hands to crumble the cake into a large mixing bowl – crumbling the cake until the cake resembles fine crumbs. (Tip: If you want to make quick work of this, you can use the food processor. Make sure you process in small batches and keep a close eye on it!)
Add Frosting: Add the frosting to the bowl. Use an electric mixer or a spoon and beat on low (or stir) until everything is combined. The mixture should be soft and slightly moist!
Roll: Line a large baking pan or tray with parchment or wax paper and set aside. Using a small (1 or 2-tablespoon) ice cream or scoop melon baller, portion and shape into heaping 1-inch balls (about 29 grams each). Place each ball onto the prepared pan.
Chill or Freeze: Transfer the cake balls to the freezer and freeze for 1 hour, or transfer to the refrigerator and chill for at least 2 hours.
Melt Chocolate: Place 12 ounces of the candy melts or chocolate into a microwave-safe tall, deep, and wide bowl (I use a 2-cup liquid measure) and melt according to package directions. (Tip 1: Thin with 1 teaspoon of shortening or coconut oil for the best consistency!! Tip 2: The melted candy or chocolate needs to be hot, but not too hot or it will melt your cake ball!)
Dip in Chocolate: Working with 4 to 6 balls at a time (keep the rest in the refrigerator), place a ball on a fork and lower the ball into the bowl of melted candy coating, covering the ball completely with chocolate. Make sure you gently tap the side of the fork or your wrist to the side of the bowl after dipping to remove all excess chocolate coating. Once coated, place the cake ball on the parchment paper-lined pan. Repeat with all the remaining cake balls.
Decorate: Melt the remaining chocolate and pour it into a small resealable bag. Use scissors to snip off a tiny edge to create a piping bag. Drizzle the melted chocolate in a back-and-forth zig-zag pattern across the tops of the cake balls. Sprinkle jimmies or sprinkles over the chocolate while the chocolate is still warm!
Set and Enjoy: Set the cake bites aside in the refrigerator or let stand at room temperature to allow the candy coating to completely set. Enjoy!
Notes
Customizing your Cake Balls: Please see below for customizing your Cake Bites!
Cake Mix: You can use any flavor cake mix you love -OR- you can bake your favorite sheet cake recipe!
Frosting: Same thing goes for the frosting! You can purchase a tub of whatever flavor you love -OR- you can whip up your favorite homemade frosting!
Pudding: As for the pudding mix, you can use whatever flavor you like; however, it must be instant and for the best taste I recommend using Full Fat.
Extract: You can use any flavor of extract you love. I recommend using PURE extract for the best taste! You can simply use pure vanilla extract if you like that classic sheet cake flavor!!
Tips and Tricks: I have sprinkled a few crucial tips throughout the recipe instructions to help guide you! However, for the FULL tutorial, common questions and answers, plus tons of cake pop flavor ideas, please see the written post above!
Cake Bite Flavor Shown Here: White Cake Mix + French Vanilla Pudding Mix + Buttercream Frosting w/ Hot Pink Candy Melts and Ghirardelli White Melting Wafers.
Nutritional information is an approximation based upon 36 cake bites. Exact information will depend upon the brands of ingredients and precise measurements used.