Momma Told Me: Cordial Cherry Cake Balls Recipe For Valentine's Day

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Cordial Cherry Cake Balls Recipe For Valentine's Day

These Cordial Cherry Cake Balls have all the fun and flavor of a cordial cherry without the syrup or mess. Try them for Valentine's Day!
Momma Told Me: Just roll with it.

I was a pretty picky child when I was younger, but there were few things I wouldn't eat if they were dipped in chocolate. I even distinctly remember even being coaxed into chomping a confection dipped cricket while on vacation once. But the cordial cherry was my nemesis. And every year, beginning in the Winter and rolling straight through Valentine's Day, boxes upon boxes would appear in our pantry cabinet. When Momma caught on to my disgust for the candy she began integrating them forcefully into boxes of ordinary chocolates simply to dissuade my appetite for sneaking one. While she could clearly tell the difference I wasn't about to risk biting into  shell that very well might begin leaking a syrupy liquid.
As I matured, so did my tastebuds, and I learned that I truly did like the flavors of a cordial cherry but that I simply couldn't get past the texture. Cordial, within the food world most often references a type of liqueur or a fruit 'suspended in a liquid and enrobed in chocolate.' This time of the year you'll find cordial cherry flavored confections from Hershey's Kisses and M&M's to chocolate meltaways for baking. While all of these can be incorporated into just about any recipe for a dash of flavor, I truly wanted to rethink the cordial cherry in texture and spirit, while still staying true to it's origins.
These Cordial Cherry Cake Balls have all the fun and flavor of a cordial cherry without the syrup or mess. Try them for Valentine's Day!
These Cordial Cherry Cake Balls have all the fun and flavor of a cordial cherry without the syrup or mess. Try them for Valentine's Day!
Cake balls are amazing- They are incredibly versatile and time saving when it comes to developing new twists on beloved classics. The only thing I, personally find a pain, is the traditional 'stick' they are presented on within their Cake Pop form. If you've ever tried to make cake pops, even with a mold/pan, you know the plight of dipping cake balls on a stick. It's simply no fun. That's why this Cordial Cherry Cake Ball recipe relies on the classic method of cake + frosting = cake balls for the majority of the work. This is truly a recipe so simple even beginning bakers can do it.
These Cordial Cherry Cake Balls have all the fun and flavor of a cordial cherry without the syrup or mess. Try them for Valentine's Day!
Start with one box of classic white (egg white recipe) cake mix, baked in a 9 x 13" pan. Once the cake has cooled flip it onto a clean surface and trim the majority of the browned surfaces off with a knife or cake leveler. I like to reserve the browned cake for my own reserve of cake balls- these taste the same but will not appear as 'white' when bit into. Combine the white cake with 1/2 tub of white frosting and 3 drops of Rum extract (optional.) Next, use a cookie scoop to drop rounded TBS sized balls of dough onto parchment paper. Gently take your index finger and hollow out a pit in the center of each dough ball. Most important in this process, you will need to pat dry your cherries with stems to ensure they don't seem moisture into the cake ball and cause separation.
These Cordial Cherry Cake Balls have all the fun and flavor of a cordial cherry without the syrup or mess. Try them for Valentine's Day!
Gently push your cherries into the center of the cake balls, rolling the cake mixture into a ball around them. While you can chill your cake balls while you wait to dip them I do not recommend freezing them as this can cause your confection to crack or spot after dipping. Melt your chocolate in a double broiler or Wilton's Melting Pot and dip each ball, by the stem, into the chocolate, gently rolling to coat all sides. Place your Cordial Cherry Cake Balls on a clean piece of parchment paper and refrigerate 2-3 hours, or until chocolate is firm. If you notice your chocolate is not smooth enough to dip, ad 1 TSP shortening at a time until it reaches an even texture (to slowly roll off a spoon.)
These Cordial Cherry Cake Balls have all the fun and flavor of a cordial cherry without the syrup or mess. Try them for Valentine's Day!
I've got to say these are super fun to look at, with the stems standing up, and very fun finger treats at any gathering.  I thought about adding some festive heart sprinkles to really dress them up for Valentine's Day but I kind of like their 'polished' presentation- almost like an over-sized dipped cherry. These will definitely be appearing next to the dipped oranges and apples on our spread this February 14th! The cake batter inside is especially moist and spongy when the rum extract is added, and the flavor is spot on indulgent, without any real liqueur.
These Cordial Cherry Cake Balls have all the fun and flavor of a cordial cherry without the syrup or mess. Try them for Valentine's Day!
My days of lavish romantic dates and dinnertime traffic on the way to that 4 course reservation may be gone, but I can still indulge in a little decadence and romance- and no more crumpled Cordial Cherry face! When it comes to a box of chocolates, what's your favorite confection? I always tend to go for dark chocolate covered nuts, or coconut squares, but a good caramel is quite indulgent to! Stay tuned for more Valentine's Day recipes over the next few weeks!

