If you’re looking for easy desserts for St. Patrick’s Day, these cake balls are the way to go. These bite-sized treats are festive, yummy, and surprisingly simple to make. You can make St. Patrick's Day Cake Balls with kids, for a party, or a special treat.
These cake balls are similar in taste to cake pops but without the lollipop stick.
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If you’re looking for more recipes like this one, be sure to check out our Irish Soda Bread Recipe.
Why Make St. Patrick's Day Cake Balls?
This dessert looks so festive with its green color and sprinkle topping, making it perfect for any party or gathering. Each bite has all the flavor of a classic cake in a small, portion-controlled way.
If you are a busy mom, you can easily make these ahead of time and store them in the refrigerator until you’re ready to serve them. Decorating these cake balls is a fun and creative activity for kids and parents to do together.
Recipes Made With Cake Mix
Cake mix isn’t just for making cakes - it’s a shortcut to many delicious treats! I always like to have some cake mix in the pantry because it allows me to make dessert quickly. Cake mix is practically foolproof as it saves you time and ensures you get the perfect flavor and texture every time.
- Strawberry Kiss Cake Mix Cookies Recipe
- Peanut Butter and Chocolate Cake Mix Donuts
- Lemon Cake Mix Cookies
- Apple Dump Cake Recipe
Ingredients For St. Patrick's Day Cake Balls
- White or yellow cake mix – This gives the recipe a fluffy cake foundation.
- Water, oil, and eggs – Used to make cake from the mix.
- Green food coloring – For a fun and festive St. Paddy's Day touch.
- Powdered sugar – Used for the frosting.
- Unsalted butter – Adds richness to the frosting.
- Vanilla extract – To enhance the overall flavor of the cake bites.
- Salt – Balances out the sweetness in the frosting.
- Milk – Helps the frosting to have the perfect consistency.
- White chocolate chips or candy melts – To coat the cake balls.
- St. Patrick’s Day-themed sprinkles – If you don't have these, green sprinkles will do.
Cake Pop Essentials
To make these cake balls or cake pops, you’ll need a stand or hand mixer, a 13x9 cake pan, a microwave-safe bowl for melting the chocolate, and a small ice cream scoop or tablespoon for shaping the cake balls. If you’re missing anything, you can find these tools on Amazon.
KitchenAid Artisan Series 5 Quart Tilt Head
Ice Cream Scoop, 3Pcs Cookie Scoop Set,100 Count 6 Inch White Lollipop Sticks,PaperLareina Ceramic Mixing Bowls for Kitchen, 3-Piece
How to Make Cake Balls
Making St. Patrick’s Day cake balls starts with preparing white cake mix and adding food coloring to it.
Bake up the batter in a pan and once the cake has cooled, you can crumble it up and make some homemade frosting.
Add the homemade vanilla frosting to a bowl with the crumbled green cake and mix until it has been thoroughly incorporated.
Roll the mixture into small balls and chill them briefly to firm them up. After the cake balls are firm, dip them in melted white chocolate or melted candy melts.
Before the chocolate sets, sprinkle on some St. Patrick’s Day-themed decorations. They’re now ready to serve or store in the fridge for later.
Tips for Making St. Patrick's Day Cake Balls Recipe
Tip 1: If your melted chocolate starts to harden as you work, pop it back into the microwave for 15 seconds to smooth it out.
Tip 2: Make sure the cake is cool before you crumble it. If it is warm, it will be too sticky to handle.
Tip 3: If the dough feels too dry, add more frosting, one tablespoon at a time, until the cake mixture holds together when pressed.
Tip 4: Chill the cake balls long enough before dipping to keep them from crumbling in the warm chocolate.
FAQS For Cake Balls For St. Patrick's Day
Store these in an airtight container in the fridge. They’ll stay fresh for up to three days. If you want them longer, freeze them for up to two months. Just thaw them in the fridge the day before serving.
A homemade cake recipe works just fine. Be sure the cake is moist, as dry cake can be harder to roll into balls. A standard vanilla or white cake recipe will work.
If your cake balls keep falling apart, the mixture might need more frosting to hold together. Add some extra frosting and mix it in. If it is still too crumbly, chill the mixture for 10–15 minutes before rolling again.
Cake Pop Recipes
Cake pop recipes are popular because they are adorable and versatile. They’re great for parties, holidays, or whenever you want a sweet bite. They are easy to customize with different flavors, colors, and decorations, so you can make them match any theme or occasion.
Our St. Patrick's Day cake balls are sure to be a hit! With their bright green color and festive sprinkles, they will take any holiday celebration up a notch!
St. Patrick's Day Fun
📖 Recipe
St. Patrick’s Day Cake Balls
Ingredients
For the frosting:
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons milk
For the Decoration:
- 2 cups white chocolate chips or candy melts
- 3 tablespoons St. Patrick’s Day-themed sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Prepare a 13x9-inch cake pan by either greasing it with non-stick spray or lining it with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the cake mix, water, oil, and eggs. Mix thoroughly, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed to ensure everything is well incorporated.
- Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the center is fully set. Remove from the oven and allow the cake to cool completely.
- For the frosting: Using a stand mixer, combine half of the powdered sugar, softened butter, vanilla, and salt. Mix on low speed until blended, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Add the remaining powdered sugar along with the milk. Mix on low speed until combined, then increase to medium speed and beat for about one minute, or until the frosting is light, fluffy, and smooth.
- For the cake balls: Once the cake has cooled, crumble it into small pieces and transfer to the bowl of a stand mixer.
- Add approximately 1 cup of frosting to the crumbled cake and mix using the paddle attachment on low speed until the mixture comes together. If the mixture is too dry and doesn’t hold its shape when pressed, add more frosting as needed.
- Scoop out small portions of the mixture using a tablespoon or a small ice cream scoop, then roll them into neat balls with your hands.
- Arrange the cake balls on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Once finished, place the sheet in the refrigerator or freezer for 15-30 minutes, or until the balls are firm.
- For the coating: While the cake balls chill, melt the white chocolate or candy melts. Place them in a microwave-safe bowl and heat in 30-second intervals, stirring after each interval, until fully melted and smooth.
- Remove the chilled cake balls from the fridge or freezer. Using a spoon, dip each ball into the melted white chocolate, ensuring it is fully coated.
- Gently tap off the excess chocolate on the side of the bowl, then place the coated ball back onto the parchment-lined sheet.
- Immediately top each coated ball with St. Patrick’s-themed sprinkles, as the white chocolate sets quickly—especially on chilled dough.
Notes
- If your melted chocolate starts to stiffen up while you're working, just pop it in the microwave for 15 seconds to get it smooth again.
- Let the cake cool completely before crumbling it. If it’s still warm, it’ll be way too sticky to work with.
- If the dough feels dry, add a bit more frosting—just a tablespoon at a time—until it sticks together when you press it.
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