cake balls were a disaster!!! I baked the regular cake, crumbled it, added a "little" pudding to make the cake crumbs "stick" together. Then I stuck them in the freezer for about 30 minutes. Melted my chocolates and proceeded to dip them. Well, were do I start.....1st, they wouldn't stay on the little stick, so I used a sharp knife. 2nd, okay, they looked somewhat pretty, but had a ton of coating. By the time I finished dipping the first batch, I called my children and husband down to try one...so, there they stand, waiting patiently as I pry (with a smile) the cake ball from the rack! My six year old says, "mommy, do you need some help?" I smiled and replied, "I'm not sure." So, I continued, I gave one to my husband, and before I could warn him, he stuck the entire cake ball into his mouth! This is exactly what he looked like!! Once we got at least half of it out, he said, "Was it suppose to taste like a smoothie?" I was so disappointed. I gave one to my children...oldest child took his upstairs (probably threw it away) middle child threw her's away in my face, said she didn't like chocolate (I used vanilla melts, not chocolate) and my littlest one, just flat out said, "I don't want one." I'm so heartbroken I had really hoped they turned out okay.

which recipe did you use?? I don't think Cookiemans recipe had pudding in the mix..???
Did it?? Let me find the one I have brb..

Here is the Cookieman's recipe taken from a post he made on another site.
2 cups crumbled cake scraps
2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons cocoa powder (if cake scraps are not chocolate based)
1/4 cup chopped almonds (or any other nut you like; or mini-chocolate chips; or mini M&MS...you get the idea!)
2 generous shots of amaretto (or any other liquer you may like--a good non-alcohol substitute is any flavored coffee creamer)

Put all ingredients in a mixer and mix on medium speed until the ingredients form a ball. If the mixture seems too dry, add a bit more of the liquid used to make it moist enough to form into balls.

I use a tablespoon cookie scoop to make the balls uniform in size. Roll the scooped dough in your hands to form a nice smooth ball. Allow cake balls to set on a parchment-lined cookie sheet for a couple of hours, then proceed as mentioned in my last post for dipping. You can also just roll them in confectioners' sugar or cocoa if you do not want to use chocolate. Makes about 2 dozen cake balls. (They taste great right away, but after a day or two they are even better as all the ingredients have had a chance to meld together.)

I forgot to mention this in my last post, but I melt 1 lb. of candy melts and add approximately a tablespoon of Crisco to make it a bit more smooth. Also, put the container (in my case, a Pyrex measuring cup) of melted candy melts in a very hot (I use almost boiling) water bath to keep the chocolate fluid. And don't worry if the dipped balls have a "foot" at the base after drying. You can break some off after they have hardened, and once they are in the little cake liners, no one will noitice. Also, you can decorate the tops with just about anything: sprinkles, candy confetti, candy confetti, chopped nuts, etc befor they dry. Or, after they've dried, pipe designs with royal icing or melted candy melts of different colors.

I used hazlenut and vanilla syrup to replace amaretto.. It was coffee syrup.. THEY WERE YUMMY!!!!!!!AND VERY SWEET!!!! DONT USE LIQUER IF YOUR LITTLE ONES WANT SOME... GOOD LUCK!!!

I got some left over cake from carving so this is exactly what I needed ....thanks

I also tried making these before and pretty much received the same opinion so, your not alone, don't feel bad.

I really like this idea, and will definitely try again, but like you, my result was TERRIBLE. I had no idea what the finished product was going to look like, BUT at my newly formed Cake Club, one of the gals brought some in and when I looked at hers and tasted it, I couldn't believe how different they were. Her's were what I was expecting, so even thought I haven't mastered them YET, I know it's doable(?) KEEP TRYING!!

My first batch of cake balls were a disaster too. I tried dipping them in melted choc. chips and had a huge mess b/c the choc. didn't dry and it was difficult to dip.

I use a simpler recipe, and now cake balls are one of my favorites.

I mix 2/3 - 3/4 of a can of frosting with a crumbled cake. Holds it together well w/o being too moist & sticky to roll. I melt Almond Bark (name is misleading - doesn't contain nuts/comes in choc. or vanilla) and dip frozen cake balls into it with a baby spoon. I never could master the toothpick method either. Fishing them out with a babyspoon wastes less choc. Finally, I place them on parchment or wax paper to set. You can also put them back into the freezer for a few minutes if you are in a hurry for them to dry.

Hope this makes sense and helps out. Good luck if you decide to try again.

I have used Cookie Man's recipe several times with great success. I have done it with coffee creamer and liquers. Everyone that has tried them raves about them. They are basically really rich like truffles. We love them!

Cookieman's recipe does sound tasty. I like the variety that you can get with different liquers. I think I'll have to try it soon. May be less sweet than using canned frosting.

I have made them with cake crumbs, leftover chocolate buttercream or chocoalte ganache and a little vanilla or rum or chocoalte liqueur. froze them and then melted chocoalte chips witha tablespoon of shortening. I just drop them in the melted chocoalte roll them around with a sppon and pull them out with the spoon, place tehm on parchment and let dry. They always come out great. However they are very rich. they taste more like a truffle than cake. My dad loves them, he calls them cake bombs! I even shaped the balls into hearts before freezing them and placed them around a cake for my dad for valentines day, he loved it!

See, that was the difference. When I made them, they turned into truffles, they were mushy and like.... raw batter, BUT NASTY RAW BATTER!

Her's were, like I was thinking they were gonna be, like... little balls of cake with a chocolate coating. I can't remember if she flavored the chocolate or the cake with a oil like raspberry. OMG, they were great. I tried making them again shortly after that, no good. I will keep trying until I get it right. I know she said the liquid or whatever you use to "hold" it together is VERY little and not to overmix it.