Description
Sweet holiday magic meets delightful minty chocolate holiday cake bites in this irresistible seasonal treat. Festive flavor combinations dance across palates, inviting dessert enthusiasts to savor each delectable morsel.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 box chocolate cake mix (15.25 oz/432 g)
- 4 oz/113 g cream cheese, softened
- ¼ tsp peppermint extract (or more to taste)
- Pinch of salt
- 12 oz/340 g semi-sweet or dark chocolate, chopped or in chips
- 1 tsp coconut oil or shortening (optional, for smoother coating)
- Crushed peppermint candies or holiday sprinkles (for decorating)
Instructions
- Cake Preparation: Bake chocolate cake according to package instructions. Allow cake to cool thoroughly, then meticulously crumble into fine, uniform texture.
- Filling Creation: Combine crumbled cake with cream cheese, peppermint extract, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Blend ingredients until a cohesive, dense dough forms with consistent moisture and flavor distribution.
- Bite Shaping: Craft uniform 1-inch spherical bites by gently rolling dough between palms. Arrange bite-sized spheres on parchment-lined baking sheet, ensuring equal spacing. Refrigerate for 1 hour or freeze for 30 minutes to solidify structural integrity.
- Chocolate Coating: Melt chocolate and coconut oil using double boiler or microwave technique, stirring until achieving glossy, smooth consistency. Carefully immerse each chilled cake sphere into molten chocolate, ensuring complete coverage. Transfer coated bites back to parchment, immediately garnishing with crushed candy canes or festive sprinkles while chocolate remains liquid.
- Finishing and Storage: Chill chocolate-coated bites for 30 minutes until chocolate sets firmly. Store delicate morsels in sealed container within refrigerator for maximum 1 week or freeze up to 2 months for extended enjoyment.
Notes
- Ensure cake crumbs are finely ground and uniform for smooth, compact cake bites that hold together perfectly.
- Thoroughly freeze cake balls before chocolate dipping to prevent crumbling and create a clean, professional chocolate shell.
- Use low, gentle heat and stir continuously to prevent chocolate from burning or becoming grainy during melting process.
- Sprinkle candy canes or decorations immediately after chocolate coating while surface remains wet for best adhesion and presentation.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 13
- Calories: 150
- Sugar: 10 g
- Sodium: 200 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 15 mg