Cake Ball Punkin Patch

How does that poem go?

When the frost on the pumpkin lies... or when on the counter the cake scraps lie?

You know what I'm talking about!

So what to do you with all those cake scraps?
Make cake balls, of course.

Don't tell anyone, but I actually made some petit fors that looked SO bad after I iced them, I threw them into a bowl and took out my frustration on them, beating them into submission...and that's how my punkin patch got started.

Oh, don't act like you've never wanted to do that!

 You know you have!

And I hate to just throw away scraps.

So, in addition to the orange petite for disasters, I made a batch of chocolate using the leftover scraps from a cake I leveled.

 So if you want to make some "punkins", just crumble cake scraps into a bowl.

Now at this point, you can add different things to make the crumbs adhere. 

To 2 cups cake crumbs,

you can add 

3/4 to 1 cup 

of Buttercream icing,

OR cream cheese, 

OR (my personal favorite) chocolate ganache!

 

Start with a half cup, then add the binding agent until you have a nice soft paste, you can add more

if you like. That is entirely a personal preference. 

The softer the mixture, the longer you will need to chill them before dipping the cake balls.

 Chill that mixture for a few hours, then, using a melon baller, just scoop them out, 

roll them into a ball and place on waxed paper.

For  pumpkins, score the cake balls, using a toothpick, as shown.

Cover them with plastic wrap and placed them in the freezer for at least an hour, or overnight. 

Melt 8 oz orange confectionery melts in a chocolate warmer or over a double boiler.

Add paramount crystals, a tablespoon at a time, to thin until it becomes a nice dipping consistency.

If you are making a lot, then try dipping half in white confectionery melts  for contrast.

Insert a toothpick into cake ball and dip into prepared confectionery melt, and remove quickly, allowing excess coating to fall back into pan.

If desired, dip in autumn leaves sprinkles, ground nuts, or even finely ground cake or cookie crumbs directly after insertion.  Remove toothpick. Don't worry about the hole or cracking. You are going to cover that up anyway. 

They don't have to be perfect. 

I have yet to find a pumpkin that is perfect when choosing one to carve!!!

Easy so far? It really is!!

Once the coating is set, you can brush on some edible luster dust for a little gilding.

 

For the final step, you will need icing tips  #2,# 4, and a leaf tip #67, a piping bag fitted with a coupler,

and 1/2 cup of leafy green ( your favorite green, I used moss green ) slightly thinned buttercream.

Start with #2 tip and fill with bag with icing.

Pipe a curlyQ vine on the ball. (This is where you can cover any cracks if necessary)

Change to leaf tip #67, and pipe a one or two leaves from the center top. 

Then, with #4 pipe the stem in the center.  

If you want to display them on Hay Bales, then make some Rice Krispie Treats.

Directions for hay bales are HERE!

That's all there is to it!

Punkins for sale!