Tuesday 30 March 2010

EASTER CHICK CAKE BALLS

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Here’s a cute treat to make for kiddie Easter parties and will totally please adults too! 
These were so fun to make!  The googly eyes, beaks and feet are simply glued on with white candy melts.  I used Wilton candy sprinkles: the feet are orange maple leaves; the beaks are orange or yellow coloured sprinkles the shape of mini-chips and the eyes are white confetti sprinkles coloured with a black food writer pen.
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I just happened to be at Safeway today and spied a sale on cake mixes and frostings.  I picked up 3 boxes for $5 and the cream cheese frosting in the can was only $1.29
I think the quickest way to bake off the mix is to make cupcakes.  That way my kids get to eat the leftovers too.  For every 8 large cupcakes, I used approximately 2-3 tablespoons of the prepared cream cheese frosting.
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After baking the cupcakes, let them cool and then proceed to crumble the cakes in a large bowl.  I used a spoon to help it all along.  Then add the frosting a tablespoon at a time.  Don’t go overboard with the frosting as a little goes a long way.  If you put too much, you might have issues with the cake balls setting properly (especially if you want them on sticks).
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This time, I chose not to employ sticks for my chicks.  Instead, I made truffle balls and refrigerated them on a sheet pan. 
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I melted one colour at a time so as not to encounter problems with the candy melts cooling down too quickly.  Do add a little bit of shortening to the candy melts after you melt them.  Stir it in until the mixture is fluid.  It’ll help prolong the workability of the melted candy.
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You should have all your sprinkles prepared in little custard cups.  I like to melt my candy melts in custard cups in the microwave in 20 second increments.  Add a bit of the shortening after the candy has melted. 
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As soon as you dunk  your cake ball into the melted candy, turn it around  (use chopsticks or a mini rubber spoontula) quickly and then place it on a parchment-lined sheet pan.  Do not refrigerate your cake balls or they’ll sweat. 
If you want sprinkles, add them while the candy is still wet.
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I like to leave the chicks for last.  They don’t need to have sprinkles on them while they’re wet.  It’s way easier applying their faces after they’ve dried. 
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If you would like to add feet to your chicks, I find that mini maple leaf sprinkles are the best.  Just use a little of the leftover candy melts to dab the sprinkles.  I use a toothpick and I imagine if you need, you can use a clean pair of tweezers to place them on the cake balls.
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I found some cute green pastel mini cupcake paper liners at Superstore and placed my dried cake balls in them.  The definitely look better in their individual “nests”.  You can fussy them up too by packaging them in cellophane bags, baskets or chinese take-out containers.
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I’m partial to the lavender chicks.  They were made with the lavender candy melts.  You don’t have to worry about using food colouring because the melts come in a whole bunch of colours.
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This chick is my favourite.  What an expression!  He’s so sweet-looking!
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As you’re making the faces, you’ll come to see that each chick has its own personality.  The placement of the eyes and beaks can create such cute faces.
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Here’s one of the mini Chinese take-out containers I like to use.  I stuff them with green tissue paper, drop in a handfull of jellybeans and a few foil-covered chocolate eggs and place the little Easter Chick Cake Ball in the centre.  
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We’re sending this guy to Bebe’s teacher tomorrow morning…
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The lavender chick is for Bebe’s piano teacher…
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Do make these little chicks.
They’re so easy to make and the fun factor is huge!
Shopping list for:  EASTER CHICK CAKE BALLS
  • 1 box prepared cake mix (I used yellow cake)
  • 1 can prepared frosting (I used Cream Cheese frosting)
  • Assorted Wilton Candy melts in your favourite colours
  • Sprinkles, dragees and a black food writer pen
Go through the post for step-by-step instructions on how I assembled mine.

Last year I made Easter Brownie Bunny Pops.  Check it out!




And my Brownie Chicks on a Stick are cute too!


27 comments:

Heather said...

How absolutely adorable! Could pop a few chick bites in my mouth now.

Unknown said...

OMG, is this not like the cutest thing evaaaaaa? I love it daaaaaahling.
*kisses* HH

Anonymous said...

How cute! I love them.

The maple leaf feet really bring it together :D

Rick said...

I would eat these but I would feel guilty killing a little cute animal.

bittersweetsugarandsarcasm.blogspot.com

Kate said...

These are too cute! I wanted to make brownie truffles and this is the cutest Easter way I've seen to decorate them. Thanks for sharing!

Dewi said...

Oh my, these little cakes are utterly adorable. So creative!

Snooky doodle said...

these are adorable!

TeaLady said...

THESE are SOOOO cute. How creative.

cookies and cups said...

these are so cute! you should link them up on my site for spring easter ideas at the end of the peeps post.

Petra said...

Yaaaay, what an idea... I love the chick, kids must really love these!
Very creative! Like your blog BTW...

Y said...

The purple one is especially cute! How could anyone possibly eat him!

Trissa said...

Too too cute for words and maybe even too cute to eat?! Nah, maybe not, they look too yummy. Happy Easter!

Melody Fury // GourmetFury.com said...

How darling :) Happy Easter!

Unknown said...

Oh this is absolutely genius!! And soo adorable! You're right, they do each have a caharacter of their own.

Lot-O-Choc said...

Aw these are so sweet, i would feel so cruel eating them hehe!

Manggy said...

Sorry for shouting, but OH MY GAWD THOSE ARE THE CUTEST THINGS EVAAAR!!! :) :) :)

Amy B. said...

OMG! so adorable!!!! perfect for easter, but i might now want to eat them, theyre just so cute! haha good job!

Chef Fresco said...

How adorable! Perfect Easter treat. I'll have to try these next year!

Anonymous said...

OMG, so cute!! And, i had never actually heard of cake balls, they sound delicious!! Imagine, you could even adapt them for thanksgiving...

Cakebrain said...

zowee, thanks for all the comments folks! they were a hit with my colleagues at work and the kiddies loved them too! hope you get to make these super-easy cake balls some time. They're easily frozen too (before dunking in candy melts) so you can have them on hand at a moment's notice!

Anh said...

WOw!! So cute!!! Love the idea :)

The Food Addicts said...

Those cake balls are super cute!

Anonymous said...

Absolutely adorable!

Krissy @ The Food Addicts said...

i would say the words "cute" and "adorable" suit your easter chick cake balls very well! that's very creative and i'm sure everyone loved them! what a great easter treat!

The Knitting Instinct said...

Oh my goodness - those are adorable! I wouldn't want to eat such a little cutie.
Michelle

Arlette said...

Hello again
how cute are you Chick, I do several flavours as lollipops and sell them at the Farmer's Market.. I did a posting recently about them.

naomi said...

These are so adorable! I love them.

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