Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake Balls
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Indulge in the ultimate treat with decadent Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake Balls! The best combination of cake and candy create a cake ball. Moist, rich vanilla cake crumbled and blended with creamy peanut butter buttercream, then rolled into bite-sized balls, and coated in a smooth layer of velvety milk chocolate. Each bite is a heavenly explosion of flavors, with the perfect balance of sweet chocolate and nutty peanut butter!
If you love cake balls as much as I do, be sure to check out my Eggless Red Velvet Cake Balls, Eggless Chocolate Caramel Cake Balls, or my Brunch Cake Balls!
Table of Contents
What are cake balls?
Cake balls are any sort of cake that is formed into a ball. Some people make cake balls in a mold and then coat them in chocolate. But, I always make cake balls without a mold. I actually prefer to make cake balls without a mold because I mash up the cake and combine it with frosting. If you make them with a mold, you're loosing the frosting aspect and they can be very dry.
So, the way I make cake balls starts with just baking a cake. Then I make frosting and then I mash the two together. Next, I form them into balls and then coat them in chocolate.
Cake balls are my absolute favorite dessert! Their unique combination of cake and candy just lures me in every single time. I love a simple cake ball recipe that is so insanely good my friends are always asking for more. Cake balls are a bite-sized indulgence bursting with flavor!
Why You'll Love This Recipe
Cake + Candy: Cake balls are something I adore because they are the best mixture of both cake and candy. I always make my cake balls by baking a cake, crumbling it up, then mixing it with frosting. After that, I roll them into little balls, and then coat them in chocolate. So, they are a mash up of cake and a buttercream candy! You will love this simple cake ball recipe.
Chocolate + PB: Everyone loves chocolate and peanut butter! And this simple cake ball recipe combines these two amazing ingredients into a bite sized treat!
Cake Balls Without a Mold: As I mentioned above, I always make cake balls without a mold. I think this way is so much better and it results in a moist and delicious bite sized cake that you will simply adore. Making cake balls without a mold also allows you to make them when you have some kind of issue with your cake, like it broke or sank. This makes these types of cakes amazing for cake balls. Check out my post 5 Things To Do with Sunken Cake for more ideas if you have a cake fail (which we all do at times!).
Ingredients
Simply Organic Vanilla Extract
Wholesome Sweeteners Powdered Sugar
Costco Kirkland Organic Peanut Butter
Mama Ganache Organic Milk Chocolate
Tools Needed
6-inch Cake Pan (use code MIMIBAKES for 10% off Kana, my favorite sustainable cake pans!)
Parchment Paper (use code MIMIBAKES for 10% off Kana, my favorite non toxic parchment paper!)
Baking Sheet Half Sheet Pan (use code MIMIBAKES for 10% off my favorite stainless steel sustainable bakeware!)
Parchment Paper (get my favorite nontoxic parchment paper and get 10% off with MIMIBAKES)
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Step by Step Instructions
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 3 cake pans with parchment paper.
Step 2
To make the batter: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the butter, cane sugar, and vanilla extract. Mix on low until combined and there are no chunks of butter. Add the eggs, milk, and sour cream and mix on low until combined.
In a separate bowl, add the cake flour, baking powder, and sea salt and whisk together. With the mixer on low, slowly add in the cake flour and mix on low until combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix again until completely combined.
Step 3
Divide the batter evenly into each of the cake pans, about 227 grams each. Spread evenly and bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Allow to cool completely. (If you're baking at high altitude, be sure to check the Notes at the bottom of the recipe for high altitude baking instructions).
Step 4
To make the frosting: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the butter, powdered sugar, peanut butter, milk, and vanilla extract. Mix on low until combined and then speed mixer up to high for 1 minute or until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix again until smooth.
Step 5
To make the balls: Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Remove the cake from the pans, doesn't matter if you break it, as it all needs to be broken up into pieces anyways. Add into the bowl with the frosting and stir with a spatula, or I like to just use my hands and get messy (this is also where gloves come in handy). Mix until evenly combined. Form into 35 balls and place onto prepared baking sheets. Place in the freezer. I like to place in the freezer for about 10 minutes, then remove and reshape the balls as I have a very difficult time making perfectly round balls. You can skip this step if you like, or if you know how to roll perfect balls! Put back in the freezer.
Step 6
To make the coating: Using a double boiler, add 80% of the milk chocolate. Melt until it reaches 110°F on a chocolate thermometer. Remove from heat and add in remaining 20% and stir vigorously to combine completely. Let the chocolate come down to 89°F.
