Cake Ballin'

In this episode I'll cut the rambling and get to the baked goods: calvados cake balls.  Cake balls are simply cake pops minus the sticks, and despite what late-night tv infomercials (my favourite part is where you start with cake mix and 'add kids') or assorted baking stores might try to sell you, you don't need a special tray (or kids) to make them.

Real cake pops are not baked, but rather are truffle-like balls normally made by crumbling cake and combining it either with cream cheese frosting, or, for something not quite so sweet, plain cream cheese (the haters at The Huffington Post might try this).  In this case, however, I decided to experiment with using mascarpone cheese because I thought the flavour would provide a nice compliment to the calvados, and also that it might make for a lighter cake ball.  Well, the calvados cake balls with mascarpone didn't get me any dates at the pub post-play (a very enjoyable outdoor performance of Much Ado About Nothing), but they did get good reviews, including a silent 'oh wow that's good', mouthed by an actress who had stolen one from our picnic spread mid-scene.  (Sure, her theft was a diversionary tactic, but still, I'll take what claims to fame I can get!).

Sorry, it seems I'm not great at not rambling.  I tried.

Here's the cake.

Step 1:  Bake a vanilla cake.  You can make a box cake (just add eggs and oil, no kids required), or whatever recipe you like.  I made the Versatile Vanilla again.

And don't forget to run a quality control check.  Very important.

Step 2:  Crumble the cake.

Cake balls (or pops) are an excellent way to use up leftover cake ('There's no such thing!' you argue, but let me finish) if, for example, you've baked two rounds but are only making a three layer cake (although if you'd rather just eat that fourth layer yourself, you'll find no judgement here).  They're also a good way to make use of cake that has burned (cut off the bad bits) or is stale, because the cream cheese (etc.) adds plenty of moisture.  Cake balls are the French toast or Welsh rarebit of the cake world.

Step 3:  Mix in calvados to taste.  (Feel free to quality control that too).

Step 4:  Add mascarpone.  (And maybe more calvados).

Step 5:  Beat until the crumb mixture comes together and begins to resemble a dough.

Step 6:  Roll into balls and place on a tray or baking sheet.

Place tray in the freezer.

Step 7:  When the cake balls are frozen, chop and melt dark chocolate.  Don't forget, if melting chocolate in the microwave do so in short bursts (approximately 10-15 seconds, depending on microwave settings), stirring in the intervals.

Step 8:  Using a skewer or fork, dip the cake balls in the chocolate, allow the excess chocolate to drip off, and return to the tray to set.  You may need to re-warm the chocolate during this process.  Once all the balls have been dipped I like to return the tray to the freezer, but you could also stick them in the refrigerator.

 

Step 9:  Consume!  Or if you're feeling generous, pack them up to share.