Sponsor Feature ~ Recipes from Scribbles and Smudge!

Hello everyone!  Today Tracy from Scribbles and Smudge is here to share with us some recipes that you must try.  I am serious.  I would cation you though, they are addicting!  Read on!

Hello readers! First, I'd like to thank Natalia for inviting me to be a sponsor on Ma Nouvelle Mode - fist pumps, shimmies and shakes for you and your awe-sizzome blog! My name is Tracy and I've been working on my blog, Scribble Smudge, for a little more than a month. My husband and I were married last December, so I thought I'd play up the part and write about my adventures in the kitchen, in my new marriage, and in life. I am a triathlete, teacher and avid camper, so there's a lot of madness rolled up into one blog. Today, though, I thought you might like a sweet recipe (or three). I hope you enjoy.

Ever since Starbucks starting selling those darling little cake pops, I've been wanting to try a recipe of my own. So, I visited Bakerella's blog and found something comparable: cake balls. Essentially, cake balls are cake and icing mixed together and rolled into bite-size balls, then coated in white or milk chocolate and decorated. Y to the um.



Starbucks' Cake Pops





Bakerella's Red Velvet Cake Balls



Well, since mine didn't come out perfectly round and I didn't have enough chocolate to coat each ball entirely, I decided to rename mine cake bites. When I brought them to Easter dinner yesterday, my 7-year-old cousin shouted, "These are the most delicious chocolate dessert muffins I've ever had!" Then he ate nine of them. 

Here is the recipe, in red velvet, coconut and chocolate flavors. 

p.s. It took four hours to make three different varieties. I would suggest making one or two batches at a time (each recipe made about 40 pieces); rolling balls isn't my idea of a hip Saturday. 

p.p.s. Cake bites are highly addicting. As someone who has never tried a cigarette, I now feel like I know what tobacco addicts go through. 

p.p.p.s. I'd like to thank Doug for taking the photos for this project (my hands were covered in either icing, crumbled cake or chocolate for the better part of the day), and for always zipping into the kitchen whenever I needed a taste tester. You hard worker, you. 

Red Velvet Cake Bites

Ingredients

1 box red velvet cake mix (cook as directed)

1 package white chocolate (I used Ghiradelli)

Cream cheese frosting (see recipe below)

Red food coloring 

White sprinkles

Wax paper

Directions:

1. After cake is cooked and cooled completely (about 30 minutes in the fridge - don't skip this step!), crumble into large bowl.

2. Mix thoroughly with cream cheese frosting. (It may be easier to use fingers to mix together, but be warned it will get messy.

3. Roll mixture into quarter size balls and lay on cookie sheet (should make 45-50 pieces).
4. Chill for 1-2 hours. (You can speed this up by putting in the freezer.)
5. Melt chocolate over stove, being sure not to burn. Add 7-8 drops red food coloring until pink.
6. Roll balls in chocolate and top with sprinkles; lay on wax paper until firm. (Use a spoon to dip and roll in chocolate and then tap off extra.)

Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients

1 pound cream cheese, softened

2 sticks butter, softened

1 tsp. vanilla extract

4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar

Directions:

In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter and vanilla together until smooth. Add the sugar and on low speed, beat until incorporated. Increase speed to high and mix until very light and fluffy.

Chocolate Cake Bites

Ingredients

1 box chocolate cake mix (bake as directed)

1 package milk chocolate (I used Ghiradelli)

Chocolate frosting (see recipe below)

Multicolored sprinkles

Wax paper

Directions:
Same as red velvet recipe

Chocolate Frosting 

Ingredients

2 3/4 cups confectioners' sugar

6 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder

6 tbsp. butter

5 tbsp. evaporated milk (make sure you don't get dry milk like I did! Luckily almond milk works, too)

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions

In a medium bowl, sift together the confectioners' sugar and cocoa; set aside. In a large bowl, cream butter until smooth, then gradually beat in sugar mixture alternately with evaporated milk. Blend in vanilla and beat until light and fluffy. If necessary, adjust consistency with more milk or sugar.

Coconut Cake Bites

Ingredients
1 package coconut cake mix (follow instructions for baking)

Vanilla frosting (see recipe below)

Coconut flakes

Wax paper
Directions

1. After cake is cooked and cooled completely, crumble into large bowl.

2. Mix thoroughly with vanilla frosting. 

Please ignore my awkward armpit sunburn. 

3. Roll mixture into quarter size balls and lay on cookie sheet (should make 45-50).

4. Chill for 1-2 hours. (You can speed this up by putting in the freezer.)

5. Bake coconut flakes on 375 for about 15 minutes; press the top of each cake bite into the coconut flakes and place on wax paper. 

Tracy's Vanilla Frosting (My FIRST original recipe!)

Ingredients

1 stick butter, softened

3 tbsp. almond milk

2 cups confectioners' sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions

Mix all ingredients on medium speed until incorporated. 

There you have it!  Messy, but soooooo worth it.  Thanks Tracy for sharing.  If you are interested in becoming a sponsor, click here.

Have a good day!