Cupcake Bites Made Easy!
Okay, I think you guys will love this. But hate that I don’t have better pictures to show you. This is for anyone who wanted to make the Cupcake Pops but didn’t feel up to the task. They are based on the Red Velvet Cake Balls I’ve made before. These Cupcake Bites are just as cute and don’t need a cookie cutter to shape. But you will need a candy mold. They are easy to find though. As a matter of fact, here’s a link.
So, if you’re a first-time cake baller/cupcake popper, you may want to start with a cake mix and ready-made frosting. (These proportions work right for me everytime.) Then, you can try with your favorite cake and frosting recipe once you see how the proportions and texture should come out. Here’s what you do:
Easy Cupcake Bites
1 box cake mix (cook as directed on box for 13 X 9 cake)
1 can cream cheese frosting (16 oz.)
1 package chocolate bark (or candy melts for cupcake bottom)
Colored Candy Melts
Candy Cup Mold
Sprinkles and m&ms for decoration
- After cake is cooked and cooled completely, crumble into large bowl. (The texture should be fine/fluffy)
- Using the back of a large spoon, mix thoroughly with 1 can cream cheese frosting. (It may be easier to use fingers to mix together, but be warned it will get messy.)
- Roll mixture into quarter size balls (make sure they are smaller in diameter than that of your candy mold) and lay on wax paper covered cookie sheet.
- Chill in the freezer for a few 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 each mold cavity with a small amount of chocolate. Sorry, I didn’t think to measure how much. But as soon as you fill the cavity, go ahead and 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.
- 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.
- Decorate.
- And, probably impress your friends and family.
Makes about 50. Store in an airtight container and they will last for several days.
Unbelievable! Your creative ideas for sweets never cease to amaze me! I am definitely going to be making these cuties in the very near future.
As I see this, I am wondering, could these be made on top of a warm mini peanut-butter cup? Would that skip yet another step?
Oh, those look so fabulous. You always have the best ideas.
And I love red velvet cake:)
Wow, this is great! I will definitely have to try this one…the cupcake pops, while super-cute, scared me away because of the amount of effort required. :-) Thanks for all the wonderful baking pictures and ideas!
So cute!
I would like to try this for my neice’s birthday!
Oh, very cool!
And I was thinking along the lines of Emi, too. Before I read the instructions, I thought you had placed the cake ball on top of a mini peanut butter cup. (Although red velvet and peanut butter don’t sound that great together…)
I do believe you are a “Cupcake Genius!
Omg, these are SO CUTE!!! you are so creative! my roommate and i can’t stop drooling over your blog! we look at the pictures of the chocolate chip cookie pie EVERYDAY (i need to make it soon…). and now i have to add these adorable cupcakes to my list of things to make!
i hope martha features you on her show again!
Jesus, Mary, Joseph and a camel! What an idea!
Fabulous! You always have such great ideas. Martha will be knocking at your door again!
“and, probably impress your friends and family.”
i like how you threw that probably in there. chances are good that i’d screw this up magnificently and impress no one. :) yours are awesome though, nicely done! i will aspire to create something resembling them a little. (gotta keep my expectations low…) :)
These look fabulous! Do you smooth over the top (purple) after dipping? Whenever I dip something, I end up with a choc-chip like top on it.
Wow! You are so creative! Thanks for this tip to make them easier! I love making these cake bites and trying the new ways to do them and trying out varieties of flavors! Yummy! I just started watching your blog this year and I absolutely love it! Keep up the good work!
These are so delicate and cute!
you are my hero.
Love this!!
You are incredible!
i am always so impressed by your creations. i love them all. i keep wanting to make them for my kids classes but they have a silly rule of only store bought goodies. no homebaked. where’s the fun in that. but these are too cute…. maybe for the brownie troop?
Ok, these are so awesome, and I WILL be making these next week for my daughter’s cupcake theme birthday party on the 17th! Will blog pictures, and link you to it. THANKS for the amazing ideas. :)
Wow! What a good idea!! Well, as good as allways, of course.
you rock bakerella!
These are great! So glad I found your blog. Definitely going to give these a try for mother’s day.
So stinkin’ cute!! I even have the perfect mold to use for these already. I’ll try them out soon.
What a great idea! I love the way you think! Thanks for sharing!
