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    Home » Recipes » American

    Lemon Cake Balls

    Published: May 11, 2023 · Modified: Jul 25, 2023 by Sherri · This post may contain affiliate links · Leave a Comment

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    lemon cake balls stacked on a white plate with one with a bite taken out of it.

    These lemon cake balls are bite-sized delights that make the ultimate dessert for any special occasion. The tangy and sweet flavor of lemon cake combined with the luscious cream cheese then dipped in a vanilla candy coating.

    Love easy dessert recipes like this? Be sure you try these wonderful Chocolate Coconut Balls or these popular Oreo Balls or these out-of-this-world Butterfinger Balls.

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    plateful of lemon cake balls.

    Table of contents

    • Lemon Cake Balls with Cream Cheese
    • Ingredients Needed
    • Variations
    • How to make this Easy Lemon Cake Balls Recipe
    • Tips
    • Tips for Decorating Lemon Cake Truffles

    Lemon Cake Balls with Cream Cheese

    This lemon cake truffles recipe is perfect for those who love light and fruity desserts…especially in the summertime. They are super easy to make using only a few simple ingredients! 

    Using a whole lemon cake or leftover cake, you can make this melt-in-your-mouth delicious treat very easily. Dip them in a white candy coating and drizzle with melted yellow candy wafers for a festive twist. 

    The best part is that you can change up the recipe with any flavor boxed cake mix you prefer. These cake bites are versatile and a huge hit at any party or celebration like a baby shower, or even just as a sweet treat to enjoy. 

    You may just want to make a batch to eat now and one to freeze for later!

    Close up of lemon cake ball with a bite taken.
    several ingredients for lemon cake balls - cake mix, lemon, cream cheese, eggs, water, vegetable oil and yellow candy melts and vanilla melting wafers.

    Ingredients Needed

    Lemon cake mix – pick any favorite brand of yours plus the ingredients listed on the box which is usually just eggs, water and vegetable oil

    Cream cheese – a whole block softened to room temperature

    Vanilla melting wafers – for adding the pretty white coating.

    Yellow candy melts – optional drizzle if desired. 

    Variations

    1. Any flavor cake mix can be substituted in this recipe. Use a yellow cake mix or white cake mix and then add ¼ – 1 teaspoon of lemon extract instead.
    2. Add in ½ cup of freeze dried strawberries or blueberries to the cream cheese mixture.
    3. Sprinkle with a little white or sanding sugar or lemon zest.
    4. Roll in or sprinkle with coconut flakes.
    5. Make lemon cake pops by inserting a lollipop stick into each cake balls after chilling the dipped cake balls.

    How to make this Easy Lemon Cake Balls Recipe

    Cake mix in a large glass bowl.
    Cream cheese creamed in a glass mixing bowl.
    Lemon cake ball batter in a glass mixing bowl.
    3 eggs in cake batter.
    Lemon cake batter in a glass mixing bowl.
    Lemon cake batter poured into a rectangle baking dish.

    Step 1: Preheat oven per box mix directions and follow the cake mix according to the box instructions on the back.

    Step 2: Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

    Baked lemon cake in a rectangle baking pan.
    Lemon cake crumbled in a rectangle baking dish.

    Step 3: After baking the cake, allow it to cool completely in the pan on a wire cooling rack.  Once the baked cake has cooled, crumble the whole cake with a fork or your hands.

    Cream cheese creamed in a glass mixing bowl.

    Step 4: In a large bowl, add the cream cheese and beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until creamy.

    Lemon cake crumble in a glass bowl.
    Lemon cake crumble in a glass bowl with wooden spoon inserted.

    Step 5: Add the crumbled cake to the blended cream cheese and mix together on low speed until completely combined. (scrape down the side of the bowl with a spatula as you blend).

    Step 6: Using an 1 ½ inch cookie scoop, scoop dough and roll in your hands to make a smooth ball. Then place each dough ball on the lined cookie sheet.

    Step 7: Place the full baking tray in the refrigerator for at least 1.5 – 2 hours to chill and hold their shape when dipping.

    Step 8: After chilling, place the vanilla melting wafers in a microwave safe bowl and heat for 30 second intervals at 50% power level, then remove from the microwave and stir. Repeat for another 30 seconds and then stir again until completely melted. (Repeat one more time if necessary but be very careful not to over cook them or they will seize, thicken and be unusable. The heated bowl will continue to help melt them. (you can also use a double boiler on the stove-top method stirring until fully melted and smooth. Again, be careful not to overheat or get any water or condensation in the melting wafers or it may seize up and harden. 

    Lemon cake ball on a fork being dipped in frosting.
    Lemon cake ball on fork being dipped into glaze.

    Step 9: Using a fork, dip cake ball on at a time into the melted vanilla.  Gently tap the fork on the edge of the bowl to remove excess coating. 

    Lemon cake balls on a baking sheet.

    Step 10: Place the dipped cake ball onto the parchment paper. Repeat dipping all of the cake balls.

    Yellow candy drizzle in a piping back.

    Step 11: Place the yellow candy melts in a small plastic bag or piping bag and melt in the microwave for 30 seconds at 50% power level. Squeeze the bag and then repeat again until they are completely melted.

    Lemon cake balls with yellow candy drizzle over top on a baking pan.

