Cookie Dough Cake Balls

Photo by Matt Sechrist

Happy Birthday to my sweet Kaylen!  For years I made intricate cakes with fondant, butterflies, zebra stripes, glitter, and with enough layers to feed 50 people for an 8-person birthday party.  I'm a little relieved those days are over, although it was an expectation from nobody but myself to spend 8 hours on a birthday cake.  As it turns out, Kaylen is happy with ice cream sundaes and cake balls!
Kaylen's favorite ice cream is Blue Bell Cookie Dough flavor, so when she told me this year she really wanted cake balls I decided to whip up a batch of Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cake Balls! 
Both kids helped me crumble the cake after it cooled, then I froze and dipped them in 2 batches.  Done by midnight, but I didn't start rolling until after 10pm, so not too shabby in my mind!
Cookie Dough Cake Balls
1 box white cake mix, baked as directed and cooled 1 stick unsalted butter, softened 3/4 cup brown sugar 1 tsp vanilla 1/2 tsp salt 1 1/4 cup flour 4 Tbsp milk 1/2 package mini chocolate chips 1 bag milk chocolate candy melts 4 Tbsp shortening
Crumble cooled white cake into very fine crumbs in a large bowl.  Set aside.
In a mixer bowl cream butter and brown sugar until creamy.  Add vanilla and salt and mix until combined.  Slowly add flour, mixing at medium speed until incorporated, then add milk to desired consistency.  Stir in mini chocolate chips.
Add frosting to cake crumbs and mix well with a spoon or clean, jewelry-free hands. :)  Roll 1/2 of the dough into tablespoon-sized balls and place on a wax paper-covered cookie sheet.  Place in freezer for 20 minutes.
In a microwaveable mug (I use a 2-cup glass measuring cup) add 1/2 bag of candy melts and 2 Tbsp shortening.  Microwave for 30 seconds and stir.  Microwave for 20 seconds at a time, stirring well between, until chocolate is melted but not burned.  Let chocolate sit for 5 minutes before dipping cake balls.  (TIP:  In my experience, balls that are too cold and chocolate that is too hot is what leads to cake balls cracking as they sit.)
Using a spoon, fork, or Easter egg dipper, dip the frozen balls into the chocolate and place on a piece of wax paper to cool.  As chocolate cools, take a toothpick and run it around the base of the balls to shave off excess chocolate.
When first batch is done, roll 2nd batch and freeze for 20 minutes.  Make a fresh batch of chocolate dipping sauce using same directions as above.
When cake balls are cooled, store at room temperature for 2-3 days.  Do not refrigerate!  Nobody likes sweaty balls.