By the Batch - Cupcake Bites

I'm interrupting this regularly featured cookie segment to bring you something a little different this week - cupcake bites. This recipe is straight out of Bakerella's Cake Pops: Tips, Tricks, and Recipes for Irresistible Mini Treats and they're a twist on the cake pops that I made last year. If you've never visited Bakerella's site then you really must go; she's got tons of adorable ideas.

 

 

I'll be honest and confess that the reason for cupcake bites is that I made a cake on the weekend and when I tried to turn it out of the pans it fell completely apart. Well as luck would have it, a crumbled cake is exactly what cupcake bites call for so all was not lost!

 

Ingredients:
1 box cake mix (baked as directed on box)
3/4 of a can of icing (I used about a 1 cup of homemade buttercream icing)
1 package chocolate bark (or candy melts for cupcake bottom)
Coloured melting wafers (for cupcake top)
Candy Cup Mold - shaped like peanut butter cups
Sprinkles

 

Directions:
Bake your cake mix according to the directions and let it cool. After cake is cooled completely, crumble into large bowl. The texture should be fine/fluffy

 

Using the back of a large spoon, mix thoroughly with icing. It may be easier to use fingers to mix together, but be warned it will get messy.

 

 

Roll mixture into balls that are just slightly smaller in diameter than your candy mold and lay on a wax paper covered cookie sheet. One cake will yield about 48 balls depending on the size of your mold.

 

 

Chill in the freezer for 15 minutes, until they are slightly firm, not frozen.

 

Melt chocolate bark and candy melts in microwave per directions on package.

 

Using a spoon or squeeze bottle, fill a mold cavity about half full of chocolate.  Then place one of your rolled balls into it. Carefully push it down until the force causes the chocolate to push up and fill in around the sides of the ball. You may have to experiment with a couple to get the right amount. Stop pushing once the chocolate reaches the top edge because you don't want to form a lip. Repeat until all the cavities are filled.

 

Sorry for the flash in this picture - I was working fast!

Place the mold tray filled with cupcakes in the freezer for just a few minutes to let the chocolate set. Remove and then gently pull up on the cake ball top to release from candy mold.

 

Now, holding the bottom of the cupcake, dip the top in another color of melted chocolate and immediately decorate with sprinkles before chocolate sets.

 

 

According to Sarah:
These cupcake bites are adorable but they take a lot of time and patience to make. There are a lot of steps in the process and a lot of waiting for cakes to cool and chocolate to harden but the end result is worth it. Here are some tips I learned along the way that will make it easier next time:

• Don't try to skimp on chocolate by not filling up enough of the mold. Not enough chocolate means pushing your cake balls down deeper in to the cavity. If your ball hits the bottom then your cupcake bite will not release from the mold without a fight (and damage!)
• The molded chocolate will melt quickly while you're dipping the tops of the bites so work quickly and run your hands under cold water if you need to cool them down.
• When dipping the tops only dip enough that the two colours of chocolate meet - if they overlap then the hot, melted chocolate will begin to melt your molded bottoms.

Cupcake bites are definitely not an every day kind of dessert but they do make really pretty treats for a party or to give as a gift. There are so many colour and sprinkle combinations and they really are delicious!