You are a genious!!! I hope you decide to put a book together. Your ideas are so fabulous!! I have been a fan for a while but havent made the time to try the bites yet. THIS one I know I will do!! It will be perfect for my twin’s 6th bday party next month. :) Thank you again for sharing your brilliance!!!!!
i was just gonna try my hands on your cupcake pops, but these are just toooo cute! way to go! u should have ur own show, move over Ace of Cakes guy!
Terrific idea and I’m sure it’s tasty too!
Amazing! Those look so great. I have been experimenting with your recipe. Thank you so much. I need that candy mold! Here is a link to my second attemp.
http://theresaslavenderbox.blogspot.com/2008/05/hello-sweetie-pie.html
You inspire me.
I wish I would have done this yesterday! I used your recipe to make flower pot cake balls… a candy mold would have been so much easier – Thanks for the idea – I will now do it this way!! :) Awesome work, just love your blog. Check out my flower pots if you have a second. http://www.lifeofacupcake.blogspot.com
Truly adorable!
Thank you! I sent you the pics of mine earlier in the week and had the big cutter issue. This is perfect and I love how they look so perfect and neat! Definately doing this!
Quick question – did you just fill the bottom a little without “painting” the sides of the mold? I assume it just squeezes up. Can’t wait to try them. And I love the purple!!
Hi, I was planning to make your red velvet chocolate balls this weekend.. do you know where I can find red velvet cake mix? I’m not sure if I’ve ever seen it at the store. I’ll look for it this weekend though. Also, can you show me a picture/ brand of cream cheese frosting?
And about the Reese’s brownie bites.. is there a way to have the Reese’s HIDDEN inside of the cupcake, instead of showing on the top?
You are amazing Bakerella! Ever since I found you on flickr (while searching up cupcake pictures out of boredom) I’ve been back to your site and reading all the blogs multiple times! :)
I want to try all your recipes! But I don’t think I’m that good of a baker..
Cyndi – thanks, I’ll try to keep them coming
Emi – not really, you still need something round to shape the top.
Melissa Lewis-Off The Wall – I love red velvet too! One of my faves.
Jimmie – yeah, these are a lot easier, just no lollipop sticks.
Nao – she’ll love them.
Nanette – I don’t know maybe we should try it.
Rose – that’s sweet of you.
dessertobsessed – yeah, that pie, oh that pie calls to me too.
Jams – cool, huh.
nicisme – I doubt it, but I never thought I would have been on the show the first time.
Grace – oh, I didn’t mean it that way. I just meant that sometimes people are hard to impress. I’m sure you can do a great job.
Jenn – no, I just dipped it straight in and then turned it upside down. You can wiggle it around a little, though, to help the chocolate smooth itself.
rpelephant – thanks so much.
Patricia Scarpin – and you are very sweet for always coming back.
Just Desserts – thanks!!!
sheila – thank you
cookienurse – you are too nice!
jeanetta – or make them for yourself.
Shealynn Benner – can’t wait to see.
morgana – thanks, my friend.
Anonymous – thanks!
Nicole – Oh, good luck.
lovesweetlove – you’re already ahead of the game then.
lfamily5 – you’re welcome.
Melissa – you are very welcome.
sharyl – I don’t know about that. He is AWESOME!
the southern hostess – very tasty!
Miss Theresa thanks, I’ll take a look.
Mrs. Cupcake I’ll take a look at yours, too.
Anne-Marie – thank you
Lisa You got it, I didn’t do any painting on these.
CHLOE N. – I used the Duncan Hines brand for both. And for the Brownie Bites, you would probably have to use a bigger cup size and then place a little bit of the batter on top. I’m just guessing. I’ll have to try that one. And don’t think that. Just get out there and try stuff.
Wow, you did it again!
How many times do you try something before it turns out perfect? And really, can it happen the first time you try it?
Excellent idea! I can’t wait to try it!
You’re amazing. I’m not sure if anyone has told you that today (I’m sure they have if they know what’s good for them), but there you go :) Thanks for sharing such great ideas with us!
Okay, I made the cupcake bites with my daughter the other day. Everything went great, except when we tried to melt the candy mold chocolate “things,” we could never get the consistency thin enough to actually dip. We microwaved it at 30 second intervals over and over. When that didn’t work, I tried a new package of candy mold chocolate “things” in the double boiler. Still,it was really too thick for that smooth finished look. What am I doing wrong??