    After melting, cut the corner off of the baggie and drizzle over the cake balls and place the baking sheet back in the refrigerator and allow to harden for at least 15 minutes.  

    Several lemon cake balls stacked on a white plate.

    Tips

    • Using high-quality melting wafers like Ghirardelli or Wilton, instead of white chocolate chips is best. But you can swap the melting wafers for white chocolate chips or almond bark, if preferred.
    • Again, be very careful not to overheat the wafers. Whether using the double boiler method or microwave method, heat the melting wafers on a low heat. High heat can result in the chocolate seizing, drying out, and clumping.
    • Don’t skip the step of chilling the formed balls or the cake balls may crumble when coating with the melted vanilla.
    • Stir in a teaspoon of vegetable oil in to the white melted vanilla wafers for a little extra shiny coating.
    • Add any sprinkles or other toppings before the chocolate dries.

    Tips for Decorating Lemon Cake Truffles

    Decorating lemon cake balls can be a fun and you can get as creative as you’d like.  

    • Use different types of coatings such as melted chocolate, sprinkles, chopped nuts, or shredded coconut for added texture. 
    • Using a piping bag or squeeze bottle, add different designs, swirls, or dots on top of the candy coating.
    • Sprinkle with sanding sugar or powdered sugar.

    How to Store Cake Balls

    Store any leftovers of these sweet cake ball treats in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to a week.  If you need to store them for a longer period of time, you can freeze them for up to a month. To thaw them, simply take them out of the freezer and place them in the refrigerator overnight.

    Overhead shot of lemon cake balls on a white plate.

    Lemon Cake Balls

    These lemon cake balls are bite-sized delights that make the ultimate dessert for any special occasion. The tangy and sweet flavor of lemon cake combined with the luscious cream cheese then dipped in a vanilla candy coating.
    5 from 5 votes
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    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 1 hour hour
    Chill Time: 2 hours hours
    Total Time: 3 hours hours
    Servings: 24 cake balls
    Calories: 167kcal
    Author: Sherri Hagymas

    Ingredients

    • 15.25 ounce box lemon cake mix plus ingredients listed on the box
    • 8 ounce block cream cheese softened to room temperature
    • 10 oz vanilla melting wafers
    • ¾ cup yellow candy melts

    Instructions

    Make the Cake

    • Preheat oven per box mix directions and follow the cake mix according to the box instructions on the back.
      15.25 ounce box lemon cake mix
    • Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
    • After baking the cake, allow it to cool completely in the pan on a wire cooling rack.
    • Once the baked cake has cooled, crumble the entire cake with a fork or your hands.

    Make the Cake Balls

    • In a large mixing bowl, add the cream cheese and beat with an electric mixer on medium high speed until creamy.
      8 ounce block cream cheese
    • Add the crumbled cake to the blended cream cheese and mix together on low speed until completely combined. (scrape down the side of the bowl with a spatula as you blend).
    • Using an 1 ½ inch cookie scoop, scoop dough and roll in your hands to make a smooth ball. Then place each cake ball on the lined cookie sheet.
    • Place the full baking tray in the refrigerator for at least 1.5 – 2 hours to chill and hold their shape when dipping.
    • After chilling, place the vanilla melting wafers in a microwave safe bowl and heat for 30 seconds at 50% power level, then remove from the microwave and stir. Repeat for another 30 seconds and then stir again until completely melted. (Repeat one more time if necessary but be very careful not to over cook them or they will seize, thicken and be unusable. The heated bowl will continue to help melt them. (you can also use a double boiler on the stove-top method stirring until fully melted and smooth. Again, be careful not to overheat or get any water or condensation in the melting wafers or it may seize up and harden.
      10 oz vanilla melting wafers
    • Using a fork, dip each cake ball on at a time into the melted vanilla. Gently tap the fork on the edge of the bowl to remove excess coating.
    • Place the dipped cake ball onto the parchment paper. Repeat dipping all of the cake balls.
    • Place the yellow candy melts in a small ziplock bag or piping bag and melt in the microwave for 30 seconds at 50% power level. Squeeze the bag and then repeat again until they are completely melted.
      ¾ cup yellow candy melts
    • After melting, cut the corner off of the baggie and drizzle over the cake balls.
    • Place the tray back in the refrigerator and allow to harden for at least 15 minutes.

    Notes

    Any flavor cake mix can be substituted in this recipe.
    Swap the vanilla melting wafers for white chocolate chips or almond bark, if preferred.
    Add in ½ cup of freeze dried strawberries or blueberries to the cream cheese mixture.
    Sprinkle with a little lemon zest.
    Make cake pops by inserting a lollipop stick into each cake balls after chilling the dipped cake balls.
    Again, be very careful not to overheat the wafers. Whether using the double boiler method or microwave method, heat the melting wafers on a low heat. High heat can result in the chocolate seizing, drying out, and clumping.
    Don’t skip the step of chilling the cream cheese/ cake mixture or the cake balls may crumble when coating with the melted vanilla.
    Store leftovers refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1cake ball | Calories: 167kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.04g | Cholesterol: 24mg | Sodium: 206mg | Potassium: 43mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 5IU | Calcium: 71mg | Iron: 1mg

    Nutritional Disclosure

    Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should only be used as an approximation.

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