Red White and Blue Cake Balls

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These Red White and Blue Cake Balls are the perfect festive treat for any patriotic celebration like the Fourth of July party or Memorial Day. They have a simple decorated candy coating on the outside but the surprise center of these sweet treats adds an exciting twist to a traditional 4th of July cake.

If you love fun easy desserts like this, be sure to try these Red White and Blue Oreo Balls or this Red White and Blue Poke Cake or these guilt free Red White and Blue Parfaits too!

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white plate full of red white and blue cake balls

Easy Red White and Blue Dessert
Ingredients needed
Variations
How to Make these Cake Balls
Tips
FAQ’s

Easy Red White and Blue Dessert

These cake balls are perfect for not only Fourth of July celebrations but any summer parties or even birthday parties. You can customize the colors and decorations to your liking for a fun dessert. Change the color of the cake inside and dip and decorate in any colors too!

two red white and blue cake balls coated with white icing and red and blue drizzled lines.

ingredients for red white and blue cake balls - white cake mix, 3 eggs, oil, cream cheese, and red white and blue candy melting wafers.

Ingredients needed

White cake mix – Use your favorite brand like Betty Crocker plus ingredients on box needed to make it which is usually egg, vegetable oil and water.

Red and blue food coloring – for coloring the batter. You can use gel or liquid food coloring

Cream Cheese – softened to room temperature. Use full fat or low fat cream cheese.

Vanilla melting wafers – I love Ghirardelli brand but you can use Wilton or another brand as well.

Blue and red candy melts – for drizzling over the white dipped cake balls.

Red white and blue sprinkles or candy stars, optional.

Variations

Swap the vanilla melting wafers for white candy melts, white chocolate chips or almond bark.

Flavor the cake batter with lemon extract or almond extract.

Make them into red white and blue cake pops by adding a lollipop stick into each ball after dipping.

You can also dip the cake ball in full red or blue melting wafers and drizzle with white icing. Be as creative as you’d like.

Even though these are red white and blue cake balls, you can use this same recipe for any holiday by using different colors of your choice.

How to Make these Cake Balls

Preheat the oven to 350° F (or per cake box directions) and grease 3 separate 8×8 baking pans.

glass mixing bowl with three raw eggs in cake mix.

In a large bowl, combine the cake mix along with the ingredients listed on the box (usually oil, egg and water) and blend together with a whisk or wooden spoon.

three small white bowls of cake mix. two with 5 drops of food color.

Pour the batter evenly into three small bowls.

Add 5 drops of red food coloring to one bowl and blend (add more food coloring to reach desired color).

Add 5 drops of blue food coloring to the 2nd bowl and, using a separate spoon, blend (add more food coloring to reach desired color).

Leave one bowl plain.

three square glass baking dishes. one blue, one red and one white.

Pour each of the batters into separate greased baking pans and bake for 14-16 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Remove the pans from the oven and place on a wire cooling rack to let the cake cool.

three glass bowls of crumbled cake batter. one blue, one red and one white.

Once they are completely cooled, crumble cake into smaller pieces and transfer to separate bowls.

glass mixing bowl of creamed cream cheese.

In a large mixing bowl, add the cream cheese and blend with an electric hand mixer on medium high speed until smooth.

three bowls of crumbled cake batter with cream cheese on top. one blue, one red and one white.

Divide the cream cheese evenly into each of the three bowls with the crumbled cake.

Stir the cream cheese into the cake crumbles completely with separate spoons so the colors do not bleed. (you can also use the electric mixer on low speed just be sure to clean the beaters after each use.

Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or wax paper.

baking sheet with rolled red white and blue cake balls.

Pinch off pieces from each of the 3 cake mixture and roll the colors together with the palms of your hands into a smooth 1-inch balls and place each ball on the lined cookie sheet.

Once all of the cake balls have been rolled, place the cookie sheets in the refrigerator for 2 hours or in the freezer for an hour to set so they will hold their shape.

cake ball being dipped into white melted candy

red white and blue cake ball being held over white melted candy wafers.

Place the vanilla melting wafers in a microwave safe bowl and heat in the microwave at 50% power level for 30 seconds. Then stir and repeat for another 30 seconds at 50% power level. Stir again until they have completely melted. Be very careful not to overheat or they can seize and thicken too much. (You can also use double boiler method to melt the wafers)

With a fork or toothpick, dip cake balls into the white melted candy. Tap the fork on the side of the bowl as you remove it to get as much excess coating off then place the ball back onto the baking sheet.

If adding sprinkles, add them immediately to the top of the cake balls after placing them on the tray before the coating dries.

two piping bags - one with red icing and one with blue icing.

In 2 separate piping bags or plastic zip closure bags, melt both of the other candy melts in the microwave on 50% power level for 30seconds. Remove and massage the bag then repeat for another 30 seconds then massage the bag again until completely melted.

baking sheet with white coated cake balls. come with red white and blue sprinkles and some with red and blue drizzled icing.

Cut the corner off of the baggie and drizzle over the white cake balls in whatever pattern you’d like.

Place the trays back in the refrigerator for 15-20 minutes to completely set or until ready to serve.

closeup of patriotic cake balls with red white and blue sprinkles and red and blue drizzle.

Tips

Be very careful NOT to overheat the melting wafers or they will seize and harden. When removing from the microwave the 2nd time, the bowl may be warm enough to keep melting them as you stir.

Don’t skip chilling the rolled cake ball before dipping. This ensures they will not crumble while coating.

Add a teaspoon or two of vegetable oil or coconut oil to the melted vanilla candy for smoother finish.

FAQ’s

How to Store Cake Balls

Store leftover cake balls in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.

Can I freeze cake balls

Absolutely! Freeze the cake ball in an airtight container or freezer baggie for up to a year.