Cake Balls Recipe (Gluten Free, 3 Flavors)

This cake balls recipe is made with simple, gluten free ingredients and comes with 3 different flavor options including chocolate chip, carrot cake, and plain white cake so you can create the best gluten free cake bites for every occasion. Keep reading to learn how to make cake balls, and find your favorite flavor. Or, make all 3! 

*Originally our 5-Ingredient Cake Bites (No-Bake, Gluten Free), this cake balls recipe has been updated to make it even more delicious for you! 

Have Your Cake and Eat It, Too!

Who doesn’t love a good cake? With recipes like Naked Almond Flour Chocolate Cake, 5 Ingredient Lemon Blueberry Cake, and even a Birthday Cake for Dogs, there’s an option for every occasion! However, you know what’s even better than cake? Cake in bite-size form. As the name suggests, cake bites are bite-sized, poppable, easy to make, and super cute. Not to mention, they’re the perfect option for parties, weddings, bake sales and everything in between. You all know my history with bite-size snacks and desserts (aka healthy bites). 😉  So, I decided it was time to share my new and improved easy cake balls recipe with all of you! 

Unlike traditional cakes that can take hours in the kitchen, learning how to make cake balls only requires a few simple ingredients and less than 45 minutes. That means you’ll be done baking in no time! Plus, this cake balls recipe is gluten free with a vegan-friendly option and comes in not 1 but 3 flavors for every occasion. Sound good? Keep reading to learn everything you’ll need to know!  

What is a Cake Ball?

Cake balls or cake bites, as they’re sometimes referred to, are essentially just little balls of cake. They contain similar if not the exact same ingredients as traditional cake recipes and are baked in the oven.

However, unlike standard cake, cake balls recipes require you to crumble the cooked cake, combine it with other ingredients such as flour, maple syrup, and vanilla extract, and roll the batter into balls. In addition, cake balls are typically dipped in a chocolate coating and left to harden. As a result, they come together more quickly and can be stored longer than a full cake. 

Cake Ball Flavor Options

Although this cake balls recipe can be made with 3 different flavor options, each version begins with the same simple ingredients and basic cake ball batter base. Then, you’ll add a few extra ingredients to customize your cake bites and create fun flavors.

Take a look below to find what you’ll need for all 3 options! 

Dairy Free/Vegan Option: To make this cake balls recipe dairy free and vegan, make sure to use a vegan cake batter, and coat your cake bites with vegan chocolate coatings such as this white chocolate! 

Basic Cake Ball Batter:

All you need are a few pantry staples and your cake!

Ingredients:

• Baked Gluten Free Cake or Cupcake Crumbles
  
• Almond Butter
  
• Maple Syrup, Chocolate Chips, or Carrots (depending on the flavor option you choose)
  
• Gluten Free Oat Flour
  
• Melted Dark Chocolate and/or Dairy Free White Chocolate to Coat

How to Make Cake Balls

Cake Balls Recipe (Gluten Free, 3 Flavors)

The process of making cake balls is similar to that of standard cake but is a little more fun, in my opinion, at least. Take a look at the step-by-step instructions below to see how it’s done! 

• Preheat. To begin, preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, and grease a muffin or cupcake tin.
  

• Prepare Cake. Then, prepare the cake mix according to the package instructions, adding in any eggs, oil, butter, etc. needed. Combine the ingredients until they are well-mixed and smooth.
  
• Bake. Once combined, pour the prepared batter into the muffin or cupcake tin, and bake it in the oven for 1-2 minutes less than is recommended by the package instruction

• Crumble. After being removed from the oven, allow the cake mix to cool completely, and crumble it into a large bowl along with the oat flour, nut butter, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and additional mix-ins based on the flavor option you choose. 

• Roll. Using your hands, roll the combined batter into 1 to 1 ½ inch balls, and place them on a lined baking sheet or serving tray.

• Freeze. Place the formed cake balls in the freezer, and prepare the chocolate coating by melting ½ cup dark or white chocolate with 1-2 teaspoons of coconut oil and heating it in the microwave for intervals of 30-seconds or on the stovetop, whisking between intervals of 30 seconds.
  
• Dip. Dip each cooled cake ball into the prepared chocolate, and set them back on the tray, repeating until all of the cake balls have been coated.

• Set. Place the coated cake balls in the freezer for 20-30 minutes to set, and enjoy! 

Cake Ball Making Tips

Of course, this cake balls recipe is super easy to make. However, to ensure you get the best results every single time, I’ve rounded up a few of my secret tips and tricks and am sharing them below! 

• Use a Cookie Scoop. For evenly sized cake bites, use a small cookie scoop to scoop out the batter. Then, roll it in between your palms to bind the crumbs together, making sure they hold.

• Mess-Free Coating. For easy coating, place a lollipop stick or fork into each cake bite before dipping them into the melted chocolate. 

• Prevent Crumbling. To keep your cake balls from falling apart when dipping them in the chocolate, make sure to chill them before coating them in chocolate. 

Other Topping Options

Looking to add even more to your cake balls recipe? Try including fun topping options! To do so, add the extra toppings to your cake bites before the chocolate coating has cooled in order to make sure they stick. Some of my favorite options include: 

• Crushed Nuts
• Dye-Free Sprinkles
• Drizzled Chocolate

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That’s it, you guys! Which cake bite flavor are you making first? Let me know in the comments below! 
Cheers,

LC