Tuesday, April 12, 2011

How-To Tuesday: Coconut Cake Balls



Our town has a cupcake store that is dangerously close to my front door. Their cupcakes are good, but definitely not my drug of choice. (Unless it's their red velvet. Then I can eat my weight in them.)

There is one item in their store, however, that I would buy each and every single day of my life except for two things:

1. They are almost two dollars a PIECE (and they're so small that I really need about 8 to satisfy my thirst for them)
2. I would weigh 900 pounds in less than a year

So I took it upon myself this week to try and recreate their tasty bites of awesomeness, if only to save the Husband's wallet a few dollars. (And to save me the shame of showing up there to buy any more. Last time? I placed my order for a dozen, and the clerk said, "Oh, you're the cake ball lady!" Yikes.)

While they do not taste exactly like the store's, they still taste absolutely divine. I will totally be making them again. And possibly again.

I give you, dear internet, the coconut cake balls:

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First step is whipping up a batch of my version of the coconut cake (adapted originally from the goddess that is Paula Deen). Bake according to my directions and cool. Crumble cooled cake into a bowl and squish until you have fine crumbs. (Note, this cake makes three layers and is A LOT of cake balls. I only crumbled up about 1 1/2 layers and got around 50 balls, FYI.)

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Some interesting observations here about me, my workspace, and the way I operate.

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Moving on.

Add a cup or two of your favorite buttercream frosting. This one is my personal favorite and the only one I let touch my perfect cake. My darling. My preciousss....

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Mix the cake and frosting with your hands until combined, adding more frosting to taste. Then pour in some coconut. I added roughly 1 1/2 cups.

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Then roll them into balls and pop in the freezer for about 15 to 20 minutes.

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Then (are you tired of using your mixer yet?) mix up a batch of my sugar cookie glaze:

2 3/4 cup powdered sugar
2 tsp. shortening
3 Tbsp. water
1 Tbsp. corn syrup
1/4 tsp. vanilla

I wanted it pretty thin, so I ended up adding easily 9 Tbsp of water or more. Just keep adding water until it's the consistency of Elmer's glue.

I dipped the balls into the glaze and basically rolled them on the edge of the bowl to get most of the glaze off. Otherwise, it's just too much. You only want a light coat.

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Then dip, roll, and cover these babies in coconut. Be prepared for the coconut explosion in your house. It gets E-V-E-R-Y-W-H-E-R-E.

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Garnish as desired and try not to eat too many of them. I popped them into mini-cupcake papers (though I was wishing I had a color other than white so as to make them stand out more), but I'm pretty sure no one is going to complain about that.

Except the angry voice in my head.

And nobody listens to her.

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And that, my friends, is how you win friends and influence people. Amen.

Your turn!

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31 comments:

Juli said...

Holy yummy-ness.

I've had a love affair with coconut that goes back even further than my love affair with Cabury eggs.

Sadly, I also must behave myself, or I'll never get into my wedding dress.

Cares and Mimi said...

Cake balls have been a pretty big thing around here. There's a small bakery in town that laid claim to them some years ago. And even though I'll politely accept one when offered (I mean, come on, it's cake) - they are not really worthy.

These, however, look to be very worthy! I shall better come to this conclusion after making and taste-testing them promptly! HA!

Thanks for sharing - they look amazing! Cares

the girl in the red shoes said...

Wow, those look amazing!!! Make some for me please????

Linsey said...

Holy cow, those look divine. I am going to make them the next time I have to take something to an event, that way I might not eat them all. You brilliant, talented girl, you!

Donna said...

They look absolutely devine! And what a good impression they make. I, too, am a shameless coconut lover!

Thelma said...

Those look great! Although dangerous because my children don't like coconut (crazy) and I would eat them all.

Karey said...

These look incredible! I adore coconut! I can't wait to try them.

Thanks!

Suzanne said...

I love how these turned out! I tried making my very first cake balls last week--actually,cake pops because they were on lollipop sticks--and they were awesome! But instead of glaze you dip them in melting chocolate. I think I would like these better! I will definitely have to try them. They look so great. And for different occasions the coconut could be colored...there are so many possibilities!