Oh my gosh! Im sooo excited to try these this weekend. I made the cupcake pops last night and OH BOY- You were right about it being so time consuming. They were great though and I got soooo many compliments. I was testing them out for my baby girls first bday party which is cupcake themed.Now I have an easier way!!! THANK YOU! You rock!
Thank you so much for finding an easier way to make your FABULOUS little creations!
I just found your site the other day and LOVE it! My sister and I are going to attemt these in the next couple of days. Thanks for this post, it makes it seem easier! We keep talking about how yummy they are going to taste. Can’t wait to try!!
I am very glad I found this blog, it is just delightful, I adore these cakes, what a brilliant idea. I will be back, I don’t know that it will be very good for my thighs but I will be. Take care Jen B.
Your creativity is neverending. Those are about the cutest little things I’ve ever seen!!! Love the purple color and sprinkles!! You are my hero. :)
BeachMama – That’s funny. Actually, this was the first attempt at them this way.
Lauber – thanks!
Sarah – it’s usally a little thick. Email me and I’ll try to help. What brand were you using?
georgia – I’m glad they went so well.
Anonymous – You are welcome.
Miss Alaska (hardly!) – Hope you like them!
Jen Ballantyne – Come back any time.
cakesbyjess – thanks, I like the purple, too. Kinda different.
awwww it is soooo cute! :)
I would love to try this!!! yummmm
Wow, I just love your ideas. I´m a 27 year old Swede who always loved to bake and decorate cakes, cookies and bread. When I first saw your site I got amazed by your fantastic ideas. And you keep surprising me. Thank you for your fantastic inspiration!
I tried to make your lollipop cup cake for a friends bridalshower. They were a real success and people even talked about it at the wedding. I told them about your blog of course but I was quite happy they had not seen “the real thing” (the original) first. ;-)
yum.
You are totally amazing with your ideas. I can’t wait to try them. I made the oreo truffles again for Mom’s Day BBQ tomorrow. I get so many compliments on them. And I tell everyone where I got it from. You totally ROCK!!!!
hi angie, i have the same problems as sarah!! i tried using wilton’s candy melts but the consistency is too thick and i cannot get a smooth finish to the cake balls. is there a way to thin the chocolate?
I Love These!! I have tried the cake balls before but have never tried the cake pops! I will definitely have to try these for my next book club meet!
These are so very cute! Time for a cookbook!!
I am LMBO as I had seen this mold and wondered if it would work but I never thought to put the chocolate in first … you are brilliant!!!!
you are amazing!!!, i just have a problem, in my contry there is no REd velvet cake mix, can you recomend me something else?? can it be any chocolate mix? one made from scrap??
I dont know what is the caratheristic of the red velvet chocolate mix…
Jackie
Oh my goodness, those are so cute!!!!
I hope you understand that you have altered my worldview considerably. Knowledge as potent as this should be sought after by diminutive hairy people bearing rings and such.
I LOVE IT.
piyo-chan – thanks, you should do it.
Anonymous – I’m so glad they’re a hit in Sweden. Send me some pics if you have any.
Leah – thanks!
Anonymous – Glad you like them.
rachelksy – I have not tried Wilton brand yet, but you can use paramount crystals to thin chocolate.
http://www.cakeartpartystore.com/store/e-StoreOperations_viewItem.asp?idProduct=12833
Have you watched the Cupcake Pops video on Martha Stewart.com? That may help too.
shephalli – same great taste, only cuter.
RecipeGirl – I think I’ll work on one. I’ll let you know.
Tracey in WA – Yay, glad to help.
LAS DELICIAS DEL BUEN VIVIR said…
You can use another flavor cake mis on your own homemade cake.
Poppy Cede – thanks!
Zombie Jellyfish – Glad to shake things up for you.
Adorable! And I can actually make these!
Goodness! You’re fantastic! Post after post, I wonder what you’ll come up with next and you never cease to amaze me.
Giiiirrrllll….doesn’t your thinker ever start to hurt? I can only imagine the dreams of Bakerella at night….literally visions of sugarplums MUST dance in your head!
Happy weekend from your #1 fan! LOL
I love everything about this blog! I only wish I’d found it sooner! Keep the great ideas coming! I’m running out to buy some chocolate chips now!!
Heidi
These are a great way to use cake scraps! I made a layered red velvet cake for Mother’s Day today, and had to do something with the rounded portions that I cut off. I just used a little less cream cheese frosting for filling, and made these.
