Vanilla Cake Balls are made with crumbled vanilla cake, a creamy homemade buttercream frosting, and an optional white chocolate drizzle. Add colorful sprinkles for an easy, festive dessert everyone will love!
I love making these Vanilla Cake Balls whenever I have leftover cupcakes to use up—they’re one of my favorite ways to turn extra cake into something everyone gets excited about. They freeze beautifully, so I always keep a batch on hand for a quick sweet treat (I actually think they’re even better straight from the freezer!). Plus, they’re so easy to dress up for any occasion with festive sprinkles, making them perfect for everything from Halloween to Christmas.
Recipe Highlights
- Perfect for Leftover Cake – This recipe is a delicious way to transform leftover cake or cupcakes into a completely new dessert, so nothing goes to waste.
- Homemade Cream Cheese Buttercream – Instead of using canned frosting, these cake balls are mixed with a homemade buttercream made with cream cheese, giving them an extra rich flavor.
- Easy to Customize – Change up the sprinkles, drizzle with white chocolate, or decorate them for any holiday or celebration, making this one recipe perfect year-round.
Easy Vanilla Cake Ball Ingredients
White Cake – Baked & crumbled white cake creates the soft, tender base that gives these cake balls their signature texture.
Butter – Softened butter adds richness and helps create a smooth, creamy frosting.
Cream Cheese – Cream cheese gives the frosting a slight tang and makes the cake balls extra moist and flavorful.
Powdered Sugar – Powdered sugar sweetens the frosting while keeping it silky smooth.
Vanilla Extract – Vanilla enhances the sweet, buttery flavor and adds classic vanilla taste throughout.
Milk – A splash of milk helps thin the frosting to the perfect consistency if needed.
White Chocolate (Optional) – White chocolate adds a sweet finishing touch and makes the cake balls look extra festive when drizzled or dipped.
Tips for making Cake Truffles
Full instructions in the recipe card below, but here are a few tips to help with the process!
- Don’t Overdo the Frosting – Add just enough frosting for the cake crumbs to hold together. Too much will make the cake balls overly soft and difficult to roll.
- Roll Twice for Smooth Cake Balls – After scooping, freeze the cake balls for about 10 minutes, then roll them again in your hands to create a smooth, professional-looking finish.
- Mix Sprinkles into the Dough – Folding sprinkles into the cake mixture adds festive color throughout every bite instead of only decorating the outside.
- Freeze Before Dipping in Chocolate – If you’re coating the cake balls in white chocolate, freeze them for about an hour first so they stay firm and hold their shape while dipping.
Vanilla Cake Balls
Ingredients
- 1 9×13 white cake baked, cooled & crumbled
- 1 TBSP butter softened
- 2 oz cream cheese room temperature
- 1 ¼ cup powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½-1 TBSP milk if needed
- ¼ cup white chocolate optional
Instructions
- In a large bowl, beat together the softened butter, cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla until smooth and creamy. If the frosting is too thick, add up to 1 tablespoon of milk until it reaches a spreadable consistency.
- Add the crumbled cake (or about 12 cupcakes) to the frosting. If using a large stand mixer, you can add the cupcakes whole and mix for about 30 seconds until a smooth cake mixture forms. Otherwise, crumble the cake first and fold it into the frosting with a silicone spatula until well combined.
- If desired, gently fold festive sprinkles into the cake mixture for added color.
- Using a small cookie scoop, portion the mixture into evenly sized balls and place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Freeze for 10 minutes.
- Remove the chilled cake balls from the freezer and roll each one between your palms to create a smooth, round shape.
- If desired, melt the white chocolate. For a drizzle, transfer the melted chocolate to a zip-top bag, snip off one corner, and drizzle over the cake balls. If you'd rather fully coat them, freeze the cake balls for about 1 hour first, then dip each one into the melted white chocolate.
- Let the chocolate set, then store the cake balls in an airtight container in the refrigerator or freezer until ready to enjoy.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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How long are Homemade Cake Truffles good for?
These Vanilla Cake Balls store well, making them a great make-ahead dessert. Keep them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or freeze them for up to 3 months. If freezing, place parchment paper between layers to prevent sticking. You can thaw them in the refrigerator before serving, but they’re also delicious enjoyed straight from the freezer for a firmer, fudgier bite.
Can I use boxed cake mix to make cake balls?
Yes, you can use any brand of boxed cake mix to make cake balls! I made cupcakes because they bake faster than if I’d made a cake with the cake mix, but you’re welcome to make whatever you’d like.
How do I make boxed cake mix taste better?
I have three simple tricks I use to make any boxed cake mix taste like it’s homemade. First, you’ll replace the oil with melted butter. Second, you’ll use milk instead of water. Third, however many eggs the box mix calls for, add 1 extra. That’s it! Proceed with the boxed cake mix directions as you normally would.
Are cake balls cooked?
When you make cake balls, you use cooked cake to make them with, but you don’t actually cook the cake balls once they’re shaped with the frosting. You can even bake the cake a few days ahead of time if you’d like!
Enjoy more of our favorite Easy Cake Recipes here:
- Vanilla cake mix, crushed pineapple with its juice, eggs, and butter come together to create this incredibly moist Pineapple Bundt Cake with just 5 simple ingredients.
- Our Lemon Buttermilk Pound Cake is a rich, buttery dessert made with pantry staples and brightened up with tangy buttermilk, fresh lemon juice, and lots of lemon zest.
- This 100 Calorie Chocolate Mug Cake is a quick, fudgy treat made with simple ingredients like cocoa powder, flour, milk, and vanilla, and it’s ready in just 30 seconds when the chocolate craving hits.
- With just 4 simple ingredients this Easy Vanilla Sponge Cake bakes up light, fluffy, and perfectly sweet. The kind of no-fuss dessert that’s perfect for any occasion!
- Mandarin Orange Cake with Pineapple Frosting—also known as Pig Pickin’ Cake—is a light, refreshing dessert made with a simple cake mix and juicy mandarin oranges.
These Vanilla Cake Balls are dangerously easy to make and disappear just as fast! They’re the perfect way to use up leftover cake, freeze beautifully, and can be decorated for any holiday or celebration.
Tayler Ross says
Oh my, these look SO delicious! They would be great for a Christmas cookie tray!
Aimee Shugarman says
These are so good, and perfect for the holidays!