$2 a piece!!! I think I went into the wrong profession. That batch you just made could earn you $100! Why would anyone teach school? LOL

Amanda D said...

I'm not big on coconut but I wanted to say that I think you better submit your picture of your boys whispering in each others ears to PW's current contest. It's one of my faves!

Anonymous said...

Those look fantastic-- the perfect treat for my YW this Sunday.

Rocky Creek Valley Farm said...

These look yummy. Is this what the Easter Bunny lays?

DarbyM said...

How cute would these little babies look on the treat table next to the White on white Costco cake for my Maren's baptism this weekend! :)

Not that you NEED more sweets beside a giant ole Costco cake but... these would be oh so pretty on a cute little stand! :)

Thanks for creating more work for me Christie!

danandcindy said...

Wow. Alec Baldwin reads your blog.

Annemarie said...

Yum!

Jeanelle said...

Okay, I just want you to know that I love and adore you. Seriously. Is that weird? I hope not. This just made me crack up and also wish that you had included the WW point values for the cake balls. What do you think - 34 for one???

Jeanelle said...

p.s. at this cupcake bakery we discovered last month, they had frosting shooters you could buy for like $1.50. Who on earth would pay that for frosting when it's so easy (and so much better) to make at home?? Ridiculous.

Lauren in GA said...

I know it was you Dan...posing as Alec...I kind of hate that you are clever...


Stie, these look AWESOMELY YUMMY! And they are very pretty...even in the white cups ☺.

Thanks for sharing your preciousss. You are the best!

kara jayne said...

you had me a coconut cake balls.

oh, and your post about your 'mental health day' with your son was priceless. honestly.

calibosmom said...

Why do you keep posting these devilish treats? You are wreaking havoc on my muffin top!

Lindsey said...

My pants are already too tight. . . no thanks to you!

Hannah said...

They are SO yummy! I loved those Mommy!

Jessica said...

I could eat ALOT of those after I ran a marathon, you know...

And I did a silly How-To post. Thanks for making me acutally post something on my blog once in a while.

Denise said...

I'm almost ashamed to admit this, but my first thought was, hum.... I bet they would be even better if I made them baseball sized. Then it would be worth $2.00 each. Sigh, I suppose I should resist, but really, why? It would save me the embarrassment of eating 20 to 30 of them in, oh I don't know, 10 minutes.

Kitty said...

Your link in the post to your coconut cake recipe is showing as broken, so, here is my Public Service: http://stiesthoughts.blogspot.com/2009/10/best-cake-ever.html

Now, everyone go make these. :)

Hugs and quiches from Kitty xx

Nurse Graham said...

I am a coconut fanatic! Can't wait to try thse out!

Thanks for letting me play along with your "how to Tuesday" even though my contribution this week is a little lame.

jessica said...

You and I certainly have our similarities...oh yes we do. But one thing we do not share is your love of coconut. The texture makes me feel like I am eating bark...yeah no thanks...but they sure do look pretty!

crystal said...

I can't wait to make these. I love you!

It's 2am & I want them NOW. I hate you!

erica said...

These look wonderful! I made something like this over the weekend, its definitely the time of year for coconut! Loving your blog!

I am your newest follower.

xo

Meredith said...

Those look so yummy I may have to go back to the grocery store this morning!

As a side note I put my recipes in sheet protectors in a notebook after I spilt tea on my chai recipe. I am a horribly messy cook!

Lala said...

Are you kidding Me? Christie!!! These look incredible. Between the cake, the keebler devils (thank you for that, too), & these I'll be back up to my pregnancy weight in no time. I really don't like being thin anyway.

ps I just made the coconut cake for my son's non-birthday party, party. I CAN'T wait to eat it.

Lauren said...

Hello Hello,
I am loving these How-To posts!
I have a suggestion - instead of having the name of the person as the link you click on, maybe they could put what they're writing about as the link. I don't have time to click on each and every link, but it'd be nice to be able to know what I'd be learning about before I click instead of trial and error.