1st Birthday Cake

For Berkley's first birthday, I made a rainbow ball-shaped cake.  I've mentioned (multiple times on multiple blogs) that I like rainbow foods, and this seemed like the perfect excuse to make a rainbow cake!  I found a ball-shaped mold at A.C. Moore, and it worked surprisingly well.  

While the directions for this cake aren't much more difficult than making a normal cake, I want to make sure and document the cake-making process in photographs here.

RAINBOW BALL CAKE

Cake mix

Icing

Gel food coloring

Starburst & Jolly Rancher fruit chews for decoration

Make cake according to box.

Separate mix into several bowls and add food coloring to each bowl.

Pour each color into the mold, taking care to pour into the center of the previous color

Cook as directed.

Once completely cooled, ice cake.

Put unwrapped fruit chews in microwave for 10-20 seconds until pliable.

Roll or "mash" them into thin pieces and use small cookie cutter (or a knife) to cut desired 

 shapes.

Place shapes on cake icing.

Cake Balls

For Berkley's 1st birthday party, I wanted to have a "ball theme".  So, all of the decorations, activities and food were ball shaped.  The week of the party I saw my college friend, Shea talking on Facebook about making cake balls, so I snatched her recipe (Thanks, Shea!) and made an attempt at these sugary treats.  I'm big into rainbow foods (cakes, pancakes, etc.), so I made the cake balls in three different colors.  Since I don't eat chocolate (Shea's covering of choice), I coated the cake balls in candy melt.

The cake balls were so fun looking, but they were a little sweet for my taste.  I think a chocolate coating is probably a little less sugary, and I probably should have used a little less icing when mixing the balls.  I will try them again though, and perhaps next time I'll leave the coating off all together.  I kind of like the colored balls as they were.

Cake Balls

1 box cake mix (cook as directed on box for 13 X 9 cake)
food coloring (the paste kind, not liquid)
1/2 can cream cheese frosting (16 oz.)
1 package candy melts or chocolates
wax paper

Cook cake as directed on box. (I divided the cake into thirds & added food coloring to each 1/3).

After cake is cooked and cooled completely, crumble into large bowl.

Mix thoroughly with 1/2 can cream cheese frosting (I used 1 can & it was too much).

Roll mixture into balls and lay on cookie sheet.  (I made the balls way too big- they should be about half 

this size.)

Put in freezer for several hours until solid.

When ready to serve, melt candy or chocolate in microwave 

Roll balls in candy/chocolate and lay on wax paper until firm. (Use a spoon to dip and roll in chocolate and then tap off extra.)