Although I really wanted to try out my new tombstone and coffin cookie cutters, I went with pumpkins. Maybe I'll get to those next week. :)
I tried a new flavor of cake ball....chai-spiced. While I wasn't crazy about them, my husband who "tested" 3 for breakfast yesterday loved them, as did my son, so I was over-ruled. I used vanilla almond bark instead of candy melts this time, so that may have been why I didn't like them as much.
For the cake balls, I used a white cake mix and substituted a strongly brewed chai tea for the water. I also used 3 eggs in place of the 3 egg whites called for on the package. The flavor was really subtle....I added a touch of cinnamon, ginger and cardamon to the batter as well and might even add more if I try them again.
The instructions for putting them all together are here. If you've never tried them before, I recommend starting with the Pumpkin Spice Cake Balls.
(adapted from Everyday Food)
1/2 c. (1 stick) butter, melted
1 c packed light brown sugar (I've used a combo of dark & light, too)
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla (the first time I made these, I was out of vanilla...the horror!...so I used almond extract. I've made them that way ever since)
1/4 tsp salt
1 & 1/2 c flour
1 c toffee bits (this time I could only find the chocolate covered toffee bits, both taste great, but I think the plain ones make for prettier blondies.)
Preheat oven to 350. Line the bottom and side of an 8 inch square pan with foil, leaving an overhang on 2 sides.
Cream butter and brown sugar together until smooth. Beat in eggs, vanilla and salt, scraping down sides.
Add the flour on low speed until combined. Stir in toffee bits.
Spread batter into prepared pan (an offset spatula helps). Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 30 to 35 minutes. Let cool completely in pan.
Lift the blondies out of the pan using the foil overhang. Cut with a bench scraper or serrated knife.
Delicious!!!
YUM! Everything looked great. Your cake balls came out picture perfect! I'm making your pumpkin spice balls today....just have to print out your recipe.
ReplyDeleteThank you, thank you, thank you for the blondie recipe! We love blondies at my house! Printing that one out too!
~ingrid
Those all look so good! Though I'm with you, I'd probably prefer the pumpkin cake balls to the chai cake balls. Those pumpkin-shaped cookies are just adorable.
ReplyDeleteall of your treats look wonderful! The pumpkins are precious- as always I'm blown away by your decorating abilities!
ReplyDeleteI bet you goodies were the BEST :)
ReplyDeleteYum! The bake sale will make money this year!
ReplyDeleteSugar cookie tea...I can'[t wait to go to the grocery store!
there is an award for you on my blog!
ReplyDeleteFrom the looks of things, I would say the Bake Sale was a success!
ReplyDeleteI love my bench scraper. Since my husband makes the dough and bakes the cookies, he's commandeered mine. I need to get another. The toffee blondies look awesome!
ReplyDeleteI LOVE blondies even more than brownies. These look like absolute perfection. The pumpkin spice cake balls look to die for as well, I can't wait to give them a try!
ReplyDeleteWhat a splendid collection. Love the pumpkin shaped cookies!
ReplyDeleteI don't want to sound like a jerk, but could you make the cake balls with homemade cake?
ReplyDeleteThe flavor of boxed cakes is great but I hate all the unpronounceable ingredients AND the flavor of the canned icing.
Thanks for posting the bench scraper picture. I've been wondering what that is. Janice was tryng to explain it to me.
ReplyDeleteHi Jen....I'm sure you could make these with homemade cake, I've just never tried it. I'm a big label reader, too, but for cake balls, I make an exception. :)
ReplyDeleteTry bakerella's blog...www.bakerella.blogspot.com. She has a lot of great info on cake balls.
Just wanted to let you know that I love your ideas. I can't wait to try the pumpkin balls!
ReplyDeleteoh wow! those pumpkin cookies look soo good! so cute and that orange is so pretty!
ReplyDeleteHi!
ReplyDeleteI made both your blondies and the pumpkin spice cake balls. How'd you get your cake balls so perfect? Not fair! Talk about yummy, too!
I think Babygirl and I messed up the blondies a bit, I think she might have over mixed the batter and I probably over cooked them by a couple of minutes. :-( Don't get me wrong they were good but just a bit dry. To moisten them up I made an icing from browned butter, cinnamon, powdered sugar, vanilla and half&half, YUM! Thanks for the recipe!
~ingrid
Hi Ingrid! I'm sorry they came out dry for you. If you make them again, try pulling them out a few minutes earlier...they are usually pretty moist. Although, your frosting sounds so good, it probably didn't make any difference! :)
ReplyDeleteWow, well done. I'm bookmarking the recipe for the blondies.
ReplyDeleteYUM! it all looks wonderful!! I may have to try the pumpkin spice balls sometime - hubby's birthday is next weekend and he has "ordered" red velvet cake balls - so I guess I'm making those again for now! LOL and more smilie face cookies for my oldest to take to work for a birthday.
ReplyDeleteI made your toffee blondies using crushed up Heath Bars (I couldn't find toffee chips) and they are DELICIOUS!! Very easy too!
ReplyDeleteI have really enjoyed your blog! I just wanted to let you know that you can buy Chai spice in the grocery store now. I use it in cakes, cookies, and icing. I'm really looking forward to making chai cake truffles with my family! Thank you for the GREAT ideas!
ReplyDeleteThose look so adorable!that pumpkin looks really cute!
ReplyDeletePumpkin is really good I always love your blog.
ReplyDeleteIs the butter melted as stated in the ingredient list or solid as it sounds with the instruction to cream it and the brown sugar together?
ReplyDeleteAllow me to put down the features and characteristics which I believe led to the Revival of Korean churches comparing to African ministries.open heaven for today
ReplyDelete