These Strawberries & Champagne Cake Balls are perfect for New Year’s Eve, Valentine’s Day, Bridal Showers and so much more!
Each year I always try to make a new New Year’s Eve inspired dessert for you guys and I always end up making cupcakes! See White Chocolate Raspberry Champagne Cupcakes and Coconut Champagne Cupcakes, but this year I’m sharing cake balls!
Are cake balls a thing of the past? I’m not really sure, but I do know that they’re still pretty tasty! These ones taste like fruity pebbles! And seriously, who doesn’t love fruit pebbles!
And yes, they’re pretty sweet. With strawberries, champagne, and white chocolate, how could they not be?
These balls are actually quite easy and fun to make, so don’t let the 5 hour prep time scare you since about 4 1/2 hours of it is inactive time waiting for them to chill, freeze, and harden. The rest is pretty much. baking, rolling, dipping, and painting. Yup, you read that right… PAINTING!
In order to glam these up a bit, we’re going to use Wilton gold pearl dust mixed with some lemon extract for an edible gold paint to brush these babies up with! These make such a fun little treat and the recipe makes a ton, which is great if you’re throwing a party! Make them for New Year’s Eve, Valentine’s Day, Bridal Showers, Baby Showers… the list goes on!
- 1 box strawberry cake mix
- 1 ¼ cups champagne
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
- 3 eggs
- 1 16 oz. container white cake frosting
- 24 oz. white chocolate melting wafers or chocolate chips
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1/2 tsp Wilton gold pearl dust
- 1/2 tsp lemon extract
- You may also need a paint brush
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
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Spray a 9x13-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
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In a large bowl or stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat cake mix, champagne, oil, and egg at medium speed until smooth. Pour batter into prepared pan.
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Bake according to package directions or about 30-35 minutes until toothpick comes clean. Remove from oven and allow the cake to cool, then slice into squares.
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Crumble the squares of cake into a large bowl or stand mixer bowl with your hands. Add the frosting to the cake crumbles and mix with a whisk attachment on a stand mixer or hand mixer until evenly combined.
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Cover and place the bowl in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or overnight.
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Line a baking tray with wax paper. Form small round balls by rolling a rounded tablespoons worth of mixture between your palms. Place the balls on the prepared wax paper lined baking sheet. When balls are complete, place the baking tray in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 hours.
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Melt the white chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl in the microwave on 30-second intervals, stirring between each, until smooth. Stir in the vegetable oil.
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Remove the balls from the freezer. Drop balls one at a time into the melted chocolate, use a fork to scoop them out, wiping any excess chocolate on the rim of the bowl before transferring back to the wax lined baking sheet. Let them harden completely.
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Mix the pearl dust and lemon extract in a tiny prep bowl and paint the balls. Get creative and have fun with it, some of mine are painted all over and have additional chocolate drizzled on them. Others just have a brush stroke while others have a dusting of the pearl dust. You can also add sprinkles, but make sure to do so before the chocolate coating hardens so they'll stick.
This recipe was updated 12/29/16 to reflect suggestions for easier dipping from reader and cake ball pro, Colleen. The original recipe did not include vegetable oil and called for butting the balls in the freezer instead of the refrigerator.
Recipe adapted from The Seasoned Mom.
Non-alcoholic version: replace champagne with water or skim milk.
Stephenne Calhoun says
How much oil for the Champagne cake balls?
Rebecca says
The recipe calls for 1/3 cup of vegetable oil as stated.
Shannon says
The amount for the oil is coming up as a ? mark instead of 1/3 cup. Just so you’re aware.
Rebecca says
Thanks, Shannon, I just fixed it!
Melissa says
Have you ever tried Apple Sauce instead of Oil??
Does it turn out the same or not at all.
Rebecca says
Hi Melissa, I’ve never tried applesauce with this recipe.
Amy says
What kind of champagne should I use? Sweet? Dry? Pink?
Rebecca says
I like to use a pink Moscato champagne, but you can use whatever you prefer.
