Hard candy shell on the outside and spongy cake on the inside, these Red Velvet Cake balls are delicious. These little bites of cake heaven are the perfect sweet treat for your day.
If you love these cake balls, then you should definitely try our Red Velvet Cake pops and Vanilla Cake pops.
Red velvet cake balls
Red Velvet cake is a very popular Southern dessert – and for good reason. Its beautiful red center and pure white outside make it a favorite around Valentine’s Day. And the taste… so sweet and moist and chocolaty. Where can you go wrong? These Red Velvet Cake balls are just the best. They take all the best flavors of the cake and put them into little bites that look as good as they taste.
What ingredients do I need?
- Red velvet cake mix– I like betty crocker brand the most.
- Vegetable oil– or any other light-tasting oil
- Eggs
- Water
- Pillsbury Creamy Supreme vanilla frosting
- White candy melts (and some red for decorating)
- Dipping aid
How to make the cake balls
- Make the cake. Using an electric mixer, combine the cake mix, water, oil, and eggs just until smooth.
- Bake it. In an oiled 9×13-inch pan, pour the cake batter in and bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit according to the box directions.
- Let it cool. When the cake is down, put it on a cooling rack to cool. To hasten the process, cut the cake into pieces and allow each one to cool.
- Mix and crumble. Once cool, crumble the cake with clean hands into a large bowl and add the frosting. Mix until there is no more frosting visible.
- Shape the balls. Using a cookie scoop, shape the balls into spheres and place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Freeze for 15 minutes.
- Melt the candy melts. In a microwave-safe dish, melt the candy melts with the dipping aid at 25-second intervals to avoid scorching.
- Coat the balls. With a fork or slotted spoon, dip the cake balls into the melted candy. Then, place them back on the parchment-lined baking sheet and allow them to set.
- Decorate. Melt the red candy melts and stream them over the red velvet cake balls. Allow to set before serving.
Frosting substitutes
These Red Velvet Cake balls can be made with a variety of frostings. So, if you don’t have the one in this recipe, you can also substitute buttercream frosting or cream cheese frosting.
Best way to thin out candy melts
To thin out the candy melts and make them smooth enough for a good coating on these cake balls, you can also use coconut oil or shortening. But, honestly, dipping aid chips work the best.
How long should my cake cool before I can shape the cake balls?
It’s best to let your cake cool completely, and for no less than an hour. If you start shaping your cake balls too soon, the cake won’t crumble well and will get too mushy when the frosting is added. So allow it to cool so that the inner texture of your red velvet cake balls is just right.
Can I make them in advance?
Yes! You can make these cake balls in advance. They store well at room temperature and will keep for up to 1 week. Just keep them in an airtight container and in a cool, dry place.
Can I freeze cake balls?
Yes, you can freeze these red velvet cake balls, but only undipped. So, if you are in the process of making them, stop once they have been shaped and freeze them for about 15 minutes, or until firm. Then, place them in a ziplock freezer bag and store them for up to 6 weeks.
Freezing these cake balls after they are dipped isn’t recommended because condensation builds up and the outsides become sticky and unappetizing.
Full Recipe Instructions

Red Velvet Cake Balls
Ingredients
- 15 oz red velvet cake mix
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
- 3 large eggs
- 1 1/4 cup water
- 2 tbsp Pillsbury creamy supreme vanilla frosting
- 1 12 oz white Wilton candy melts + extra red color for decorating
- 1 Tbsp dipping aid
Instructions
Bake the cake
- In a large bowl, combine the red velvet cake mix, vegetable oil, eggs, and water just until smooth. I find that using an electric hand mixer works best.
- Spray a 9x13 inch baking Pan with nonstick spray. Then pour the red velvet cake batter inside. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit as instructed on the cake mix box.
- Once the cake is baked, transfer it to a cooling rack and let it cool completely. To speed this process up, cut it into a few separate pieces so it cools faster.
Mix the cake with frosting and shape
- Now crumble the cake into a large bowl and mix it with 2 tablespoons of the vanilla frosting. Do this using your clean hands. A good way to know when you were done mixing is when there are no more streaks of white frosting visible.
- Now using a cookie scoop, scoop the cake balls and shape them into spheres. Then place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze for 15 minutes.
Melt the candy melts
- In the meantime melt, the candy melts with the dipping aid chips. These chips will help thin out the candy melts for a smooth coating. Make sure to melt in 25-second intervals to avoid overheating and scorching the chocolate.
Dip the cake balls
- Now using a fork or a slotted spoon dip the cake balls into the candy melts and let them set on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Then decorate with streams of melted red candy melts. Serve at room temperature.
Notes
Nutrition
- Rolo Cookies - November 27, 2023
- Apple Fritter Bread - November 25, 2023
- Turkey Melt - November 20, 2023
Elizabith Hawley says
These cake balls are so tasty but, can you the cake in the microwave?
Dina says
Hi Elizabeth 🙂 Very happy to hear you enjoyed these cake balls! I have never tried making a cake in a microwave and I won’t recommend it. Thank you for your feedback!
Dee says
Made these for Christmas & was a hit. I used the cream cheese icing instead of vanilla.
Dina says
I am so glad you enjoyed these red velvet cake balls, Dee!
Kathy Miller says
What are dipping aid chips and where do you purchase them?
Dina says
Hi Kathy 🙂 Dipping air chips are to help thin out the chocolate to make it easier to work with. You can get them from Michaels or Amazon. I hope you love this recipe! 🙂
Francesca says
These red velvet cake balls are such a treat. I always make them for Christmas time and Valentine’s Day! They always disappear so fast 😍. Thank you for the easy to follow recipe!
Dina says
Thank you so much, Francesca! I am thrilled that these red velvet cake balls are always on repeat around the holidays 🙂
Momsdish says
Dina, what an awesome recipe. I love the close up the cake ball. This would be such a fun activity with kids!
simplyhomecooked says
Thank you, Natalya! My kiddos definitely enjoyed making these delicious treats.