Birthday Cake Balls and an Actual Birth Day!

I did it.  Today, I delivered a baby, like a real baby, all by myself!  It was a little boy and oh my God it was amazing.  It may have taken me too long to get the sterile gloves and gown on, and I may have been soooo nervous, but there's a doctor-esque milestone if I've ever seen one.  I can now leave the field of OB peacefully, and it's an experience I'll never forget.  And everyone made it out of the experience just fine, thank you very much :)  (HIPPA, we're still cool, right?  There must have been about 60 million boys born today).

Well now that's off my chest, we'll now turn to cake balls.  Delicious, unbelievably moist, a little putsy but totally worth it.  It's really more of a method than a recipe.  Here's how it goes

Bake a boxed cake (any kind) in a 9x13 pan.  Follow the instructions on the package.  Easy peasy.

Cool completely and cut the cake into big chunks.  In a large bowl, take two forks and shred each chunk until you're left with fine crumbs.  Continue until the whole cake is crumbled in the bowl.  Stir in 1 can of frosting (any kind that would go well with the original cake flavor you chose.  Mine was spiced cake and cream cheese frosting.  It will look like moist ground beef at this point.  Go with it.

Put it in the refrigerator for a while until it firms up (cover so it doesn't get too dry).  Using a small spoon or a cookie scoop, put a dollop into your palms, roll into a circle, and place on a lined baking sheet.  Refrigerate or freeze until firm.

Next, melt a bunch of chocolate, or those meltable candy chips from craft stores.  Any color or type of chocolate will do.  You can dye the white chips for a holiday or special occasion.  Dip and coat each cake ball into the chocolate.  Using 2 forks is best for this.  Place back on baking sheet, and quickly sprinkle with a topping, like chopped nuts, candies, sprinkles, mini-chocolate chips, whatever you want. Let harden and serve!!

I made these cake balls when we were home last weekend, to celebrate several special birthdays:  my mom's (14th), my grandma Bonnie's (1st) and my dear cousin Macy's (8th).  September is always such a great month because of all that above-mentioned celebrating.  Now I can add one more thing to remember in September: the first time I helped bring a life into the world.  Way cool.

Here's to baby catching and cake balls,
Amy