While the cake balls chill, I melt the white chocolate or almond bark in a microwave-safe bowl, heating it in 20-second increments and stirring between rounds. Once smooth and glossy, I take the cake balls from the freezer and begin dipping each one. I usually drop a cake ball into the melted chocolate, roll it gently with a fork, lift it out, and tap the fork on the bowl’s edge to let extra chocolate drip off. Then I slide the coated cake ball back onto the parchment and immediately top it with sprinkles before the chocolate sets. Once all the balls are coated, I let them rest until the chocolate has hardened completely.
Pro Tips for Best Results
I tested this recipe a few different ways, and one of the biggest things I learned is that letting the cake cool completely makes a huge difference. The first time I rushed and added cream cheese to warm cake, it became way too soft and almost impossible to form into balls. Trust me—cool cake creates the perfect texture. Another tip: don’t overdo the cream cheese. Even a little too much will make the mixture stick to your hands and flatten instead of staying round.
Another trick that changed everything is freezing the cake balls before dipping. When I tried dipping them straight from the mixing bowl, they fell apart in the chocolate and made a mess. Fifteen minutes in the freezer gives them enough firmness to dip beautifully without cracking or crumbling. If your kitchen is warm or humid, you can even chill them for 20–25 minutes.
For the coating, almond bark gives the smoothest finish. White chocolate chips taste great but are prone to seizing or becoming too thick. If the coating ever gets too thick, adding just a half teaspoon of coconut oil helps thin it out without affecting flavor. I also learned that dipping one cake ball at a time and sprinkling immediately gives the most perfect look—waiting even 30 seconds lets the chocolate harden too much for sprinkles to stick.
Lastly, when rolling the cake balls, lightly greasing your hands with a tiny bit of butter or oil can make the rolling process smoother and help the mixture not stick to your fingers. It also helps create very smooth, pretty balls that look bakery-worthy once covered in chocolate.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
One of the biggest mistakes I made early on was adding too much cream cheese. It’s tempting to add a couple of extra tablespoons if the mixture looks crumbly, but too much creates a sticky dough that doesn’t firm up in the freezer. If your mixture looks dry, try mixing longer before assuming it needs more cream cheese. Most of the time, the crumbs just need to absorb moisture evenly.
Another mistake is skipping the chilling step. If you don’t chill the balls before dipping, they fall apart the moment they hit the melted chocolate. They also soak up the chocolate unevenly, creating lumpy, unattractive coatings. Fifteen minutes in the freezer is non-negotiable if you want smooth, round, pretty cake balls.(See the next page below to continue…)