Your blog is my most favorite blog ever. I think you are so amazing! Add me to your fan club :D
You are inspiring me to make the time to bake! I’ll try making these in a couple of weeks. Thanks so much for sharing.
I can’t wait to try these. Super yummy looking! Thanks!
These are adorable! Along with other comments, I thought of peanut butter cups as the bottom of the cupcake, and cake ball on top. I think I’ll have to try these both ways. Though I think that with the peanut butter cups, maybe a chocolate cake would work better – chocolate and peanut butter, yum!
You have the most awesome ideas and the greatest looking treats!
Because I made your cupcake pops, and because I was tagged with a “Look what I made” (food from other blogs) I mentioned you in today’s post. :)
Thanks for this! I tried to make the others with the cookie cutters. Mine weren’t quite the right size and I was all thumbs! I look forward to doing these!
I just wanted to say thank you for this recipe. Made it for mothers day and it was such a hit.
Scribbit you sure can!
cupcakesordeath – thanks!
Robyn – that’s about right. Happy Weekend.
talesfromanopenbook – make something yummy!
Kim – Yep, perfect way to use scraps. Glad you liked them.
The Flirty Girl – glad to hear it. Bake away.
Colleen – you’re welcome
Stephanie – chocolate, definitely
HoneyB – thanks HoneyB
Jane – yeah these are easier, just no pops
Jenn – You’re welcome!
that is seriously too cute. i can’t wait to get back to LA so i can pick up the supplies to make this.
Oh but you have the best of ideas! I must try these too, but I’m still stuck with the oreo truffles. I’ve so enjoyed making them and people have been asking me to make it for them nonstop too! :)
THanks for all your wonderful ideas!
I just made these this weekend. I updated with them on my site. :)
I made full-size ones last night…check out my blog. Thanks for the inspiration. I make those Oreo truffles (I call them Oreo BONBON balls) all the time I did not know all the cool ways to shape them though. I will have to try those. Thanks again!
I made full-size ones last night…check out my blog. Thanks for the inspiration. I make those Oreo truffles (I call them Oreo BONBON balls) all the time I did not know all the cool ways to shape them though. I will have to try those. Thanks again!
joanh – well hurry back and make some so I can see.
verabear – that’s the problem with them, they’re addictive.
lovesweetlove – I’ll check it out
Infarrantly Creative – full-size – I may have to try that too!
i’d earlier made just the red velvet cake bites from your blog, and anted to try the cupcake pops, but never got around to it. when i saw this post, i knew my mom and i would have to make them over the weekend. well, we made them all right. but they turned out kind of wonky, and aren’t nearly as cute as yours. we had problems when we were dipping the top (cupcake) part into the melted coating (i made a mistake and used white melts to cover chocolate cake!) as the coating seemed to grab onto the cake so fiercely that i had a hard time pulling the thing back out wothout losing my grip on the choclate bottom part or worse, squeezing it too hard and cracking the chocolate. at least they tasted good, though!
two more things, for the person who asked, you can also thin the melted coating with a bit of vegetable oil, just don’t add too much or it will end up tasting funny, also, if you have a kitchen aid stand mixer and use the paddle shaped mixing blade, it works great for mixing the cake with the frosting and is so much less messy and turns out smoother than trying to mix it by hand!
Thank you so much for your wonderful recipe! I made these over the weekend with my husband’s assistance, and everyone loved them including us. We made ourselves sick snacking while we cooked. :) We made Dark Chocolate with pineapple cake and cream cheese frosting. You can see them here:
http://obsessivecreativedesigns.blogspot.com/2008/05/chocolate-pineapple-mini-cupcakes.html
I made the cupcake pops (left the stick off) for a baby shower and they were a huge hit! Thanks for sharing!
amy – your chocolate may not have been hot enough. Did you melt it in 30 sec intervals or all at one time? It works better heating a little at a time until melted. Also, make sure the cake balls are chilled before you dip them in the chocolate for the tops. That helps them keep their shape.
Destiny – I’m so glad you guys enjoyed them.
Katie – You’re welcome.
I made these for a co-worker’s birthday and they were a total hit! THANKS for the idea! I made them with a strawberry cake and topped them with mini kisses – they wer adorable. Lots of fun, thanks again!
hi there i love these and i’m making them for my dad’s 60th bay on Sat the 17. please please please can you be a bit more specific on how to get the tops nice and smooth… i tried the cake pops they came out messy but super cute and yummy cant wait to try these!!
