Description
Delight in these festive Pumpkin Spice Cake Balls, a perfect bite-sized treat featuring moist pumpkin-infused cake combined with creamy cream cheese frosting, dipped in vibrant orange candy melts and decorated with green frosting to resemble adorable pumpkins. Ideal for fall gatherings, Halloween parties, or a sweet seasonal snack.
Ingredients
Scale
Cake Mix and Cake Ingredients
- 1 Box Yellow Cake Mix or Spice Cake Mix (omit cinnamon if using spice cake mix)
- 1 cup Water
- ½ cup Vegetable or Canola Oil
- 3 Large Eggs
- 1 cup Libby’s Canned Pumpkin Purée
- 1 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon Pumpkin Pie Spice
Frosting and Decoration
- 1 Can Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting
- 24 ounces Orange Candy Melts (or white almond bark with orange food coloring or icing gel)
- 1 Tube Green Frosting
- Lollipop Sticks
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Pan: Preheat the oven to 325℉ (163℃) and lightly grease a 13″ x 9″ baking pan with nonstick cooking spray to ensure easy removal of the cake.
- Mix Batter: In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, water, oil, eggs, pumpkin purée, ground cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice. Stir the mixture until smooth and free of lumps for a consistent batter.
- Bake Cake: Pour the batter into the prepared pan, spreading evenly. Bake for 22 to 24 minutes, or until the cake springs back when lightly touched or a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool and Crumble: Allow the cake to cool completely. Once cooled, crumble the cake fully into a large bowl to prepare for mixing with frosting.
- Combine with Frosting: Add the entire can of whipped cream cheese frosting to the crumbled cake. Mix thoroughly until the texture resembles cookie dough that holds its shape without crumbling.
- Form Cake Balls: Using a small cookie scoop, portion out the mixture and roll into smooth balls with your hands. Place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Chill the Cake Balls: Freeze the formed cake balls for 1 hour or refrigerate for 2 hours to firm them up for dipping.
- Prepare Candy Melts and Insert Sticks: Melt ½ cup of the orange candy melts according to package directions. Dip the lollipop sticks about ½ inch into the melted candy, then insert halfway into each cake ball to secure the sticks. If balls crack, refreeze until firm.
- Dip Cake Balls: Melt the remaining candy melts. Dip each cake ball into the melted candy melts, coating evenly. Shake off excess coating. If balls begin to separate from sticks or fall off, refreeze before continuing.
- Decorate: Once the candy coating hardens, use an icing bag or resealable plastic bag fitted with a small corner cut to pipe green frosting vines and leaves on the pumpkins for a festive look.
Notes
- Maintain the right cake-to-frosting ratio; the mixture should resemble pliable cookie dough that holds its shape without cracking.
- Dip the lollipop sticks in candy melts or almond bark before inserting into the cake balls to help secure the sticks during dipping and eating.
- Chill the cake balls thoroughly after shaping and stick insertion to prevent falling off during dipping. Work in batches to keep candy melts melted and cake balls firm.
- If candy melts are too thick, add 1-2 tablespoons of shortening or vegetable oil to thin for smooth dipping.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Cake Ball
- Calories: 120 kcal
- Sugar: 14 g
- Sodium: 120 mg
- Fat: 6 g
- Saturated Fat: 3.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 18 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 1.5 g
- Cholesterol: 35 mg