What Daughter Says: When in doubt, turn it into a cake ball.



These Cordial Cherry Cake Balls have all the fun and flavor of a cordial cherry without the syrup or mess. Try them for Valentine's Day!
Cordial Cherry Cake Balls
***Click for Cordial Cherry Cake Balls recipe.
Ingredients:

1 Box White Cake Mix (and ingredients to make it)
1 Tub White Frosting
8oz Maraschino Cherries (with stems)
1 1/2 C Semi-Sweet Melting Chocolates
Rum Extract (optional)

Directions:

1. Prepare and bake boxed cake mix, per the (egg white only) instructions, in a greased 9" x 13" pan. Allow cake to cook entirely before flipping it onto a clean work surface. Trim all brown edges and surfaces with a knife or cake leveler. Place browned cake leftovers in a separate bowl (I usually make separate cake balls with them as they will not be as pretty (white) against the cherry.) 

2. Combine approximately half of your tub of frosting with the white cake and rum extract (optional) until the texture is even and mold-able, but not too dry. The cake should hold it's shape when rolled into a ball.

3. Using a cookie scoop drop 1 TBS rounded balls of cake ball mix onto a piece of parchment paper. Using your finger gently create a pocket int he middle of each cake ball. Wipe all of your maraschino cherries off with a dry paper towel, trying to soak as much liquid from them as possible. Gently place the cherry into the divet in your cake ball, and roll the cake around the cherry to envelop it.

4. Dip each cake ball, by the stem, into a double broiler of melted chocolate or Wilton's melting pot. Adjust the thickness of your dipping chocolate by adding shortening until the chocolate evenly coats your cake balls without running off (too thin.)

5. Place your Cordial Cherry Cake Balls on a clean piece of parchment paper and refrigerate 2-3 hours to set, or until ready to serve.

13 comments:

  1. That is a very clever idea. Would you believe I have never made a cake ball? I think they'd probably work well for the firemen. Although they way they eat I'd have to make 12 dozen of them! You are just too clever

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  2. My grandpa would love you! These are one of his favorite treats and something all of us grand kids get him every year for Christmas. This next year perhaps I'll finally get brave and try making them.

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  3. Oh My GAWD!! Why do you torture me so? LOL these look absolutely sinful, divine, delicious! Going to share with my daughter who does the baking in the family. She will probably make them for her boyfriend and not us though hahaha.

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  4. These look so amazing. I have never made a cake ball like this!

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  5. I am not even a huge fan of cherries, but these look delightful. Such a fun dessert. I love how colorful they are too.

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  6. My sister so loves cherry cordials. I don't, but cake balls are awesome!!! So maybe I can make a variety of these and we can both be happy.
    Dede

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  7. Those look delicious! I love how the real stem sticks out of them. I need to make these for my son's class. I know that the kids would LOVE these.

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  8. How very creative! Both of my parents have a thing for cherries, they'd love these!

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  9. Those look so good!! I have an issue with the texture of cherries never have figured out why. The stem makes them look amazing!

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  10. I totally get the texture thing, as I just can't eat pears at all. On a positive note, I can't wait to make these! I have always wanted to make cake balls, but for whatever reason was intimidated by the task. Like you said, these should be easy. Thank you for the recipe! GREAT photos too.

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  11. Oh I like this..and this is something I probably can do without making a mess LOL

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  12. These look so cute! I love the take of adding cake in them. I bet my kids would love these treats for Valentine's Day!

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