Katie – they sound cute!
lorena – I just dip the tops in and then turn them right side up and wiggle it a little to let the chocolate settle and smooth out. Make sure you are heating the chocolate in the microwave per the directions (30 sec intervals and stirring in between) Don’t get it too hot. Also, I’ll let the chocolate set for a minute and thicken so that it is less likely to drip down the sides.
What brand of chocolate are you using. Also have you seen the video on Martha Stewart? Search cupcake pops. It may help you.
I made the cupcake bites last night!!! They turned out great, so cute…the only problem I had was it was really diffucult to get the cupcakes out of the mold… any suggestions, they really wouldn’t pop out easily. Any thoughts for next time? Thank you so much!
Bakerella! This looks like fun! And kiddie-friendly, if that matters at all.
Oh my word, those loos DELICIOUS – and so cute. Definitely on my to=do list!
I just found your blog through Blissfully Domestic!
I have been making cake balls for about a year or so now, but this is a fabulous idea! How cute! I can’t wait to try them out.
These are adorable! I can’t wait to make them myself to share with family and friends. Can these be made ahead of time and frozen? If so, at what stage should I freeze them? before or after dipping in chocolate? If freezing isn’t a good idea how long do they stay fresh and how do you store them? Thanks for all your tips!
ph my goodness… these look insanely good! MUST TRY this weekend!
SO CUTE!
Wait, I’ll have to go find a cupcake candy mold.
Oops, I just read “air tight container for several days”…..sorry for my redundant question.
Bakerella…
w/graduation around the corner, what ideas do you have??? please keep us posted
Anonymous – Did you put them in the freezer for a few minutes? They should release pretty easily after that.
Saucy – definitely fun.
Christi – thanks
Angie – cool. You should do great then.
Laura- I haven’t tried freezing them yet. They get eaten too quickly.
plslade – -you must.
Laura – no problem
lorena – I’ll see what I can do.
hi, what does cream cheese frosting taste like? and is fondant really gross?
These are just adorable! How awesome!
Sarah – cream cheese frosting tastes like heaven. Fondant isn’t necessarily gross. But you’re not gonna jump up and down over it.
Natalie – thank you!
I made these today and brought them to a BBQ – they were a HIT! Here are some pictures: http://www.flickr.com/photos/alisoncj/2504471538/
Wrong link! (Although that’s the first photo in the set!)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/alisoncj/sets/72157605130080244/
I’m so excited to try this ! Just a question….you said to wait to mix the baked cake and frosting until the cake is cooled…why does that matter? I’ve always mixed the warm cake with the frosting and then chilled…
I made a batch of these and they were so much fun!!! My friends think I “have too much time on my hands on the weekends”. They are being enjoyed as we speak. Thanks so much for sharing your ideas. I used a boxed “confetti cake” for the filling and it worked fine. I will be making these again real soon. Time to buy more candy melts. :p.
wondering where you get the sprinkles you use for the mini cupcakes– I love the blue in them! Thanks
Alison – Yay!
Kristen – I usually do it that way because if the cake is warm still, it will get a little mushy when I crumble it apart before I can even mix the frosting into it. I just think the texture is better if it’s cooled, but do what works for you.
beverlyanne – you’ll find you always want to have those melts handy in case you decide to make more.
Anonymous – I found them at Kroger, called Mr. Sprinkles in the ice cream condiments section.
oh bakerella, I didn’t think that these could get any more fantastic, but this new idea makes them so much easier – and tons more adorable!
I think that I might be addicted to making these – now I’m trying to find any excuse possible to make them… a birthday? I’ll make ’em! A new baby? I’ll make ’em! It’s Tuesday? I’ll make ’em!
I did find that the candy mold that I bought it is a little shallow – it’s a little difficult to hold on to them when I attempt to dip the tops… but luckily I’ve only had a few casualties (and darn, I had to eat them!)… I think I’ll try a deeper mold.
You’re fabulous!
Bakerella,
You are awesome, I love all your cute ideas, I made these cute little cupcake bites today. Mine are not quite as cute as yours, but still cute. I did have problems rolling the cake into balls, the cake kept sticking to my hands. So I sprayed a little Pam on my hands and that did the trick. I posted them on my blog with a link to your site.