Carrot Cake Balls

Overhead shot of a white plate filled with carrot cake balls and carrots and milk on the table for decor.

4.88 from 8 votes

Carrot Cake Balls are a delicious and adorable alternative to traditional Easter carrot cake. They're easily thrown together with a dry cake mix, cream cheese, and chopped walnuts.

Author: Nikki Lee

Servings: cake balls

Prep Time 1

Chilling Time: 2

Total Time 3

Equipment

Ingredients

▢ 15.25 oz Carrot Cake Mix I like Betty Crocker.
▢ 8 oz Block of Cream Cheese
▢ ½ cup Chopped Walnuts
▢ 10 oz Ghiradelli Vanilla Melting Wafers
▢ ½ cup Wilton's Orange Candy Melts
▢ ¼ cup Wilton's Green Candy Melts

Instructions

Heat-treating the dry cake mix: Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicon mat. Sprinkle the cake mix on top of the baking sheet.
Once the oven is heated, bake the dry cake mix for 5 minutes. Remove it from the oven and allow it to cool for 5-10 minutes.
Alternatively, you may heat treat the dry cake mix in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave it in 30-second increments for 2-3 minutes. Make sure to stir it at every interval. Then set aside to allow the cake mix to cool for 5-10 minutes.
In a medium mixing using a hand mixer or stand mixer bowl, beat the cream cheese on medium-high speed until smooth and creamy.
Add the cooled cake mix to the bowl and beat it on medium speed until you get a dough consistency. Then fold in the chopped walnuts until evenly distributed.
Cover the cake ball mixture with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator to chill for 2 hours.
Once chilled, line two baking sheets with parchment paper and scoop out 1 tablespoon-sized scoop and roll each into balls using the palms of your hands.
Repeat with all of the mixture. Place each ball on the baking sheet about 2 inches apart.
Heat a double boiler over low heat and melt the vanilla melting wafers, stirring occasionally until smooth.
Alternatively, you may use a microwave by placing the melts in a microwave-safe bowl and microwaving on a low setting in 30-second intervals, stirring at each interval until melted and smooth.
Place one cake ball on a fork and dip it into the vanilla melting wafers, completely covering the cake ball. Remove it and gently tap the fork to remove any excess coating and to help smooth it out. Then place it onto the lined baking sheet. Repeat until all cake balls are coated.
As the white chocolate coating is setting up, place the orange and green candy melts in separate microwaveable piping bags and twist them shut. Then microwave it in 30-second increments, massaging the bag at each interval until fully melted.
Snip off a small piece of the tip and then decorate the cake balls by making a carrot design ( a zig-zag pattern for the carrot and three lines coming up from the top of the carrot to make the stem) or by drizzling the colors on top of the cake balls.
Let it set completely before serving. You can place it in the refrigerator for 10 minutes to speed up the process. Enjoy!

Video

Notes

Do not skip chilling the cake mixture as it helps the balls keep their shape when dipping them in the melts.

Make sure to move quickly as the melts will begin to set fast.

Always heat the melts on a low setting to help prevent it from seizing and clumping up.

Any flavor cake mix can be used in this recipe.

Instead of Ghirardelli vanilla melting wafers, you can use milk or dark chocolate. Make sure to use a quality brand.

Nutrition

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