Jamie Eason says
When you say white cake frosting, just any white? Vanilla? Cream cheese? Thanks!
Rebecca says
I usually use Pillsbury White – That’s what it’s called. It’s a vanilla frosting, not cream cheese, but cream cheese could be used if you like the flavor 🙂
Jamie Eason says
Great, thanks so much! 🙂
Taryn says
I am so upset over this dessert I tried to make for a bridal shower. The pictures look beautiful and the steps look easy enough. The cake balls came out great until it was time to coat with white chocolate. I went through 3 bags of candy melts and followed directions exactly. The chocolate was never liquidy enough to coat the balls. When I finally did, the chocolate was so thick and did not come out even close to as smooth and flawless as the picture. It was chunky and textured. It did not look as great but I continued to coat the balls. As I continued, the ones that were completed had cake oozing out of them. The coated balls were cracking on the top, bottom and sides. I do have pictures of what happened, but not sure how to upload it. They taste great but nothing I would ever serve to guests. Nothing against you as a baker but this did not come out as you had explained. There must be something missing or something specific you did not mention. I was so upset because they look amazing and wasted a lot of time and money on this dessert. If I had to rate this recipe, it would definitely be a 0 or 1.
Rebecca says
Hi Taryn, I’m sorry these didn’t turn out for you and I can understand your disappointment. All of the instructions are there and correct, I’ve made these for a few different parties and never had any issues. Can you tell me what kind of white chocolate you used? It sounds like most of the issues happened once you reached that point.
Colleen says
Taryn, I have made thousands of cake balls. Tips – Do NOT freeze the cake balls (causes issues with chocolate, and eliminates most of the cracking), simply put them in the refrigerator for an hour before using chocolate. In addition, put 1T of vegetable oil in for every 12 oz of chocolate that you use. Use double boiler (glass bowl over simmering water) to melt the chocolate at an even rate to avoid any risk of chunks in the chocolate.
** REMEMBER any water will cause the chocolate to seize, make sure your surfaces are always free from any drops of water
Markita says
Hi Rebecca,
1T – this that tablespoon or teaspoon?
Rebecca Hubbell says
Hi Colleen, I’m not seeing the portion of the recipe you are referring to. Everything is written as tablespoon or tsp from what I can see, can you clarify?
Charlotte says
These little cakes were a hit at my party this past weekend! They were delish and so easy to make except the dipping part took forever and wasn’t as easy as it sounds! I’ll definitely make again though. Thanks for the recipe!
Melanie says
I’m so excited to make these this weekend!! I’ve been dying to for like ever!! Just wondering… Have you ever done or heard of putting an additional amount of Champagne to the already baked cake mixture & mix it all together along with icing? Ya know, to make it “actually alcoholic”.. Lol just wanted to know your thoughts! Thanks in advance!! 😉 <3
Rebecca says
Personally, I have never done it. But there are boozier recipes that call for drizzling an extra 1/4 cup of booze over the cooled cake and letting it set for a bit before crumbling up. I’m not sure how it would work in this recipe, but it might be worth giving a try.
Clare says
Once dipped in chocolate, do I let them harder on the baking sheet wax paper or harder in refrigerator?
Rebecca says
Hi Clare, it would be best for them to set at room temp (as long as it’s not too hot), you can put them in the fridge but it can cause the chocolate to crack, but not always.
Clare says
Perfect! Thank you for the advice! About to make the chocolate now! 😊
Roopa Santosh says
I made these today for our New year’s eve party. It is extremely cold today and so the white chocolate kept thickening as I was coating the cake balls. I had to keep re heating the chocolate. They did turn out looking great !! Thanks for the wonderful post !!
Rebecca Hubbell says
I hope you enjoy them tonight!
Fotini says
Can you put chopped
walnuts in these cake balls
Rebecca Hubbell says
Hi Fotini, I wouldn’t add them to this recipe, I don’t think they would go well with the flavors and might make it hard to obtain smooth balls.