Strawberry Cake Balls are soft, sweet bite-sized desserts made from real strawberry cake mixed with just enough frosting and dipped in chocolate. They're easy to make, easy to serve, and work just as well for everyday treats as they do for special occasions.
I've made these for casual family gatherings, but I've dressed them up for dessert tables too. Call them Strawberry Cake Bonbons when you want them to feel a little fancier, or even turn them into cake pops if you're serving a crowd.
Jump to:
- Why You'll Love This Strawberry Cake Balls Recipe
- Key Ingredients for Bite-Sized Strawberry Treats
- Ingredient Substitutions
- Variations on Strawberry Cake Balls
- Helpful Tips for Strawberry Cake Balls
- How to Store
- Serving Suggestions for Mini Strawberry Desserts
- More Strawberry Recipes You'll Love
- 📖 Recipe
- 💬 Comments
Why You'll Love This Strawberry Cake Balls Recipe
Soft texture: the cake is naturally moist, which means the centers stay smooth and rich without falling apart.
Real flavor: fresh strawberries give these a true strawberry taste that doesn't rely on artificial mixes.
Flexible style: serve them as cake balls, bonbons, or cake pops depending on the occasion.
Key Ingredients for Bite-Sized Strawberry Treats
See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and instructions.
- Fresh strawberries: blended into the batter, they give the cake natural sweetness and color.
- Butter and sugar: a classic base that creates a tender, rich crumb.
- Eggs and egg whites: whole eggs add structure, while extra whites keep the cake light.
- Cream cheese: balances sweetness in the frosting with a subtle tang.
- Melting chocolate: creates a smooth coating that sets nicely around each cake ball.
Ingredient Substitutions
- Frozen strawberries: thawed and well drained work when fresh aren't available.
- Juice instead of booze: orange juice can replace the liqueur without changing texture.
- Full-fat cream cheese: regular cream cheese can be used for a slightly richer frosting.
Variations on Strawberry Cake Balls
- White chocolate dip: Use white chocolate for a softer look and sweeter finish.
- Chocolate drizzle: add a dark chocolate or white chocolate drizzle over milk chocolate for contrast.
- Cake Pops style: insert sticks after chilling and dip as cake pops for easy serving.
Helpful Tips for Strawberry Cake Balls
- Mix gently: stop mixing the batter as soon as everything comes together to keep the cake tender.
- Use less frosting: this cake is very moist, so start with 1 cup of frosting and add more only if needed.
- Chill first: freezing the cake balls before dipping helps them hold their shape and makes dipping easier.
How to Store
Store strawberry cake balls in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
They can be frozen for up to 2 weeks. Let them sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before serving. If you notice a little moisture after freezing, it will disappear once they thaw.
Serving Suggestions for Mini Strawberry Desserts
Serve Strawberry Cake Balls on a treat tray along side these Brownie Pops, Irish Cream Cake Pops, and Almond Filled Cookies.
More Strawberry Recipes You'll Love
If you enjoy these Strawberry Cake Balls, you might like my recipe for Strawberry Cupcakes, Strawberry Rhubarb Trifle , Chocolate Strawberry Cream Puff Bites, and Strawberry Cheesecake Shooters.
When you make this recipe, please comment below and let me know what you think. I'd love it if you tag me on Instagram @grumpyshoneybunch or #grumpyshoneybunch so I can see your photos!
If you love this recipe, please leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating
📖 Recipe
Strawberry Cake Balls
Equipment
- Food processor , or blender
- Dipping tool , or fork
- Parchment Paper , or foil
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Ingredients
Cake:
- 1¼ cups sliced strawberries
- 2¼ cups flour
- 2¼ teaspoons baking powder
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 1½ cups granulated sugar
- ½ cup butter , softened
- 2 large eggs
- 2 large egg whites
- 1 cup low fat buttermilk
- ¼ teaspoon red food coloring , optional
- Cooking spray
Frosting:
- 3 ounces ⅓ less-fat cream cheese
- ½ cup butter , softened
- 1 tablespoon Grand Marnier or Orange juice
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- ¼ cup strawberry puree
- 1 pound Chocolate candy coating
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°. Spray 9x13 baking pan with cooking spray and set aside.
To prepare cake:
- Place sliced strawberries in a food processor; process until smooth.
- Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups and level with a knife. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt.
- In a large bowl, using an electric hand mixer, combine sugar and ½ cup butter until well blended.
- Add eggs to the butter mixture, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in egg whites.
- Add flour mixture and buttermilk alternately to sugar mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Stir in pureed strawberries and food coloring (if desired); beat just until blended.
- Pour cake batter into prepared baking pan. Bake for 30 minutes minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool cake in pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pans; cool completely on wire racks.
To prepare frosting:
- Place cream cheese, butter, and liqueur in a medium bowl; beat with an electric hand mixer at medium speed until blended. Gradually add powdered sugar, and beat just until blended.
To make the bonbons:
- Crumble the cooled cake into a large bowl. Add 1 cup of frosting to the crumbled cake and stir to combine. Because this cake is so moist and dense you will not need a lot of frosting to bet it to come together. If you feel you need more, add more.
- Using a small cookie scoop, portion cake mixture and shape into balls. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or foil. Freeze for at least 1 hour.
Dipping the bonbons:
- Melt chocolate according to package instructions using either the microwave or a double boiler.
- Once chocolate is melted, remove cake balls from the freezer and dip in chocolate using the dipping tool. Slightly tap the edge of your tool on the pan to allow excess chocolate to run off.
- Place chocolate coated cake balls on a foil lined cookie sheet and allow chocolate to harden completely. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator or freezer.
Sarah Bates says
What a gorgeous treat, Shelby! I should make these for my sons graduation party!
Michele @ Flavor Mosaic says
These look awesome. What yummy treats!
Pam says
Shelby!!!!! Those are so beautiful, what a fantastic spring treat.