Cake balls are a food item that are small (typically 1/2 to 2 inches in width) and ball-shaped. Cake balls do not have the consistency of the traditional sweetened, baked and leavened cakes, but have a consistency similar to dough which can be attributed to the cake and icing being blended together.
Cake balls can be fully baked cake crumbles that are blended with icing and shaped to form a ball and then dipped in a coating, such as melted chocolate.[1]
Although the exact origins of cake balls are difficult to determine, cake balls are sold in various bakeries as well as mall kiosks; they are also available to be purchased as gifts from places like Neiman Marcus or LMS Sweets. The bite-sized snacks may be displayed on a stick and decorated with ribbon and are especially popular during the holiday months.
Cake balls were originally created from the use of left-over or stale cake to prevent the waste. Cake balls can be decorated with toppings in a variety of ways, using such items as sprinkles, nuts, chocolate shavings, candy, other confectionery toppings, to name a few. Almond bark or confectionery coating are often used as alternatives to chocolate, and can be easily melted in a microwave oven before dipping. Vegan and gluten-free cake balls also exist.
The recipe is known for its no-hassle style, and pre-made cake mixes and canned icing are often used instead of taking the time to create each part from scratch. However the recipe does require quite a bit of time and effort to produce at the home level.
One of the recent upcoming type of cake balls are Red Velvet cake balls. These are getting special attention because of their attractive look and taste.