Chocolate Covered Cherry Cake Balls

These chocolate covered cherry cake balls just scream "I love you".

These are a decadent treat - chocolate cake and cherry frosting balls with a yummy sweet maraschino cherry center, double-dipped in chocolate.

These do take some time to make, but, as with everything I make, they are super easy!

Chocolate Covered Cherry Cake Balls

1 box Devil's Food chocolate cake mix 

4 eggs

1/3 cup oil

1 cup hot water

1 tub cherry or strawberry frosting

1 (10 oz) jar maraschino cherries

1 (24 oz) brick almond bark, divided 

In a large bowl, beat cake mix, eggs, oil, and water together 30 seconds on low-speed, and then 1 minute on high, until completely combined.  Pour into a greased 9x13" baking dish.  Bake at 350 degrees for 28-30 minutes or until done (a toothpick inserted into the middle will come out clean).

Cool completely.  

Once cool, crumble cake into a large bowl.  Mix with 2/3 -3/4 of the tub of frosting.  You want the cake and frosting mixture to be moist and able to stick together when formed into balls, but not super moist it's crumbly and falling apart.  Start with 2/3 and add more if necessary.  Form cake mixture into 1 inch balls.  Make an indent in the center of each ball with your thumb.  Insert a cherry.  Cover up cherry and roll ball smooth.  Place balls on a parchment lined baking sheet.  Place in the freezer for at least 1 hour.  

Once the balls are ready, in a medium bowl, melt half the almond bark according to package directions.  Dip cake balls into chocolate covering completely.  Tap off extra chocolate and allow to set on a clean sheet of parchment paper.  Once chocolate has set, melt remaining almond bark and repeat.  Double-dipping each ball.  Top with sprinkles or drizzle with left-over chocolate, if desired.

Notes:  This is a great way to use up leftover cake.  Instead of baking the cake and adding the frosting, just dump the remaining frosted cake into a large bowl, and stir until it comes together.  

Step-By Step:

 Once the cake has cooled, crumble into a large bowl.  Mix crumbs with  2/3 -3/4 tub of frosting.  You want the mixture to be able to stick together when formed into a ball, but not too moist it's falling apart, or too dry it crumbles.

 Now for the yummy part-

 Scoop out 1 tablespoon of dough (you can make these smaller if you'd like)

 Use your thumb to make an indent in the center.

 Insert a cherry,

 then close back up and roll smooth.  Place on a parchment lined cookie sheet.  Freeze balls for at least 1 hour.

 Once balls are ready, melt almond bark (I used white and dark).

 Dip balls, covering completely.  Use a fork to tap off excess -

 Place on a sheet of parchment paper to until set.  Once set, dip them a second time.