Key Lime Pie Cake Balls

Want a recipe that  will make you look really good in the kitchen?  Here it is.   These cake balls are not as complicated as they seem, but you will need to cut yourself some slack. If you are an impatient person as I tend to be  step back and take a deep breath.   Have yourself a book to read or some laundry to do while  waiting for them to cool, because there is a good bit of down time.  The end results are totally worth it!

Awhile back Karen Stroud asked me to visit her book club.  I loved it!   Everyone brought their favorite cookbook.  It was so interesting to see and hear what everyone had to say.  I love cookbooks and read them as if they were novels.  Weird, but true!   At the end of a beautiful evening Karen served us with Ruby Byers’ Key Lime Pie Cake Balls and I fell in love.  I’m trying my best to describe them but you should just try them!   They really taste more like truffles, you know Key Lime Pie Truffles!  Heavenly!  They are irrestible so watch out if you are counting calories.

Limes for juice.  Be sure to zest first.

Cake after baking and cooling completely.

While cake is cooling make the Lime Buttercream frosting.

Form into a big ball.

Shape into evenly sized cake balls

Dip into melted chocolate.  I was distracted here and did not take picture.  So sorry!

Perfection!   These are so good!

Key Lime Pie Cake Balls   from Ruby Byers

Cake:

• 1 box yellow cake mix ( I used Duncan Hines yellow)
• 1/2 Tablespoon (1 1/2 teaspoons) lime zest
• 1/3 cup key lime juice
• 3/4 cup half and half
• 2 eggs

Additions to cake after baking:

• 1/4 cup Lime Buttercream frosting ( Make this while your cake is cooking and then cooling) Recipe for frosting is below.
• 1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
• 2 tablespoon grated lime zest

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Grease and flour a 9 x 13 inch pan.
3. Mix together cake mix, lime zest, key lime juice, half and half, and eggs.  Batter will be thick.
4. Pour into greased pan.
5. Bake for 28-32 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched.
6. Cool completely.
7. Crumble cake into small even pieces and place in a large bowl.
8. With the back of a spoon, mix together cake crumbles with Lime Buttercream frosting , sweetened condensed milk, and grated lime zest until a thick dough forms.
9. Shape into evenly sized cake bites.
10. Cool 1-2 hours in refrigerator or 20 minutes in freezer.
11. Dip into melting chocolate.  I used a pale green melting chocolate that I found at Michael’s.  You could use white.  Follow the directions for melting and dipping that is on the package.
12. Top with crushed graham crackers or use white Nonpareils as I did.

Lime Buttercream Frosting

Ingredients:

• 8 tablespoons or 1 stick butter, room temperature
• 3 3/4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
• 3-4 tablespoons milk or cream
• 2 teaspoons lime extract or lime juice
• 2 tablespoons lime zest

Directions:

1. In a large bowl beat butter until light and fluffy about 30 seconds.
2. Stop the mixer and add sugar, 3 tablespoons milk, lime juice, and lime zest.
3. Beat frosting on low and increase speed until frosting is creamy.  Add 1 tablespoon or more of milk if frosting is too thick.
4. You will have left over frosting.  Save for another recipe of cake balls or use on some cupcakes.