This is a simple cake ball recipe with crumbled cake and pineapple. Roll the cake balls in coconut for a wonderful winter treat—mini snowball cakes that your children will love.
How about some mini cake balls to suit the weather? Our first snow this year is wet and quickly melting, but the kids still like it. They also like these coconut cake balls I have regularly made for the past few years.
I call these cake balls naked cake balls because they are a sort of cake pop without the chocolate coating. They are also larger than cake pops.
Try more coconut delights: Raffaello Coconut Balls, Raffaello Cake, or German Coconut Macaroons.
Jump to recipe
Advantages of naked cake balls over cake pops?
They're so much easier to make than to make cake pops. Making cake pops involves mixing ingredients, forming balls, rolling them in coconut, and chilling. Then, you melt chocolate to insert sticks, chill, dip in chocolate, and chill again. Decorate and chill once more. The process takes almost a full day and can be frustrating when some slide off their sticks.
Better consistency: These cake balls are softer, tendered, and nicer. Cake pops are denser; if I have to choose, I always prefer the tenderer cake balls.
Better taste: I might be biased, but most cake pops are made with buttercream and chocolate, which I'm not a huge fan of. I definitely prefer these cake balls because they use fluffy, lighter whipped cream instead of dense buttercream. The addition of fruit makes them perfect.
Recipe ingredients and substitutions
This cake balls recipe is great when you have some cake leftovers in the freezer, which I often have. I often bake fondant cakes for other people. The cakes need to be higher than regular cakes, so I always bake a double base for one cake, but I usually only use about ¾ of this cake.
So, I often have one slice of cake that I put in the freezer. Every now and then, I take one out and make a dessert: Apricot Trifle, these cake balls, or my son's birthday cake pops - whatever the kids want at that particular moment!
Stabilizer for whipping cream: This product is very popular in Germany but is not available in many other countries. It helps whipped cream hold its shape better and longer. In this case, it also helps the cake ball mixture set better.
Replace it with a 1:1 mixture of cornstarch and powder/ icing sugar. Mix 2 teaspoons of cornstarch and 2 teaspoons of powdered sugar in a small bowl. Whip the heavy cream shortly. Start adding the cornstarch-sugar mixture in a slow stream while mixing continuously. Continue whipping until the cream has the desired consistency.
Unsweetened desiccated coconut.
You will need one can of pineapple pieces or slices (about 12 oz/ 340 g before draining). A little more or less would be fine. Alternatively, you can use a can of mandarin oranges, canned peaches or apricots, or fresh seedless grapes.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
What type of cake should be used for cake balls?
You have four options: leftover cake, freshly baked cake, bought cake, or baking a cake mix from a box.
Cake leftovers: Remove them from the freezer and let them on the counter until defrosted; that will happen quite quickly.
Bake a fresh cake: You should bake it one day in advance to give it time to cool properly.
Bought cake: Just unpack it. I would choose a simple white or vanilla cake without a filling, a glaze, or other garnishes.
Cake mix: Mix and bake the cake according to the packet's instructions. Again, I would choose a white or vanilla cake mix.
How to make coconut balls?
- Step #1: If you make these treats from scratch, start with the cake. Make it several hours in advance or, even better, the day before. Let it cool completely.
- Step #2: Crumb it in a large bowl and mix it with the finely chopped pineapple pieces.
- Step #3: Whip the cream, adding stabilizer or the replacement mixture. Add the cream to the mixture in the bowl and combine well.
- Step #4: Roll the balls, as many as you like; it doesn't matter how large they are. Mine are relatively large, about the size of a snowball. You must wash your hands after every 3 or 4 balls, making the rolling easier.
- Step #5: Place the coconut on a large plate and toss the balls in it until they are covered with coconut.
- Step #6: Refrigerate until ready to serve, at least 1 ½ hours.
Make ahead and store
If you bake a fresh cake, bake it one day in advance.
You can also make the cake balls one day in advance.
Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for 3-4 days or freeze them for up to 3 months. It's best to freeze them on a baking tray or large plate and transfer them to freezer bags or freezer containers once they're solid. Thaw them in the fridge.
More winter treats
Do you like this recipe?
Please leave a good rating in the recipe card below. Stay in touch through social media: Pinterest, Facebook, and Instagram. Don’t forget to tag #whereismyspoon when you try a recipe!Recipe
Cake Balls Recipe
Equipment
- springform about 10-inches/ 26 cm diameter
Ingredients
Cake rests OR make a cake (Note 1):
- 3 eggs large
- 2 tablespoons warm water
- ¾ cup granulated sugar 150 g
- ⅔ cup all-purpose flour 80 g
- ¼ cup cornstarch 30 g
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
Filling:
- scant 1 cup heavy cream 200 ml
- 2 teaspoons powdered sugar Note 2
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 small can pineapple about 12 oz/ 340 g before draining
- 1 cup unsweetened desiccated coconut 100 g
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F/ 180°C. Grease the bottom of a springform and line its bottom with parchment paper. Do not grease the edge of the form.
- Eggs: Separate the eggs. Beat the egg whites and the 2 tablespoons of warm water until stiff. Slowly add the sugar and beat until the mixture gets stiff and glossy. Add the yolks and stir them in gently.3 eggs, separated + 2 tablespoons warm water + ¾ cup granulated sugar/ 150 g
- Mix the flour, cornstarch, and baking powder, sift them over the egg mixture, and fold in carefully. ⅔ cup all-purpose flour/ 80 g + ¼ cup cornstarch/ 30 g + 1 teaspoon baking powder
- Bake the cake: Pour everything into the prepared springform and bake for about 25 minutes until golden.
- Cool cake: Take the cake out of the oven, run with a knife around the edges, and turn it onto a cooling rack. Remove the baking paper quickly but carefully. Let the cake cool completely.
- Chop the drained pineapple into small pieces.1 small can pineapple
- Crumb the cake in a large bowl and mix it with the pineapple pieces.
- Whip the heavy cream shortly. Then, slowly start adding the mixed powdered sugar and cornstarch (or the stabilizer). Add vanilla extract, too. Beat until the heavy cream is stiff. Add it to the crumbed cake mixture in the bowl and mix well to combine.scant 1 cup heavy cream/ 200 ml + 2 teaspoons powdered sugar + 2 teaspoons cornstarch + 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Roll the balls. Make as many cake balls as you like; it doesn't matter how large they are. Mine are relatively large, about the size of a snowball. You will need to wash your hands after every 3 or 4 balls, making the rolling easier.
- Coat in coconut: Place the grated coconut on a large plate and toss the balls in it until they are covered with coconut all over. 1 cup unsweetened desiccated coconut/ 100 g
- Chill cake balls: Place the cake balls in the refrigerator until ready to serve, at least 1 ½ hours.
Notes
- Measurements: Use a digital kitchen scale when baking (the Amazon affiliate link opens in a new tab); it yields the best results.
- The cream stabilizer is not always necessary; you will have to decide if the whipped cream is stable enough or not.
Adina says
Mine too. We will have to make these again this winter.?
Henriette Bartels says
My childen (7 and 5 years old) love to bake the snowballs with me, and they would like to eat them every day!