Description

These Cake Ball Ornaments are festive, bite-sized treats perfect for holiday celebrations. Made with moist red velvet cake mixed with cream cheese frosting, coated in colorful candy melts, and decorated with sanding sugar and candy hooks, they are charming and delicious holiday treats that look like Christmas ornaments.

Ingredients

Scale

For the Cake Balls

Cooking spray, for greasing
1 (15.25-oz.) box red velvet cake mix, plus ingredients called for on box (usually eggs, oil, and water)
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
4 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups (170 g) confectioners’ sugar
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
Kosher salt, a pinch

For Decoration

1/4 cup Frosted Cheerios (about 70 pieces)
1 (12-oz.) bag green candy melts, melted
1 (12-oz.) bag red candy melts, melted
2 (12-oz.) bags white candy melts, melted
Sanding sugar, for decorating

Instructions

Prepare Cake: Preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease a 13″ x 9″ baking pan with cooking spray. In a large bowl, prepare the red velvet cake mix according to the package directions, including the specified ingredients like eggs, oil, and water. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
Bake Cake: Bake the cake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and let the cake cool completely.
Make Frosting Mixture: In a large bowl, use a handheld mixer on medium-high speed to beat the softened cream cheese and butter together until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the confectioners’ sugar and beat until combined. Then beat in vanilla extract and a pinch of kosher salt.
Form Cake Balls: Crumble the cooled cake into the frosting mixture. Mix thoroughly until combined. Roll the mixture into 1 1/2-inch balls (about 34 total). Place the balls on a baking sheet and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.
Make Hooks: Arrange 34 Frosted Cheerios flat on a baking sheet. Take one remaining cereal piece, hold it upright, dip the bottom into melted white candy, and attach it to the center of a cereal piece on the baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining cereal pieces to form hooks.
Coat Cake Balls: Dip one-third of the cake balls into melted green candy melts, one-third into melted red candy melts, and the remaining third into melted white candy melts, tapping off any excess coating. Before the candy hardens, sprinkle some of the cake balls with sanding sugar. Return them to the baking sheet and allow to set for 15 to 20 minutes.
Decorate and Assemble: Transfer three-quarters of the remaining white candy melts to a resealable plastic bag and cut off a tiny corner to create a piping bag. Pipe decorative designs onto the cake balls and sprinkle with sanding sugar before the candy hardens. Dip the bottoms of the cereal hooks into the remaining white candy melts (reheat if needed) and top the cake balls with the hooks to complete the ornament look.

Notes

Make sure the cake is completely cooled before crumbling to ensure the cake balls hold together well.
You can substitute other flavors of candy melts to customize your ornament colors.
Store cake balls in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Allow enough time for the cake balls to chill and candy melts to set properly before serving.
Handle cake balls gently when dipping and decorating to keep their shape intact.

Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Category: Dessert
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American

Keywords: cake balls, red velvet, holiday treats, Christmas ornaments, candy melts, festive desserts