STRAWBERRY CHEESECAKE TRUFFLE BALLS CAKE POPS

It’s Valentine’s Week here at Modern Honey! Cake Balls were a huge trend 5 years ago and every baby shower or party I ever attended, offered these delectable creations. The Cake Pops were usually made using a cake mix and canned frosting. Even though they may have tasted good, there is nothing like made-from-scratch desserts!

I wanted to make a homemade yellow butter cake and combine it with a handcrafted fresh strawberry cream cheese frosting to make the ultimate Strawberry Cheesecake Truffle Ball Cake Pop. It tastes like a mix between a strawberry cheesecake and strawberry shortcake. It is so creamy inside with the moist butter cake, cream cheese frosting, and pops of freshness from the strawberries. Absolutely heavenly!

HERE’S HOW TO MAKE A CAKE POP OR TRUFFLE BALL:
To use a stick or not a stick? It depends. You can pick up a truffle ball with your hands and a cake pop uses a stick. If you would like to display them, then it is beneficial to use the sticks. If you want easy finger foods, then forget the sticks. You can buy the sticks at stores such as Walmart, Michaels, Hobby Lobby, and many other stores.
The yellow butter cake is made from scratch using the freshest ingredients. It is baked in a 9 x 13 pan and cooled. Once it is cooled, it is mixed with the strawberry cream cheese frosting with fresh strawberries. It is rolled into balls and chilled.
Once the truffle cake balls are chilled, it is time to dip them! You can use any type of white melting wafers or candy melts. My favorite go to is the Ghirardelli White Melting Wafers. You can find them at Sam’s Club for much cheaper than at the grocery store. You can also find the Wilton Melting Wafers or CandiQuik at stores such as WalMart, Target, Michaels, or Hobby Lobby. They are usually on sale for about $2.
It’s always fun to change up the colors so feel free to experiment with food coloring. Sprinkle with sparkling sugar or edible glitter for some added sparkle.

INGREDIENTS

Yellow Butter Cake:
4 Large Eggs
⅔ cup Whole Milk or Buttermilk
1 teaspoon Vanilla
2¼ cups Flour
1½ cups Sugar
2 teaspoons Baking Powder
¾ teaspoon Salt
1 cup Butter, softened, cut into cubes
2 Tablespoons Oil
⅓ cup Vanilla Pudding Mix
Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting:
½ cup Butter, softened
1 - 8-ounce pkg. Cream Cheese softened
2 cups Powdered Sugar
1 cup Fresh Strawberries, diced
Coating:
2-3 cups White Melting Wafers (Ghirardelli or Wilton)
Optional:
Sparkling Sugar

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a small bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, and vanilla.
In a standing mixer, stir together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
Beat the butter into the flour mixture, one cube at a time. Continue to beat until it resembles coarse crumbs.
Add the ½ of the egg-milk mixture and oil and beat the batter is light and fluffy. Add remaining egg-milk mixture and vanilla pudding and mix just until combined.
Take a spatula and scrape the sides of the bowl.
Spread into greased 9 x 13 pan and smooth top with a spatula.
Bake for 28-36 minutes or until cake tester or toothpick placed in the center of the cake comes out clean. Let cool.
To make Strawberry Cheesecake Frosting:
Cream butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy. Add powdered sugar and mix well. Stir in fresh diced strawberries.
To make cake pops:
Crumble the cooled cake into small pieces into a large bowl. Stir in frosting and mix until thoroughly combined.
Roll into 24-30 balls. Place on wax paper lined baking sheet. Optional: place white sticks into the center of a cake pop. Let them chill for 1-2 hours in the refrigerator or 15 minutes in the freezer.
Place the white melting wafers into microwave safe bowl and melt according to package instructions.
Dip the cake balls into the melted wafers, until it is completely covered, only dipping one time. Place on waxed paper, in cake pop holder, or in a styrofoam block.
Let the cake pops set up.