Description
These Cake Ball Brains combine rich chocolate cake with creamy vanilla frosting and a fruity jelly center, all enrobed in a thin shell of white candy coating. Perfect for Halloween parties or spooky-themed treats, these brain-shaped cake balls are as fun to make as they are to eat.
Ingredients
Scale
Cake Ball Mixture
- 1 baked chocolate cake (use either a 9 x 13-inch sheet cake or 2 8-inch round cakes)
- ¼ – ½ cup vanilla frosting
Candy Coating
- 30-38 ounces melted white candy melts or melted and tempered pure white chocolate
- Optional: black, pink, or green oil-based candy coloring
Filling
- ⅔ cup cherry, raspberry, or strawberry preserves or dessert sauce (about ¾ teaspoon per brain)
- Red liquid food coloring
Instructions
- Prepare the Cake: Cut the edges off the chocolate cake and discard. Break up the center of the cake into a mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer.
- Mix with Frosting: Add ¼ cup white frosting and mix until the mixture holds together in a soft ball. Add more frosting if needed to achieve the right consistency. Set aside.
- Color the Candy Coating (Optional): If desired, stir in drops of oil-based candy coloring into the melted white chocolate to add color for the brain shells.
- Create the Chocolate Shells: Spoon melted white chocolate into each brain mold cavity, spreading to form a thin, even shell. Repeat for all cavities. Wipe off any candy coating around the mold edges.
- Chill the Shells: Freeze the molds for 5 minutes if using candy melts, or refrigerate for 15 minutes if using pure white chocolate to set the shells.
- Prepare the Filling: Stir a few drops of red liquid food coloring into the fruit preserves, then strain out any fruit pieces or seeds.
- Fill the Brains: Spoon about ¾ teaspoon of the colored fruit filling into each chocolate shell cavity.
- Add Cake Mixture: Scoop about 2 tablespoons of the cake ball mixture and press it into each cavity over the fruit filling, leaving room for a final candy coating layer.
- Seal the Brains: Spoon more white candy coating on top of each filled cavity and smooth out to seal. Wipe off any excess coating around the mold edges.
- Final Chill and Unmold: Freeze the molds for 5 minutes if using candy melts or refrigerate for about 10 minutes with pure white chocolate. Then carefully unmold the candy-coated brain cake balls.
Notes
- Store the candy-coated brains in an airtight container for up to one week to maintain freshness.
- Using a stand mixer can help achieve a smooth cake ball mixture early in the process.
- Oil-based candy coloring ensures the melted chocolate does not seize; avoid water-based colors.
- Tempering pure white chocolate before use will help the shells harden with a shiny finish.
- Straining the preserves removes seeds or fruit bits that could puncture the chocolate shells.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 brain cake ball
- Calories: 150
- Sugar: 18g
- Sodium: 80mg
- Fat: 7g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 22g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 1g
- Cholesterol: 15mg