Step 6
Remove the balls from the freezer, and dip into the milk chocolate. Using a fork like a spoon, remove so excess chocolate drips off below. Place back on the parchment paper. Dip and coat all the balls. Place back in the freezer. If you have extra chocolate, you can remove again in about 10 minutes and drizzle over the top. This is optional but can make them look a little fancy. But, for me it doesn't matter how they look as I will just eat them all!
Baker's Tips
- Just like cake, you want to make sure your butter is soft. Since it's warm out now, it is easy to let butter soften naturally on the countertop. But, if you find yourself making this recipe mid winter or you have to microwave your butter, be sure to only do 10 second intervals per ½ cup.
- I prefer to use room temperature eggs, milk, and sour cream in cake as it will help keep your cake batter very smooth. When these ingredients are cold right out of the fridge and they are added to butter that is room temperature, it can seize up and create butter chunks. These butter chunks will then be in the batter, and that will cause little holes or pockets of butter in your cake. This makes the cake a different texture one that is not as fluffy and doesn't have a very good crumb. So, that's why using room temperature dairy is important in cake recipes that include softened butter.
- If you don't have three 6-inch cake pans, you can also bake these off in cupcake pans instead. They will bake for the same amount of time, and because you are going to break up the cake anyways, it doesn't matter if they are baked in cake pans or muffin tins.
- When coating them, I use a fork like a spoon. I don't pierce the balls, but scoop them with a fork. This way the excess chocolate can drip through the fork back into the bowl, and then I can set it down on the parchment paper.
FAQ's
Yes, just add ¼ teaspoon of salt to the recipe.
Yes, feel free to use dark or white chocolate in place of milk chocolate.
Yes, if you prefer to melt chocolate in the microwave, you can do that. Just be sure to melt only for 30 second intervals and stir between each interval to prevent it from burning.
Yes! I love freezing them as then I get to have treats anytime. I freeze in tupperware. You can also eat them right out of the freeze or let them come to room temp for a few minutes.
Craving More?
Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake Balls
Equipment
Ingredients
Batter
- 113 grams salted butter (softened)
- 170 grams cane sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs (room temperature)
- ½ cup milk (room temperature)
- 57 grams sour cream
- 170 grams cake flour
- 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
Frosting
- 170 grams salted butter (softened)
- 340 grams powdered sugar (sifted)
- 43 grams peanut butter
- 2 to 3 teaspoons milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Coating
- 454 grams milk chocolate (chopped)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 3 cake pans with parchment paper.
- To make the batter: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the butter, cane sugar, and vanilla extract. Mix on low until combined and there are no chunks of butter. Add the eggs, milk, and sour cream and mix on low until combined.
- In a separate bowl, add the cake flour, baking powder, and sea salt and whisk together. With the mixer on low, slowly add in the cake flour and mix on low until combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix again until completely combined.
- Divide the batter evenly into each of the cake pans, about 227 grams each. Spread evenly and bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Allow to cool completely.
- To make the frosting: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the butter, powdered sugar, peanut butter, milk, and vanilla extract. Mix on low until combined and then speed mixer up to high for 1 minute or until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix again until smooth.
- To make the balls: Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Remove the cake from the pans, doesn't matter if you break it, as it all needs to be broken up into pieces anyways. Add into the bowl with the frosting and stir with a spatula, or I like to just use my hands and get messy (this is also where gloves come in handy). Mix until evenly combined. Form into 35 balls and place onto prepared baking sheets. Place in the freezer. I like to place in the freezer for about 10 minutes, then remove and reshape the balls as I have a very difficult time making perfectly round balls. You can skip this step if you like, or if you know how to roll perfect balls! Put back in the freezer.
- To make the coating: Using a double boiler, add 80% of the milk chocolate. Melt until it reaches 110°F on a chocolate thermometer. Remove from heat and add in remaining 20% and stir vigorously to combine completely. Let the chocolate come down to 89°F.
- Remove the balls from the freezer, and dip into the milk chocolate. Using a fork like a spoon, remove so excess chocolate drips off below. Place back on the parchment paper. Dip and coat all the balls. Place back in the freezer. If you have extra chocolate, you can remove again in about 10 minutes and drizzle over the top. This is optional but can make them look a little fancy. But, for me it doesn't matter how they look as I will just eat them all!
- Store in the fridge for up to 7 days.
Notes
Nutrition
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