Q. I like to get my holiday baking done a month or so ahead of time. I usually take a weekend, bake up all my holiday treats, and then freeze them until Christmas. This year I’m planning on adding cake balls to my list of things to bake. Cake balls use a cake mix, but also use pudding or other liquid to keep the balls together. I’ve never made them before, so I’m a bit concerned that they won’t freeze well and that the liquid will dry out in the freezer. Can you freeze cake balls?
Can you freeze cake balls?
A. Yes, you can freeze cake balls. Some people prefer to make a big batch of cake balls and then freeze the balls without the icing or other decorations. However other people feel that the cake balls are easier to work with when they are freshly baked, and prefer to decorate them completely and then freeze. Either method works, but if your plan is to make things easier for you around the holidays, perhaps decorating the cake balls before freezing them is a better idea for you.
How to freeze cake balls?
To freeze cake balls successfully, you need to prevent them from getting freezer burn, and also protect the decorations from getting ruined. First, bake your cake balls according to your recipe. Allow the cake balls to cool completely. Decorate your cake balls to your liking. Most cake balls are decorated with regular icing or with candy melts. Both of these ingredients freeze well, so use what you like best.
Once your cake balls are decorated, it’s time to freeze them. For cake balls decorated with icing, you must harden the icing a little before placing the cake balls in freezer bags. Stand the cake balls on their sticks in a cup or a stand, and place in the freezer for 10-15 minutes, until the icing starts to harden. This will stop the icing from smudging. Once hardened, remove from the freezer.
For both types of decorated cake balls, the rest of the process is the same. Place the cake balls in freezer bags in a single layer. Gently squeeze out the excess air, then seal the bags. Label and date them, and them stack the bags in the freezer. Be careful not to put anything heavy on top of the bags or the cake balls will get squished. To thaw, remove the cake balls from the freezer and take them out of the bag. Place them in a stand or a lay them in a single layer in the refrigerator until thawed.