Christmas Cake Pops and Cake Balls

Monday:  Today I'm baking the Red Velvet Cake as I prepare to make Christmas Cake Pops and/or Cake Balls.  Never made a Red Velvet cake before...dang, that is some RED batter!  I hope I am successful in making some Christmas Tree shapes for the grandchildren, as well as just some cake balls to have out for munching...without sprinkles.  My older boys said they were just too sweet with white chocolate and sugar sprinkles both...so I'll dip some in milk chocolate too!  They always end up looking more like a truffle and I find the adults go for them first.

I had every intention of making two batches...but I found myself overwhelmed with the things I have to do today and the following 2 days...so one batch it is!  Today, after the cake cools, I'll crumble the cake and add the frosting...and I'll make some cone shapes and some round balls.  Dipping will be Tuesday.

Monday Evening:  OK - let me be heard loud and clear...I will never roll Red Velvet Cake Balls again!!!  My hands are stained red and I've washed 3 times (and several times during the course of the activity)!  Oh my.  Well, they're rolled out (more balls than trees - it's not as easy to make a cone as it is to make a ball).  I made 20 cone shapes (either hats and/or trees - we'll see what tomorrow brings)...and a huge number of balls...well, it felt like a huge number.  It's been a long day - up since 6:00 a.m. wrapping 20 gifts, made 4 dozen rolled, cut and baked sugar cookies, wrote and posted a blog about the sugar cookies, baked the Red Velvet cake and made the "stuff" to roll into all those soon-to-be luscious cake ball treats!  I'm pooped, so I'll continue writing this Tuesday and post it after I finish the dipping and decorating...and fit in going to lunch with my girl friends (I deserve that, don't you think?)!!!

Tuesday Afternoon:  I was up until 3:00 a.m. (Monday night/Tuesday morning) watching the Winter Solstice Lunar Eclipse...awesome experience...but I "slept in" until 8:30 and was a zombie when I finally got up...no way I was getting started on any cake pop or cake ball dipping until after my fun lunch with my girlfriends...we went to Steamers on the Bay - it was a glorious day, tons of pelicans and gulls perching within yards of our table.  It was just what I needed. 

I came home and was ready to get started.  I've only dipped a few balls, Christmas Tree pops, and one round pop and I'm already needing a break.  So, I took a few photos and will finish up this blog post before I return to finish the many I have left to do!  This may take me two days to accomplish...or else it will be a late evening.  I feel sluggish today.  However, tomorrow is the final baking day before I head to Austin, so better get some caffeine in my system and get rolling...uh, I mean dipping :-)

Here are some photos of the first attempt at trees and a couple of the balls I've done.  I tasted one for QC...must say they are indeed tasty.  I do like spice cake balls better though.  I just thought the red velvet would be a good look for the holidays.

I'm liking the trees a lot!  After the plain ones are dry - will add balls

The first cake balls of the Christmas batch...not as smooth as I'd like

I hope my readers are busily baking and creating Christmas treats ... but don't forget to take time for yourself so that you are not so worn out from the preparations that you can't enjoy Christmas.  Well, break time is over - back to the dipping.

Bon Appetit Y'all!!!

(See comments below)

28 cake pops and cake pop Christmas trees...whew!

Holiday Cake Balls - I cut the piping bag too far up...way too thick for "drizzle"

Messy ones were the early ones - then I got into the swing of things :-)

FOR STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS - CHECK OUT THE BAKERELLA VIDEO HERE!  Scroll down to "Related Media".  She shows you how to make the basic cake pop!